Volunteering in Fiji

Hi there,
Just looking for some help, I have nearly 3 wks to pass in Fiji and was hoping to do some volunteer work.
I have done wwoof - ing before but it doesn't seem to be well established in Fiji. Also joined HELPX but again there are few hosts...options seem limited!
I have an environmental background and hoped to do something along this line - but I am open to working with children etc (I have done this before and have necessary police clearance)

Any help at all would be very much appreciated, I just don't want to pass the time in the usual backpacker ways....would love to see rural Fiji and something a bit more special.

thanks :)

Hi travelsdownunder... I want to start by say that's its awesome you want to spend some of your holiday volunteering! Not many people are willing to do this, so it's refreshing to see a post from someone like yourself wanting to help!
I do volunteer work at a local orphanage in Fiji... volunteer work is available, but a little hard to get.... The main reasons its so hard is 1- no one seems to be really sure of volunteer visas required (if any), so many organisations prefer not to take on volunteers incase they are breaking the visa laws. I rang immigration 3 times about volunteering visa requirements & got 3 different answers! Their website has all types of visa forms, but nothing for volunteering. 2- generally organisations prefer a long term commitment (but I'm sure there's someone out there willing to take you on for 3 weeks).
It took me 2 months to find volunteer work (although I didn't have any help/advice and had to stumbled through it on my own). My main set back was "Fiji time". It took ages for people to respond to my emails. I would definitely suggest that you start emailing now so that you already have something lined up for when you get here. If working with children, you will need to give a copy of your police clearance to the organisation along with a copy of your passport.
I'm happy to point you in the right direction/give advice :) where in Fiji will you be based? Are you wanting free/cheaper accommodation in exchange for volunteering? (It will be easier if you have your own accommodation sorted). What dates will you be in Fiji? It would be easier to get volunteer work in the main cities. Rural areas have limited Internet (if any) so you will need to organise volunteer work once you arrive to these areas, with 3 weeks you may not have enough time.

There are also heaps of organised volunteering organisations you can go through if you would prefer, rather than finding volunteering work independently :)

Hi 'travelsdownunder'.
My wife and I recently completed 2 years volunteering in Fiji at a charity daycare centre in Lautoka. We did this through Australian Volunteers International.
Technically, volunteering requires a work visa which is difficult to get, but many people do volunteer short term on tourist visas. Their risk, I guess.
If you post your email I will send you some contact details in Fiji.

Cheers,
Peter (currently in Montenegro)

Thanks so much for this information vfernandez00 & Peter_n_Margaret!

Wow this is all very helpful, apologises for delay - I just couldn't figure out now to use the thread....also ive been living in outback oz and had no signal for a very long time!

Its with some embarrassment that I have to admit that I have actually arrived in the country. I am used to the WWOOF system of simply ringing up somewhere a few days in advance and getting a place somewhere - quite silly I realise now that things work a whole lot differently here....live and learn I suppose....but again my living arrangements up to now didn't really enable me to do a lot of research.

Its pretty disheartening to hear that your work took 2 months to organise vfernandez00?!....but I admire your perseverance,.....equally Peter_n_Margaret that's amazing that you have volunteered for 2 years ...wow!

I don't think I like the idea of messing with my visa - again something I had never even considered,....with disappointment I think I might have to accept that I have left it all a bit too late,...perhaps I will return and be a little bit more organised next time!

But again thanks so much guys for the effort and info,

Much appreciated :) ....travelsdownunder

No worries :) enjoy your holiday!!

Hi I did some woofing on Venua Levu- one I contacted through Helpx and one through workaway, the workaway has a calender so you can see what vacancies in advance. the helpx i just emailed a few weeks in advance ( it was more helping with an accommodation place and family than volunteering) but still gave me more of an insight into the local way of life etc