United Planet Recruiter interview

Hello McKenzie,
Thank you for your email.  I can provide some basic answers here, but I am happy to chat in more detail on the phone.  Feel free to email or call anytime!
Thank you,
Theresa

What makes United Planet different from other Volunteer organizations?
Our programs are driven by our mission - to increase cross-cultural understanding and support communities worldwide to address shared challenges.  Our programs are designed to immerse the volunteers as much as possible in the host communities.

What is necessary to become a member of United Planet?
Just a desire to learn more about the world and share your culture with others!

What are some steps of the application process?
This page on our website clearly outlines the process

Are there any characteristics you look for in prospective volunteers?
Mostly we look for a willingness to learn and a willingness to serve.  International volunteers need to be flexible, patient and have a sense of humor.  We always look for these attributes in our volunteers.

Is there anything that would make you turn someone away?
Not usually.  We have a lot of different programs and we can usually place most people in at least one of our programs.  Some locations are better suited to new or younger travelers, others require more travel experience.  So it is more about finding the best fit for each volunteer.

Are there fields of volunteering, such as Nursing in the program?
Yes - our host communities decide where they can use our volunteers so we take volunteers in a number of areas.  Go to this webpage and in the right-hand column, under Explore Programs, click on Projects and you can see all of the areas in the drop-down menu.  You can click on any or all of them for more information.

How long is the usual term in United Planet?
We offer programs for short-term programs (1-12 weeks) and long-term programs (6 & 12 months).  The average stay is 3-4 weeks, but every year we have a lot of volunteers who do all possible lengths of stay.

What do volunteers do while overseas?
Check out our FAQs online.  Look specifically at #3 and #5.

Is housing provided for volunteers?
Yes!  Most of the time our volunteers stay with host families because it is the best way to immerse in the local culture, practice a new language and learn about daily life in the host community.  In many locations we do also have some options for staying at the project or in a guesthouse.