Before doing my first volunteer work, one of my main doubts was whether Worldpackers was worth it, whether it was reliable, etc.To help you with these and other questions, I decided to write this special post about them! Below, I will tell you my opinion about the platform, as well as give you tips for getting your first volunteer position and share with you what my last experience in Brazil was like: swapping work for accommodation in Rio de Janeiro!
First of all, I wanted to say that volunteering is one of the most intense experiences I’ve ever had! It’s incredible to be able to meet people from all over the world, practice several languages (even if you only speak Portuguese), hang out with locals, be part of the culture of the city/country you’re in, and even save on accommodation!
I like it so much that I’ve already done five volunteer activities, and I’m already planning the next one! In other words, I know what I’m talking about because I’ve already lived through the phase you’re going through now. I’ve had the same doubt as to whether Worldpackers is worth it, whether it’s worth subscribing to the plan, whether volunteering is a cool experience…
What is Worldpackers
It is a collaborative community that allows you to safely contact hosts from all over the world and form partnerships to exchange work for accommodation and thus save money during your trip.
Ahh, depending on the host, you may receive other benefits such as breakfast, lunch, being able to go on tours with guests, etc. But above all, you will leave volunteering having participated in a transformative experience! Seriously, it’s really cool and goes much further than saving on accommodation!
Worldpackers jobs – What are the types?
On their platform, you will find some types of Worldpackers jobs, the most common of which is working in a hostel in exchange for accommodation. The functions you will perform at the hostel may vary from cleaning, reception, helping with breakfast, maintenance, arts and social media, bartending, and so on!
How to be part of the Worldpackers travel community
Now you may be thinking, great Lid, but how do I get involved in volunteering?
The first thing you will need to do is go to the Worldpackers website and create your profile. Once you have created your complete profile, you will be able to search for vacancies. Just enter the name of the city you want to visit, and the Worldpackers jobs will appear. Then you will analyze them one by one to see which one fits best your plans.
As you research, you will notice that some hosts accept volunteers to stay for 2 weeks or more, while others ask for more time, such as 3 or 4 weeks. If you like a vacancy, you can mark it with a “heart,” and it will be saved on your wishlist.
Most experiences ask for around 25 hours per week, with the maximum being 32 hours, and this number is made explicit in the job description. So do not worry! Note: If the host does not respect the agreed-upon working hours, you can talk to him; if he still does not change, you must contact Worldpackers support.
Just to give you an example, in my first volunteering, I worked at reception, and my shift was from 8 p.m. to midnight, and I had 3 days off a week. There were days when I did almost nothing, and there were days when I worked a lot, always respecting the agreed schedule.
To contact the hosts, you need to pay for an annual plan.
Worldpackers price – How much does it cost?
Access to Worldpackers costs 49 dollars or just 39 USD USING THE PARTIUVIAJARBLOG SPECIAL COUPON!
Subscribing to one of the Worldpackers plans has some advantages that will bring security to your first volunteering, such as:
- support before, during, and after the trip;
- Worldpackers insurance;
- guarantee of verified hosts that respect the platform’s rules;
- possibility of talking to other travelers who have already volunteered in the place you are interested in;
- courses that will help you better understand the world of volunteering.
Don’t worry; before making any payment, you can search for Worldpackers jobs in the destination you want to visit, as I said above. This way, you can be sure that you will have interesting volunteering to do there. After finding a place that suits you, you choose the plan, pay the subscription, and contact the host.
Did you sign up? Now you can send volunteer requests. You will have to answer some questions from the host, and it is worth writing from the heart so that he can get to know you a little better. There is no need for so much formality. After that, just wait for his communication.
My tip is to send at least four requests. Some hosts are very busy and may not have space for the date you want. If you send it to more than one, the chances of getting it faster increase.
How to create a profile in Worldpackers
First of all, keep in mind that a good profile is a complete profile! So, when you finish reading the post, you will complete yours by following my tips below.
- Have a cool profile photo.
You don’t need to do a special production. Just take a photo of yourself without other people, as the host needs to identify who you are. Preferably a close-up photo; it doesn’t have to be formal; it can be casual. I think it’s cool to take photos in a tourist spot outdoors.
- Tell them what your goals are with volunteering.
Tell them a little about yourself and why you want to volunteer. Your goal here is to awaken the host’s attention and empathy. Be original, and show who you are! Hosts don’t want robot volunteers; they want extroverted, committed, and organized people.
- Talk about your skills.
Talk about what you do very well and what you want to improve, thinking, of course, about things that could be useful for hosting. For example, do you know how to cook? Do you do well on social media? Do you speak a second language? Are you organized and proactive? Do you like cleaning? Do you know how to paint or take cool photos? Put everything in your profile!
Note: Some Worldpackers jobs require specific language requirements.
- Put photos in the photo album.
If you’re about to volunteer, at least you enjoy seeing new places, right? So, put some cool travel photos in your album. Never left your state? No problem; take photos in your city. It could be on the facade of an old church or in the city park.
- Show that you don’t just want to save money on accommodation.
