View Full Version : International Aid Organisations
So here's the situation: right now I'm at home, I quit my studies about 2 months ago, I can't get a job, and I'm starting to feel pretty ****ing useless here. So for some time I've been thinking to do something with internatial aid organisations; you know, go on some expedition to help starving children in some starving country, or help rebuild some place that's been shot to **** again.
Anyway, I know it might sound crazy, but basically I just want do to something in that area now, get off my arse and make myself usefull. So, does anyone of you have any experience or can point me in any direction, as right now I really don't have a clue where to start or look.
Thanks in advance.
Kenshin
04-05-2004, 07:50 AM
If you have nothin againts the UN. You can be a UN Volunteer. I have a cousin who joined with em 3 years ago. He had travelled to africa and middle east to join some volunteer work, but I do not have the details. Go to their site > select volunteers to get the details.
http://www.unv.org/
ibstolidude
04-05-2004, 08:50 AM
So here's the situation: right now I'm at home, I quit my studies about 2 months ago, I can't get a job, and I'm starting to feel pretty f*** useless here. So for some time I've been thinking to do something with internatial aid organisations; you know, go on some expedition to help starving children in some starving country, or help rebuild some place that's been shot to **** again.
Anyway, I know it might sound crazy, but basically I just want do to something in that area now, get off my arse and make myself usefull. So, does anyone of you have any experience or can point me in any direction, as right now I really don't have a clue where to start or look.
Thanks in advance.
Screw volounteering, I am all about helping but you need to help yourself as well.
UN https://jobs.un.org/release1/vacancy/vacancy.asp
IOM http://www.iom.int/en/who/main_vacancies.shtml
Thousands of opportunities for work - just start looking and emailing.
[edited links]
I did six months of volunteering in India two years ago but you need financial backing.
Damn... so far the UN, Red Cross and OIM are both a no-go due to their age requirements. :(
I'm getting ****ing sick of this....whatever I want in life, I always get screwed over because of ****ing age goddamnit.
Oh well, please keep 'em coming, there must be one that's desperate enough to not make a 25 year age requirement. :|
Damn... so far the UN, Red Cross and OIM are both a no-go due to their age requirements. :(
I'm getting f*** sick of this....whatever I want in life, I always get screwed over because of f*** age goddamnit.
Oh well, please keep 'em coming, there must be one that's desperate enough to not make a 25 year age requirement. :|
Why don't you start a tullip plantation ? Keep the national traditions up ? ;) Good luck with your search though, you can check http://www.bouworde.nl/ but that's only for during the summer holiday so :s
I did six months of volunteering in India two years ago but you need financial backing.
You're 20 now right? Then which organisation did you volunteer for? As I haven't found any that take 18-year olds. :|
It was a small one that do gap year projects, when I went there were quite a few dutch people there, I think it was the second most common nationality out there, anyway here's the url: http://www.teaching-abroad.co.uk
It was a small one that do gap year projects, when I went there were quite a few dutch people there, I think it was the second most common nationality out there, anyway here's the url: http://www.teaching-abroad.co.uk
Geez...I can live with working for free and all..but those guys actually want to charge me for helping others in some far away country?! WTF?!
Royal
04-05-2004, 05:10 PM
Sorry,
but if you don't have a usable skill - medical training, management experience, IT logistics etc - you become yet another person getting in the way (and there are plenty) as far as most of them are concerned...
Why did you quit your studies?
JiJoMacLE45
04-05-2004, 05:12 PM
My grass needs to be cut.
Sorry,
but if you don't have a usable skill - medical training, management experience, IT logistics etc - you become yet another person getting in the way (and there are plenty) as far as most of them are concerned...
Why did you quit your studies?
Well all I got that's above average is pretty good computer skills, good pair of brains, common sense, rather good skill with carpenter tools pretty much fluent in English, German and Dutch. But I suppose that's nothing at a level of expertism they could use then. So you think it's best to just forget the whole idea?
I quit my studies because...well. It didn't all go to well. I wanted to join the army in high school, but when I was finished with high school I was simply too young. So I had the choice to try and get a job for at least 1,5 years or try studying. Well... since I wanted to join the army I didn't really have any idea what to study, and in the end I ended up choosing Philosophy, hoping I would get at least something out of it.
Well...after half a year at the university I concluded it just didn't work; I wasn't really motivated, only half of the stuff really interested me, and I just couldn't focus on anything I tried to study (something I kept from highschool :|), which all resulted in...rather pathetic grades (though I doubt I'd still be doing it now even IF I had good grades). So that about sums up my university studies I guess.
My grass needs to be cut.
I'll come cut it...if you pay the plane ticket.
