WORKAWAY | Why don't we go and make ourselves useful? Practical guide

What you will find in this article:
→ A few numbers on the Workaway.
→ A presentation of the concept in the form of questions / answers.
→ A small step-by-step guide to register, create your profile and find guests all over the world.
→ Our tips and little things you'll be happy to know for thinking.
→ 3 feedback from personal experiences (good, bad).
→ Useful links to other volunteer platforms or travel experiences + a link to the travel story « MONGOLIA | History of volunteering in Taiga » Which plunges you into one of our experiences as if you were reading a book.

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THE WORKAWAY IN SOME FIGURES

WORKAWAY | Presentation of the concept.

Learning. Sharing. Discovering new lifestyles... As the Workaway team says so well: « It's thanks to spirit and motivation of our members to offer beautiful experiences of cultural exchange Workaway works. » Well? More than a good plan to travel without spending (since as Workawayer We are fed and housed) Workaway is first a state of mind. This platform was created in 2012 in order to connect one side: travellers wishing to help to the inhabitants of the world; from the other: the people of the entire voluntary world to accommodate travellers in exchange for a little help.

« A global community based on sharing that has the will to travel around the world while giving back to the places it visits. »

Far from assimilating to a worker/employee relationship, the Workaway experience is therefore a equal cultural exchange, where everyone has something to bring to each other: for the traveller, it is an ideal way to discover a country by integrating at best into the local population; for the host, it is the opportunity to have access to skills of all kinds and to meet people from all walks of life.

→ What kind of help do I have to provide?

Helping an Icelandic family large in their daily tasks, giving a little of your time in a school in Sri Lanka, keeping a house in England, occupying lamas in a protection centre in Argentina, accompanying an eco-project in Guyanne, maintaining a boat in Samoa, manufacturing a meter of likes bamboo for a guesthouse in Thailand (veccu)... Imagination alone has limits about the work you can do on Workaway.

Generally speaking, the work will be strongly linked to the environment where you are doing your guest search: if you are in a tourist city, it is likely that some premises will seek volunteers to help them maintain their host structure for example (in which case the requested service will be linked to the maintenance, communication, reception of visitors). If you find yourself in the Mongolian steppes, you may have to help a family take care of its 200 yaks.

→ ...What if I don't have any special skills?

Everyone has something to bring to each other! Intangible riches are numerous and sometimes the most powerfulThis is what the Workaway allows to become aware of. Skills in technical areas will always be welcome, but often what people are looking for is a little help in their daily tasks... And a little time. Everyone is able to play with children, get rid of a table, do some gardening, pick up vegetables, dig a nail... As a volunteer, you will never be asked to be an expert: the desire to share, learn and talk with a smile is enough in 90% of cases. The remaining 10%? They are hosts who need people with very specific skills. In this case, they will make it known in their announcement and will be more « selective » on volunteers.

→ How many hours in the day is this help?

From 4-5 a.m.: This is the average daily hours requested in exchange for your bed and meals, with usually 1 or 2 days rest per week. But this is unique to each ad: some guests will ask more, others less, the number of meals offered per day may also vary depending on the work required... In any case, a Workaway cannot ( must) not to be reduced to « hours of work / free time » It is not a question of imposing strict planning but of defining together (traveller and inhabitant) a global pace that is beneficial to everyone. Often (high) when the exchange keeps its promises, the help is so natural (and so well done) that the hours are no longer counted and the initiatives are taken with pleasure.

→ How long does a Workaway last?

The platform does not impose maximum / minimum duration: the choice of length of stay depends only on Workawayer and his host. Nevertheless to be complete and beneficial to both parties, it is always interesting that the experience lasts at least one or two weeks (a 3-day stay, if the first will is to soak up a lifestyle and bring something to the other, wouldn't make too much sense). Depending on the type of Workaway, the experience can even last several months. Everything is decided in advance with the host (depending on its needs, its possibilities, but also available places). Once there, it is not uncommon for the exchange to continue if both parties wish: a Workaway does not bind the traveller & host by no contract, if the experience is going really well, or really bad, everyone is free to prolong or terminate it.

WORKAWAY | To get started, how does it work? Step by step guide.

Register, create your profile and find hosts all over the world.

→ 1 – Register

Register on the platform by paying a Annual contribution (renewable, or not, you decide) allows you to have access to the whole Workaway database and therefore to be able to contact more than 40,000 guests worldwide. Here is the direct link to register: https://www.workaway.info/en/signup/workawayer. This registration (by secure payment) is available in two offers:

Almost all online trading platforms are paid for. Without membership you can see volunteer offers, but you can't get in touch with the host.

