Free (or Cheap) Volunteer Work in Russia
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While it should be remembered that the sort of people that start NGOs and organise projects helping the environment or their communities are most likely decent human beings, Russia itself is a pariah nation and perhaps best avoided for the time being.
Grassroots Volunteering in Russia
The organisations listed below have either got in touch with us to add their details to this or another of our websites, or we otherwise have reason to believe they are actively looking for international volunteers and charge reasonable or no fees to join in, live and work with them:
Language Link
www.languagelink.ru
Language Link submitted details of their volunteer programme to us but while the fees are not outrageous, especially for the longer programmes and when based outside of Moscow, their paid teacher internship is better value for budget conscious volunteers. Over nine months the monthly salary of 30,000 roubles (US$375 at the time of writing) will cover the initial costs (see below) of joining the programme and then some. Aimed at applicants who do not have a TEFL certificate or relevant teaching experience, interns receive four weeks of intensive TEFL training in Moscow before teaching independently.
Language Link can also offer paid employment and a Work-Study programme to those interested in learning Russian..
Where: Moscow, St Petersburg, Volgograd and Samara.
Accommodation & Costs: The programme is provided free of charge but participants must pay US$550 on arrival to cover admin and other costs and the basic accommodation provided during training. Teachers who rent their own accommodation during the training period may waive US$400 from this fee. Accommodation in a shared flat or homestay is provided when teaching begins.
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The Great Baikal Trail
www.greatbaikaltrail.org
With the purpose of attracting more eco-tourists to the region, volunteers should be prepared for some serious physical exertion, spending the workday clearing the way for a new trail, improving an existing trail, or building a campground or other structure. In the winter teaching local school students about the importance of preserving the environment, designing booklets or information signs take precedence. There is also work needing doing in their office in Irkutsk.
Where: Lake Baikal, Siberia.
Accommodation & Costs: International volunteers are asked to pay a fee of 20000 rubles (around £210 at the time of writing) to join the two week long projects. Volunteers live in tents, taking turns cooking meals over a campfire.
Other Opportunities to Volunteer in Russia
Energy World Camp posted an advert to us for foreign volunteers to help teach languages at their children’s camp, 12 kilometres from Moscow on the shore of a reservoir surrounded by a pine forest. They’ll meet you at the airport, provide a salary, comfortable accommodation and five meals a day. They don’t appear to have a website but more details and contact email are at http://www.jobsabroadbulletin.co.uk/native-speakers-for-childrens-camp/.
Help Exchange Networks in Russia
Workaway – https://www.workaway.info/hostlist-RU.html
More Volunteering in Russia Resources
Expat.ru – A list of over a couple of dozen NGOs that welcome English speaking volunteers.
Incamp.ru – Though aimed at parents there’s over 400 summer camps in Russia to wade through here, some of which surely must take on volunteers, and paid staff, to teach English to the kids.
Other Ways to Travel or Stay for Free in Russia
Stay free in return for caring for local residents’ homes or pets. Join Trusted Housesitters to live rent free as a house sitter.
Image copyright The Great Baikal Trail
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