Herrmannek
04-05-2004, 05:34 PM
I didn't really have any idea what to study, and in the end I ended up choosing Philosophy, hoping I would get at least something out of it.
Well...after half a year at the university I concluded it just didn't work; I wasn't really motivated, only half of the stuff really interested me, and I just couldn't focus on anything I tried to study (something I kept from highschool :|), which all resulted in...rather pathetic grades (though I doubt I'd still be doing it now even IF I had good grades). So that about sums up my university studies I guess.
You are lucky guy I realsied I don't like computer science after 4 years of studying it :)....
ibstolidude
04-05-2004, 05:37 PM
Sorry,
but if you don't have a usable skill - medical training, management experience, IT logistics etc - you become yet another person getting in the way (and there are plenty) as far as most of them are concerned...
Why did you quit your studies?
Thats not true if you can drive around in an expensive white air-conditioned Landcruiser - go back to the guest house and eat good food from your locally hired cook whilst the people outside starve -complain about how it is all the military's fault, and ignore good common sense (like us snow chains in 3+ feet of snow when in the mountains) - you could go rather far.
Down boys - just kidding the UN plays a vital role in spending money on local economies.
Sorry,
but if you don't have a usable skill - medical training, management experience, IT logistics etc - you become yet another person getting in the way (and there are plenty) as far as most of them are concerned...
Why did you quit your studies?
Thats not true if you can drive around in an expensive white air-conditioned Landcruiser - go back to the guest house and eat good food from your locally hired cook whilst the people outside starve -complain about how it is all the military's fault, and ignore good common sense (like us snow chains in 3+ feet of snow when in the mountains) - you could go rather far.
Down boys - just kidding the UN plays a vital role in spending money on local economies.
I can't even do that because I can't have a drivers license yet (sigh...age...AGAIN !@#$%^@$%).
Flagg
04-05-2004, 10:16 PM
Hi Haiw,
Try not to get too discouraged....keep positive....remember...you're got the most valuable commodity...youth
Keep in mind....there is quite a bit of good reasoning behind a minimum age requirement......it can be EXTREMELY expensive to support a single person in a hostile environment.
That's why even a skilled person can be sacked from an operational opportunity because of something as minor as a potentially problematic tooth.
I respect your wish to contribute...and if you REALLY wish to accomplish your goal, I'm SURE you will.....
but you have to ask yourself if it is REALLY what you want?
And are you willing to make the necessary sacrifices to make it happen?
If so, I encourage you to contact the agencies you're interested in working with/for...and finding out exactly what skills/requirements you are currently lacking....and acquire them.
It was a small one that do gap year projects, when I went there were quite a few dutch people there, I think it was the second most common nationality out there, anyway here's the url: http://www.teaching-abroad.co.uk
Geez...I can live with working for free and all..but those guys actually want to charge me for helping others in some far away country?! WTF?!
lol that's volunteering for you, if you want paid work don't look for anything called volunteering
but if you don't have a usable skill - medical training, management experience, IT logistics etc - you become yet another person getting in the way (and there are plenty) as far as most of them are concerned...
I disagree with that, the gap year ones obviously don't need you to be trained for those (and those are the only ones he can realistically do). I did "teaching english" for 3 months, I put in quotation marks because I wasn't teaching english in the traditional sense, i.e. from scratch, the thing is in the school where I was placed the kids are taught in english but they can't speak it, they just learn the sentences off by heart, the teachers that were supposed to be teaching them in english could even speak english, I was getting in anyones way far from it and I needed no formal training for that. The second 3 months I spent as a labourer on reforestation projects and obviously I was a help not a hindrence their. Other projects people did were helping out in orphenages and so on, again not getting in the way but helping out.
Royal
04-06-2004, 02:08 AM
Sorry,
but if you don't have a usable skill - medical training, management experience, IT, logistics etc - you become yet another person getting in the way (and there are plenty) as far as most of them are concerned...
Why did you quit your studies?
Thats not true if you can drive around in an expensive white air-conditioned Landcruiser - go back to the guest house and eat good food from your locally hired cook whilst the people outside starve -complain about how it is all the military's fault, and ignore good common sense (like us snow chains in 3+ feet of snow when in the mountains) - you could go rather far.
rofl rofl rofl rofl
Very true.
Do some research on the net and look at the type of stuff Cut's suggesting [Cut - I'm talking about 'professional' Aid Workers; Medcins sans frontiers, Oxfam, ICRC etc..]. Also with no driving licence for those big white LandCruisers and Patrols, you're even less employable. Failing that, either volunteer at home or travel and work your way round. But for f**ks sake go somewhere interesting not the usual Oz, NZ etc (no offence guys, but it's hardly broadening your horizons).
lol that's volunteering for you, if you want paid work don't look for anything called volunteering
No...volunteering means you work for FREE...not that you give them 2000 bucks to work for them. I don't have a problem with working for free, but even if I WANTED to pay them I couldn't because I don't have the money.