→ 2 – Create Profile

Important progress alert. In view of the increasing number of volunteers, more and more guests are receiving requests: a carefully filled profile will always be more likely to attract the eye... And prove your motivation.

The approach is simple: simply put a profile photo and provide information about your trip, your qualities, your ideas, your desires, your motivations... Anyway, anything that may be relevant for your future host.

→ 3 – Find your host

Everything happens in the section « find a host » (find a host) which allows you to search for a host by filtering by country/region or by typing keywords. The search can also be refined with filters like « Availability » (with a calendar) or « Type of aid« . All ads are in the same form: overview of the host profile, full description (location, infrastructure, minimum duration, number of workers the type of assistance sought, the cultural exchange proposed and, of course, the accommodation and meal arrangements.

It can help!
Like the profile of volunteers, there is a section below « reviews » which allows to see the comments left by former volunteers.

If an ad meets your expectations, the button « Contact » allows you to establish a first connection with the host. You will then have to indicate the approximate dates of your passage (this does not commit anything but is a first indicator for the one who receives you). Then you just have to write a few words that will make sense with the chosen ad.

Ctrl C | Crtrl V: In the majority of cases the hosts try to fulfill a full description of their expectations, their activities, their daily lives... We recommend sending a personalized message to each host by justifying its motivation for the announcement and not satisfied with a copied-paste. As with the profile, this influences the choice of who accepts it or not.

5 tips before starting

Getting into this kind of experience is not always easy, even more lonely. Fear of the unknown, of the other, of not finding his place, of falling on scams or ill-intentioned people... Because we also experienced these fears, this is what we would have liked to hear when we started:

→ 1 – Don't take it too late

All Workaways are not available all year : the availability of ads can be affected by the seasons And above all... By the request Hey! If you know about your own availability and/or you've spotted an ad that's close to your heart, anticipating by contacting your host several weeks before is a good idea: the most requested ones are quickly complete during the high tourist seasons, while others will only be available in summer (difficult to find a Workaway in Mongolia in the middle of winter for example). If doing a Workaway during your trip (or to do Workaway tone travel) is one of your first motivations, taking it in advance will allow you to find your ideal exchange and organize your trip in function.

For those who advance without too much organisation, nothing is lost: we have already found Workaways only a few days before starting the exchange.

→ 2 – Leaving with good intentions... And make sure of those of others.

The aim is not to impose an ideal vision or to hold a moralizing speech but to support the words of the founders of Workaway. so that this concept still has beautiful years before it This self-help model only works through the sincere will of each party to share a rewarding cultural experience. Coming to work with a stranger in return for other than financial wealth is above all a state of mind, something that must motivate, inspire. The first mistake not to make would be to see the Workaway simply as a way to travel at a lower cost by taking advantage of the hospitality of other people

This reflection is also valid in the other direction: if some hosts abuse the skills of their workersIt's fair to report them to the platform. Again, the exchange must satisfy both sides. That means you don't have to say yes to everything you've asked, you don't have to work every day from morning to evening, and it's up to you to leave if your host doesn't meet his commitments.

→ 3 – Pay attention in very touristic areas

Many ads are located in tourist places. It all depends on the type of Workaway you're looking for, but be careful: it's not uncommon in these places that some ads didn't have much to do with « Local » and that cultural exchange is close to non-existent. It will mainly be hostels, hotels, etc., looking for volunteers to replace employees in exchange for a free bed and a few meals.

Sure, this kind of agreement as well as the fact that some hosts are expatriates does not prevent the experience from being pleasant This may not be as profound as cultural exchange, but this type of Workaway nevertheless makes it possible to make Nice encounters while benefiting One bed in a big city. So it all depends on you type of experience sought. On the other hand, we have already seen large hotel owners simply seeing in the workers cheaper labour: « Aid » If you are looking for a real job, you are asked to provide daytime reception, for example. Read carefully the advertisements as well as the reviews avoids such situations. You can also contact and chat with your potential host through Workaway messaging.

→ 4 - Taking Time

There's no secret: if you're interested in the Workaway for a real experience, building relationships with the locals, making yourself useful... We need to know. take time. A few days experience allows « troubleshoot » on both sides while sharing some pleasant moments, but (for us anyway) nothing is worth the long stays to live the full experience. Knowing those around you, understanding a new way of life, having new habits, the feeling of having been really useful... In short, the feeling of having lived A while somewhere (more than having « only » travel). We are aware that it is something of easier to say than to do when the trip is of limited duration or in countries where the duration of stay is restricted by visas : it is true that staying long in a place « Private » See a whole bunch of others... And that's where the dilemma of slow travel. Personally, we are convinced that upon arrival the wealth of experience is not the same, but it is to meditate according to each one's desires :)...

