What's on the web? volunteer opportunities

When looking for a volunteer opportunity far from home, the web is one of the most helpful tools. There are many opportunities on the internet, and you get to specify all the details, from the type of work to the duration and location.

One of the most complete websites on volunteering is www.imva.org, hosted by the International Medical Volunteers Association. This site includes a specific area for students, containing an extensive list of organisations which offer volunteer positions. It also includes resources on international health, personal stories of former volunteers, clinical tips, and advice on how to prepare and how to cope with problems that you may encounter when volunteering abroad. The link section has a list of resources in international health, including country reports, organisations, jobs, publications, and public health and epidemiology resources.

The www.idealist.org site is a well organised and comprehensive meeting place for volunteers and job seekers interested in not for profit organisations and issues, non-profitmaking careers, and volunteering. The website allows you to do an advanced search for opportunities according to country, field of work, time frame, and skills. You can also create a volunteer profile which allows organisations with opportunities to contact you.

Hosted by the United Nations Volunteers, www.worldvolunteerweb.org is a "global volunteer information portal." The site is more complex and inclusive than others, providing a full picture of volunteering. This site focuses on policy and legislation, international development, and research into the nature and impact of volunteering, with studies, toolkits, institutes, and journals. The site also offers highlights of news from around the world for volunteers and an update of relevant events worldwide.

Several websites are also more specific to certain types of volunteering-www.vcp.interconnection.org is one example which has a database of projects run by students. Owned by the International Students' Association of Village Concept Projects, this website is current, informative, and easy to navigate. You can find information on many projects, which are mainly in Africa. You can also participate in discussions and use the advice, handbooks, and workshop manuals in the resource section.

The purpose of www.medicstravel.com is beyond finding volunteer opportunities. The site helps medical professionals who want to work abroad find suitable positions. This site describes and links to non-governmental organisations and charities; the list is large, complete, and easy to follow. The site also has health advice for travellers.

Students should also visit the websites of medical students' associations, such as www.ifmsa.org or www.amsa.org. These offer positions within their projects and also provide good links to other resources.