Both in your profile and in your application, you can and should make it clear that you will contribute positively to the growth of the host’s establishment and that you want to volunteer because you believe in the power of collaborative exchanges. Finally, show that you understand the essence of volunteering.
My experience volunteering in Rio de Janeiro
I arrived in Rio without knowing what awaited me at Maresias do Leme. I found out that Worldpackers was worth it, as I had already done other volunteering on the platform, but none of them in Rio de Janeiro. And guess what? I was positively surprised!
- The work
At first, my role was as a receptionist on the night shift (11 p.m. to 7 a.m.). During my shift, I had to: do check-ins and check-outs (which didn’t happen often); open and close the cash register; keep the house quiet and organized; sell some products to guests (water, beer, cookies, cup noodles, etc.); remove trash from the bathrooms; and put away kitchen dishes. Very peaceful!
- What was offered in return by the host?
We, the volunteers, had an exclusive room. The room had four bunk beds, air conditioning, and lockers. It wasn’t very big, but it was enough to make us comfortable. In addition to accommodation, we had breakfast, which consisted of 1 hot mix, 1 piece of cake, 2 fruits, and coffee, milk, or fresh juice.
Ahh, for anyone thinking about volunteering at Maresias do Leme, know that the structure of the hostel itself is very good, as it has 5 shared rooms and 2 private rooms, a shared kitchen, bar, coworking area, common room, and smoking area with sea views.
- The volunteers
Certainly the best part of volunteering for Worldpackers in Rio de Janeiro was meeting special people who made my days happier! Both when volunteering in Rio, Arraial, Cordoba and Budapest, I spent a lot of time with the other volunteers and learned a lot from them.
Only those who volunteer know how intense and rich this experience is.
In a short time, we go through different types of situations and feel many emotions. I imagine it must be like a reality show, without the confinement part and the millionaire prize, but with much more freedom, less pretense, and more authenticity.
If you are afraid of traveling alone and not making friends or having company to go for a walk, do the volunteer with Worldpackers! Just to give an example, in Rio I had their company to go to the beach, ride a bike along the coast, do pub crawls in cafes and bars (both very fun lol), hang out in the city center, go hiking, go out at night, etc.
Worldpackers, is it worth it?
So, after volunteering 5 times, my conclusion is that YES, Worldpackers is worth it.
Through the platform I had the safe to contact the hosts, choose the best places according to my profile and the certainty that everything would go according to what was previously agreed.
If something goes wrong (it’s never happened to me, but it can happen) Worldpackers has a support team to help before and during volunteering. Furthermore, if support is unable to resolve the situation, the platform provides insurance that refunds you for up to 3 nights of accommodation in a hostel (shared room), so that you can leave your old volunteering role and find a new one.
But, is paying the annual plan really worth it?
Today the investment in the most affordable annual plan costs 49 dollars.
On average, a night at a hostel in a shared room costs 15USD. Of course, this value will depend on several factors, such as destination, number of beds in the room, quality of accommodation and so on.
Let’s think that you will be traveling for 15 days, which is how long my last volunteering lasted and which is the minimum number of days that hosts ask for (generally). If you don’t volunteer, you will spend at least 225USD on accommodation. That alone is 4 times the value of the annual plan subscription.
If you’re thinking about spending more time traveling, then there’s nothing to think about, you can now choose a plan and go on an adventure!
Now the math is going to get more interesting, I have a 10 dollars DISCOUNT COUPON. In other words, by clicking here and using this link your plan will be 10USD cheaper.
Frequently asked questions about volunteering for Worldpackers
- Is there a limitation on how many hosts I can contact?
When subscribing to any of the plans, you will be able to contact as many hosts as you want during the plan. There are no limitations on the number of volunteers or applications. There is no extra cost.
- Can I volunteer with a friend or couple?
Yes, but this will depend on each host. Some accommodations accept applications from couples, others only from solo travelers. Look at the job specifications, it will be written there.
- What expenses will I incur outside of subscribing to the Worldpackers plan?
You will need to pay for your plane/bus ticket to get to your volunteering destination. If you are abroad and the country requires a visa, you will have to bear these costs as well. In addition, you will have to pay for food (which you would already have anywhere…), with some accommodations offering breakfast and others even lunch.
Other posts for you:
–Trusted House Sitters: reviews, pros and cons + tips
–O que fazer no Rio de Janeiro com POUCO dinheiro: 20 passeios!
I wanted to say briefly that volunteering for Worldpackers is worth it and that if you follow my tips you will get your first job in no time! Rest assured that you will live one of the most intense experiences of your life, you will meet different and cool people, you will learn from challenging situations and you will end your volunteering wiser!
So, did I manage to show you that Worldpackers is worth it and that it is the safest way to exchange work for accommodation? If you still have questions, leave them in the comments! Don’t forget to grab your DISCOUNT and pay less to subscribe!
See you later!
Nasci e cresci no interior de Minas Gerais, sou advogada de formação e consultora de viagens de profissão. Tenho 33 anos e desde sempre sonho em viajar o mundo. Já visitei 37 países (alguns mais de uma vez), tendo morado em 4 deles. Em 2016 criei o blog Partiu Viajar para ajudar e inspirar mais pessoas a viajar.