And yeah Royal, I wasn't really thinking about going to Australia or NZ; it's not like they're really in need of anything. ;)
Anyway, I guess I won't give up then and keep looking. There's gotta be someone that takes people my age, or at least some way I get to do something. :|
Oh and Flagg...so far youth and young age has been nothing but a 'barrier' for me. :| Go figure...old people want youth, I want age.
Beowulf
04-06-2004, 05:39 AM
If you have nothin againts the UN. You can be a UN Volunteer. I have a cousin who joined with em 3 years ago. He had travelled to africa and middle east to join some volunteer work, but I do not have the details. Go to their site > select volunteers to get the details.
http://www.unv.org/
I'd like to give some humanitarian aid to the poor young lady in your avatar....what??
Beowulf
04-06-2004, 05:41 AM
Thats not true if you can drive around in an expensive white air-conditioned Landcruiser - go back to the guest house and eat good food from your locally hired cook whilst the people outside starve -complain about how it is all the military's fault, and ignore good common sense (like us snow chains in 3+ feet of snow when in the mountains) - you could go rather far.
Down boys - just kidding the UN plays a vital role in spending money on local economies.
HA!!...don't forget complain about SOF having relaxed grooming standards and any type of weaponry within 5,000 miles of said guest house...and don't even think about doing EOD without asking permission first.
wholagun
04-06-2004, 05:55 AM
I didn't really have any idea what to study, and in the end I ended up choosing Philosophy, hoping I would get at least something out of it.
Well...after half a year at the university I concluded it just didn't work; I wasn't really motivated, only half of the stuff really interested me, and I just couldn't focus on anything I tried to study (something I kept from highschool :|), which all resulted in...rather pathetic grades (though I doubt I'd still be doing it now even IF I had good grades). So that about sums up my university studies I guess.
You are lucky guy I realsied I don't like computer science after 4 years of studying it :)....
:lol: :lol: :lol: sorry but its just funny. I have a friend that did that, is pissed that it cost him $20 000 dollars to find out the exact same thing you did. Now he's taking engineering, well see how that goes..
Herrmannek
04-06-2004, 06:38 AM
Yup this is funny like hell :)...I'm siting now in computer room and write that post instead of being on important lecture or lerning to exam with I have on thrusday...I'm going down straight ahead and don't have any idea what to do with myself... [laugh tru tears]rofl[/laugh tru ears]
Upfrontreporting
04-06-2004, 06:57 AM
Haiw,
How about joining the military? ;)
regards
Upfrontreporting
Like I said above...I would...if it wasn't for my age. They basically have an application stop for all regular units (which you can join at 17), so the only things left to join are the Marines (they've got enough applicants for the next few years so don't even bother signing up, and you need to be 18 anyway), and the Special Forces (enough room....but you gotta be 18 at the start of the course.)
Kenshin
04-06-2004, 07:55 AM
Like I said above...I would...if it wasn't for my age. They basically have an application stop for all regular units (which you can join at 17), so the only things left to join are the Marines (they've got enough applicants for the next few years so don't even bother signing up, and you need to be 18 anyway), and the Special Forces (enough room....but you gotta be 18 at the start of the course.)
Hey have you tried asking SF training camps if they need any Towel or water boy?
Tengu
04-06-2004, 07:55 AM
Like I said above...I would...if it wasn't for my age. They basically have an application stop for all regular units (which you can join at 17), so the only things left to join are the Marines (they've got enough applicants for the next few years so don't even bother signing up, and you need to be 18 anyway), and the Special Forces (enough room....but you gotta be 18 at the start of the course.)Holy dog****, you can join the belgian "army" untill the age of 26.
Kenshin
04-06-2004, 07:56 AM
If you have nothin againts the UN. You can be a UN Volunteer. I have a cousin who joined with em 3 years ago. He had travelled to africa and middle east to join some volunteer work, but I do not have the details. Go to their site > select volunteers to get the details.
http://www.unv.org/
I'd like to give some humanitarian aid to the poor young lady in your avatar....what??
Checks, MOney Order and Major credit cards are accepted
Like I said above...I would...if it wasn't for my age. They basically have an application stop for all regular units (which you can join at 17), so the only things left to join are the Marines (they've got enough applicants for the next few years so don't even bother signing up, and you need to be 18 anyway), and the Special Forces (enough room....but you gotta be 18 at the start of the course.)Holy dog****, you can join the belgian "army" untill the age of 26.
Hehe...I don't know the upper age limit. My problem is that I'm too young.
Tengu
04-06-2004, 08:12 AM
ow oeps :oops:
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