For example, « format » that we had adopted on a trip was this: 2 weeks of Workaway on a 30-day visa. Enough to build bonds, experience experiences, have time to carry out the tasks we had set ourselves, while giving us time to visit the rest of the country. In the future, having fallen in love with slow travel, we want to push the experience over the long term and try a Workaway of one or several months.

→ 5 - Take some simple security measures that reassure

The fear of arriving at someone you don't know is legitimate. Besides, when you're a girl traveling alone. To be honest we don't Never had the feeling of insecurity, or even heard stories about it during an exchange with other volunteers. However to arrive a little more confident.e you are advised:

• To arrive in a place that welcomes several volunteers if you have doubts.
• To read the profile of the hosts, in particular the reviews.
• Notify a loved one that you will spend several days volunteering with someone you don't know, indicating the dates & place.

→ Bonus tip: Do not be limited to other countries of the world!

France has more than 500 ads and it would be a shame to invest only away from home! Of course, the cultural shock may seem less striking, but no doubt it can be useful while living beautiful experiences a few kilometers from home.

TO FIND: 3 examples of experiments.

Mongolia: 1st experience expansive and unforgettable.

The Mongolian steppes took place in front of us only 15 days after leaving France. The Mongolia was probably on pays où nous souhaitions tenter l’expérience Workaway. Sachant à l’avance nos dates d’entrée et de sortie, nous avions contacté au préalable quelques hôtes plusieurs semaines avant notre arrivée.

Résultat ? Aucune réponse ! En ce début d’hiver et dans les régions reculées où nous avions postulé, dur de trouver des hôtes très actifs sur la plateforme. Nous avions donc décidé de mettre de côté la piste Workaway et de partir explorer le désert de Gobi. C’est au terme de cette expédition que Davaa nous a contacté pour nous proposer de la rejoindre dans le nord du pays (nous étions alors à l’opposé) afin de l’aider elle et sa famille. Nous avons passé 10 jours au milieu de nulle part dans un cadre totalement dépaysant. 10 jours à vivre dans une yurt sans eau courante et à ne pouvoir compter que sur un petit poêle pour affronter les nuits glaciales… Mais ça, nous te le faisons vivre au travers de cette histoire.

Népal : entre tigres & jardinage.

Certains Workaway peuvent être trouvés seulement quelques jours avant : cette expérience en est le bon exemple. C’est en naviguant sur Workaway.info que nous sommes tombés par hasard sur l’annonce d’Anil, jeune gérant d’un petit domaine familial de lodges dans le teraï (région de jungles et parcs nationaux). Un simple coup de fil suffira pour que nous embarquions pour un des plus longs trajets de bus (davantage pour la pénibilité que la durée) de notre vie.

Nous nous sommes donc enfoncés dans le sud du Népal afin de partager un fragment de vie avec Anil, qui ne paraissait pas avoir besoin de tant d’aide que ça mais qui semblait néanmoins très heureux d’avoir de la visite. Ici, pas de poêle incandescent, de neige, de yourte… Mais des moustiquaires, des bungalows faits de terre, plus de 30°, de nouvelles missions… Et des barrières de pierres pour protéger le village des éléphants. Anil a accepté de nous héberger ainsi que de nous offrir 3 repas / jour durant près de deux semaines en échange de « Il n’y a pas grand chose à faire, mais peut-être qu’entretenir le jardin serait bien. On pourrait couper ça… ça et ça ! Mais bon c’est vous qui voyez, ici c’est vous les patrons !« . Cette phrase illustre bien la gentillesse et la générosité dont est empreint Anil. Nous n’oublierons jamais son accueil.

Le travail qu’il nous a demandé nous a pris deux jours, en travaillant seulement quelques heures le matin. Ensuite, nous avons pris des initiatives : on a continué de défricher tout le domaine, on s’employait aux récoltes (piments, curcuma), on s’occupait de ses plantations d’arbres et de fleurs, on a emménagé de nouvelles allées bordées de pierre pour remplacer les anciennes envahies par la végétation, on a réalisé des pictures du domaine afin qu’il s’en serve pour le site internet qu’il projetait de développer… Et nous lui avons construit un immense barbecue #FrenchTouch.

