We get many questions about volunteering in general, about people and places as an organisation, about the projects we feature and a whole host of other things! We're always happy to answer any questions you may have so if you can't find an answer below, please feel free to contact us!
Quite a lot ... thanks primarily to the way we work closely with local people who are our partners, not our employees! These partnerships enable us to be absolutely sure that every project supported by our volunteers is responsible and sustainable ... and is what the local community really wants. people and places volunteers never replace local workers, but work with them, sharing experience and expertise. This mutual respect also applies to the relationship between people and places and our volunteers. We don't just pay lip service to our principles - we act accordingly, maintaining full transparency in all that we do. Ask us anything about your volunteering and we'll give you an honest answer ... and if we don't immediately have the answer to your question, we'll find out and let you know! This level of clarity also applies in financial matters - you'll be spending your hard-earned money, not ours, and we'll make sure that you know how and where it's being spent. Also important is the way in which we match volunteers with projects. Because we're working so closely with our local partners, we can target each volunteer's abilities and experience to the specific needs of the project. Your placement is therefore as close as it comes to being 'tailor-made'... Last, but by no means least, is the level of support provided to volunteers - not just by us in preparing you for your placement, but also the full-time support of our local partners while you're there. (Want some advice on how to check out all the volunteer organisations you are researching? Take a look at Questions you should ask.)
Safety is an important issue for all of us - people and places, volunteers and local communities. Our local partners work closely with us in making all reasonable efforts to ensure your safety and that of the community, but you must also take some responsibility for your own safety. As with all societies there will be risks or dangers, but if you follow the advice of your local hosts, there is no reason for your safety to be at any risk. Our partners are responsible and professional people, and are there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Each placement varies slightly as to exactly how your money is spent, but we guarantee that at least 80% of what you pay - for placements of 4 weeks or more - is spent in the host country, where it is needed most. An example for each project is given on individual project pages, and the specific details will be fully explained to you when your placement is confirmed.
We believe that part of our responsibility to volunteers and communities is that we take all reasonable steps to ensure their safety. We therefore require 2 references for each volunteer as well as an appropriate criminal records screening for all placements. Volunteers will be in contact with vulnerable adults and children during their placements.
In the UK, such screening is carried out by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). The CRB will check their own computer, and those of individual police forces, to check for relevant criminal records. There is a cost attached to this process - currently £20 - covering administration and tracking. This is the only payment we request of volunteers before their placement is agreed.And it is not paid to us but directly to the screening organisation with whom we work. The clearance document will be sent both to the volunteer and to us. We will not be able to offer a placement without this document (or its equivalent in the case of other nationalities - where costs may differ) Read our disclosure policy To learn more about CRB Disclosure go to www.crb.gov.uk We will furnish you with full instructions for CRB screening during the matching and placement process.
The principles of responsible volunteering are fundamental in all that we do, and there is plenty of information throughout the site about how we achieve it. If you take the time to read the 'about' section, you will appreciate that we do all we can to enable you to be a responsible volunteer, and that this also entails a level of commitment on your part.
When you register with people and places, you agree to abide by our terms and conditions.
In addition, you will enter into a contractural agreement with the relevant local team - Read More.
We provide as much information and documentation as we can - as do our local partners. You will get this well in advance of your trip. You will also be encouraged to contact previous volunteers who will be able to add yet more information. Of course you can contact us at any time if you are unsure of anything.
Please contact us at any time. Even when your placement is confirmed, and you are in direct contact with our local partners, you should email us if you are unclear about anything. email us
You will need to do this yourself, but we can offer suggestions for international travel. Our local partners will be able to help with any travel arrangements you may want to make once in your host country.
At this early stage, we can't really help you - every country has different visa requirements for different nationals.
Once we are further along in the process of creating a match between you and a project, then we shall be able to give you advice according to where you're from and where you'll be going.
This will vary depending on the destination and the nature of the project: you may share a local family home; you may be in a local guesthouse or bed and breakfast ... you may even be in a tent for some of the time ... or if there's a conveniently located 5-star hotel, you could choose that option if that's what you really want! Wherever possible we offer a choice of accommodation according to local availability, and will discuss your options with our local partners and with you. If you have any special requirements - ground floor room, city centre hotel, middle of nowhere, under canvas, self-catering to full board - please let us know. We will always do our best to meet your genuine needs and requests.
All you have to do is complete our registration form and we will then contact you.
Just a few points to bear in mind: * please tell us as much as you can about your skills, work experience etc. * completing the registration doesn't commit you to anything * information you provide will be treated confidentially
We don't produce glossy brochures - we want to ensure that as much as possible of your hard earned cash reaches and stays in your host county. For a pdf of our introductory leaflet click here.