Any advice for volunteering in Fiji, to go alone or with an organisation?

I'm currently finishing my studies in the UK and will be 19 when I finish, I am hoping to go to Fiji to volunteer there. I am planning on having about £4000 saved up, this will have to cover my flights also. If anyone has any advice on who to go with, or to go at it alone. I have been interested in Global Vision Internationals trips but I have heard that very little of the initial cost goes towards the projects. I am not looking to go till September next year, but I would like to plan it now if that is possible.

VSO (I think it is volunteer service orgnisation) sponsors most of the European volunteers in the Pacific, and are a pretty ethical organisation.

VSO = voluntary service overseas. You need to be qualified for a particular position and give a long term (2 year) time commitment. Probably not suited to what the OP is after.

I volunteered with GVI years ago and had a good experience, and I've also met a couple of the guys running the FIji projects, and liked them. I'm sure they can give you a break down of where your money goes, if you ask. The reason that I favour GVI over similar organisations is that all of their projects are closely tied to a local partner org who requested assistance. So for the marine conservation projects, you'll be working to provide data for a a specific purpose, rather than just counting fish for the hell of it / to keep gap yearers entertained. I volunteered with another group and had a blast, but am sure that none of the data we collected were ever used for anything, and that mattered to me. It might not to everyone.

What sort of project do you want to volunteer on? Development / conservation / education? I love Fiji, but would always recommend finding a project that fits your interests best, rather than starting out with the country that you want to visit...

Hi,

My boyfriend and I are also planning on travelling in September/October next year and we're looking to each do a project, ideally in Fiji (although Becks, I completely agree with your point on finding a project before you find a country!)

Sweepy, I understand your concerns with paying a company to volunteer - I went to Ghana a couple of years ago with Projects Abroad and paid them over £2000 for the pleasure! Whilst I understand that having accommodation (in this case a host family) is priceless when you first arrive in a foreign country, I am skeptical about doing the same again.

I've been looking for NGOs for us to work with in Fiji and have found a good list of organisations working in the country (http://www.devdir.org/files/Fiji.PDF) It's worth exploring this list. I think we're planning on doing most of the leg work ourselves to avoid paying a large premium to a third party. Saying that, 2waydevelopment, is certainly worth looking into - they charge £850 and will find a placement based on your criteria - they have a number of organisations they work with in Fiji.

I now have a question (!) - how easy is it to find accommodation in Fiji, Suva in paticular, for short-term rent (ie. 3 - 6 months) and how much would a one bedroom apartment be/month?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Gaby

If by any chance you are Australian, check out the AYAD scheme. Lots of AYADs in FIji, some for as little as 3 months.

Given the number of short-term volunteers / interns in Suva, it shouldn't be hard to find a short term rental. The choice can be a bit depressing though... I found that everything was either cheap and crappy or nice but expensive, with little middle ground. I pay $1000 a month for a one bed apartment, but mine is very nice, you can get something for half that, maybe even less if you're not fussy.

When deciding whether to pay for a placement or to find your own, bear in mind that a placement company will (or at least should) set you up with an organisation that actually has a role for you, and who are used to dealing with volunteers. If you go it alone, there's a risk that someone will be willing to take you on, but either will not or cannot provide a rewarding experience for you. You might be considered as free labour to do all the boring jobs noone else wants, end up making coffee for three months or be sitting around with not much to do. You might be resented by staff who feel they now have the same amount of work to do, PLUS looking after you. Volunteer organisations have experience dealing with volunteers and know better how to use their skills, they also recognise that as well as "making a difference" you probably want to have a good time and / or learn something new at the same time.

We are 16 months into a 2 year placement in Lautoka through Australian Volunteers International.
They offer professional placements for advertised positions.
I would suggest volunteering via a host organisation if considering anything other than a short visit.
Technically volunteers need work permits and these are not easy to get as an individual. A host organisation may also offer medical and evacuation insurance.

Suva would NOT be my choice. Nor Nadi.

Cheers,
Peter

We've lived in Fiji on and off for a few years. I know it may sound twee - but if you have English as your first language, have a decent and compassionate heart for education, then almost any school in Fiji would welcome your skills with open arms. It may mean settling into a town for a few days, asking around, visiting some local schools and introducing yourself to the principal. The school kids need English literacy help - I could PM you some of my contacts, but you would have to make your own way. It would cost a whole lot less, be a much more rewarding experience for you and the families you interacted with. I'm happy to email you some more info, if you would like. Fiji would be one of the easiest, most forgiving countries you could ever find, when it comes to accepting somebody on their merits. I agree with milkylemon, look carefully at the costs involved in 'volunteer' organisations. Follow your heart.

If you can get a position with Australian Volunteers International (they are competitive and generally require professional skills), they pay fares, plus an accomodation and a living allowance for a contracted period, usually 2 years. In addition they provide evacuation and health cover and in country support.

Cheers,
Peter

Peter, I know you are with AVO, but they only sponsor Australian citizens and residents. VSO is the UK equivalent, and the OP is from the UK.

Hello everyone,

my boyfriend is Fijian and we would like to spend the next year in Fiji. I hold German citizenship and if I don't get a work permit, I would fly in and out of Fiji every three months, in order to stay there for a longer period of time. However, I was wondering whether this is feasible and whether I would get the Fijian tourist visa four times consecutively? Also, do I need proof of a return or outbound ticket when I enter Fiji as a tourist? Would an airline reservation also be enough to get the visa stamp?

Thanks a lot for your help!

Hi, This message is for Flowergranny..................Im wondering if you have any info on getting a work permit to volunteer in schools?? I am a sign language interpreter and know of two schools in Suva where they teach Deaf students. I have visited both schools and met some of the teachers. They seemed very welcoming when I enquired about vounteering. I have already made many friends and have decided that Suva is where I want to be. But the actual process of getting a permit to do volunteer work is very confusing. Im going in Jan/Feb 2013but still have many questions about how to actually organise things.......Any advice would be very helpful and greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

rosalie05

Edited by: rosalie05

Rosalie - I will try to PM you.....

Edited by: flowergranny