Le rythme était doux, Anil se satisfaisait de la moindre chose que nous faisions. Le reste des journées étaient destinées à découvrir les environs, faire connaissance avec les enfants du coin qui nous rejoignaient pour les couchers de soleil, tenter d’observer les animaux (rhinos, éléphants, biches, crocodiles, tigres) sur les bords de la rivière… Et partager cette expérience sur nos réseaux. Satisfait de notre travail, Anil n’a pas hésité à nous emmener avec lui pendant 2 jours dans le Parc National bordant sa guesthouse pour nous montrer son 2ème métier : guide de safaris à pied ! Deux journées riches en émotions armés d’un frêle bâton sur le territoire des prédateurs de la jungle.
Tu t’en doutes, cette expérience a regroupé tous les aspects que nous recherchions dans un bénévolat, et plus encore.

Thaïlande : Le mauvais côté.

Lorsque nous sommes arrivés dans la ville de Chiang Mai nous avons décidé de nous y installer quelques semaines pour faire une pause dans la vie nomade et coupler ce temps avec quelques bénévolats même si nous savions que les expériences proposées allaient être différentes des précédentes. L’objectif était de trouver un endroit où vivre où nous pourrions faire des rencontres, moins dépenser et être utiles. Après un premier séjour remplit de bon souvenirs dans une jolie guesthouse tenue par un français, nous avons décidé d’enchaîner avec un second Workaway, cette fois-ci dans un hôtel « backpacker » tenu par un local surnommé Tiger.

Nous étions ses tous premiers volontaires (donc pas de possibilité de consulter ses reviews), l’hôtel venait de changer de propriétaire et celui-ci comptait sur la plateforme Workaway pour demander à des voyageurs de l’aider dans la gestion de son business en échange d’un lit dans ses dortoirs et de 3 repas / jour. Jusqu’ici rien d’anormal. Sauf que Tiger n’était pas vraiment dans la philosophie de l’échange et voulait simplement se construire un « staff gratuit » pour gérer son établissement de A à Z. Lorsque nous sommes arrivés tout était à (re)faire : le bureau d’accueil, la décoration, la gestion des réservations, l’aménagement, le nom, le logo, les réseaux… Bref un chantier qu’il voulait qu’on réalise avec l’aide d’autres Workawayers. Le travail était conséquent (parfois 7h / jours), la personnalité du propriétaire et son attirance pour le profit étaient pesantes. Au fur et à mesure du Workaway, les repas se sont fait de plus en plus rares. Tiger n’était pas quelqu’un de méchant, il aurait même été très agréable si nous avions travaillé nuit et jour sans dire. Il était seulement novice et n’avait pas saisi ce qu’était le Workaway.

Tout ça pour dire que nous avons plus appris sur la Thaïlande en travaillant pour un expatrié français qu’un thaïlandais. En revanche nous avons rencontré des personnes adorables que ce soit dans l’équipe de bénévole ou parmi les clients de l’hôtel. Bien évidemment cette expérience n’est pas à généraliser, on trouve juste intéressant de te montrer les différentes facettes que peut avoir un Workaway.

Liens utiles

Workaway.info | L’unique site de la plateforme Workaway.

Le blog Workaway | Pour consulter des articles en tout genre et découvrir d’autres témoignages.

Histoire d’un volontariat dans la taïga | Si tu souhaites t’évader en découvrant à quoi peut ressembler une expérience Workaway.

WWOOF France | Un site tout en français basé sur le même concept que Workaway : le wwoofing, soit travailler en échange du gîte et des couverts mais cette fois-ci uniquement dans des fermes biologiques. Cette plateforme française répertorie seulement les woofing en France mais tu peux visiter WWOOFinternational pour accéder aux annonces aux quatre coins du monde.

HelpX | Basé également sur le principe Workaway mais davantage axé fermes / hostels / homestay / familles. Principalement développé en Nouvelle-Zélande et en Australie, mais aussi possible au Canada, en Europe, aux Etats-Unis et dans d’autres régions du monde.

Les articles de Jeremy | Sur ses volontariats en Australie and in Nouvelle-Zélande. Accompagnés de petits guides bien faits pour tout savoir sur le HelpX ou le Wwoofing, il est sans conteste complémentaire à cet article centré Workaway !

Deux semaines de volontariat en Argentine | Pour découvrir le témoignage d’autres voyageurs (ici Cécilia et Tim) dans une Réserve Naturelle, ainsi que leur page générale consacrée au Volunteerism.

Les expériences d’Aline et Guillaume | Qui ont aussi fait du volontariat le fil rouge de leur voyage.

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