Dozens of highly reputable groups offer organized working vacation programs, but for many would-be volunteers, the prices are prohibitively expensive. For people on modest budgets or those who would rather have a DIY volunteer vacation, community-based charities and NGOs with no formal affiliation to travel programs are chronically underfunded and swamped with work they can't afford to pay anyone to do. People prepared to make their own arrangements for travel and accommodation stand to get the same satisfaction from volunteering at a fraction of the price by contacting groups directly to offer their services. Charity Vault provides a list of those that welcome volunteers, searchable alphabetically, by location or by category of service. Others can be turned up by typing the area of interest, "volunteering" and "Mexico" into a search line.
For people interested in wildlife conservation, both Global Vision International and Projects Abroad offer organized programs in coastal areas to protect the endangered sea turtles that nest on Mexico's beaches. Volunteers For Peace, a long-established NGO that places volunteers in more than 100 countries, is active in Mexico, varying its grassroots-level community activities from one year to the next. VFP programs are substantially cheaper for participants than many others and projects invite teen, family and adult volunteers.
The distinguished Houston-based Amigos de las Americas, founded in 1965, works in partnership with Mexican agencies on a range of educational and community improvement projects, mainly in villages. Teen volunteers from the U.S. are given assignments and live with host families, conversing entirely in Spanish. Admission criteria are demanding, but the program includes training in community service and fund raising for charitable projects. The Center for Global Education at Augsburg College, Minneapolis sponsors a range of semester programs combining learning with community service.
A wealth of volunteer opportunities exist in Mexico for qualified professionals in a wide range of disciplines including veterinarians and veterinary support staff; doctors, nurses and therapists; and teachers, especially those accredited to teach English as a second language. To find out more, type your professional specialty, "volunteering" and "Mexico" into a search line for a current and comprehensive listing.
A variety of churches, faith groups, missions and other religious organizations are active in charitable work throughout Mexico. Up-to-date volunteer opportunities may be found by typing the keywords "religious (or name of faith group)", "volunteering" and "Mexico" into a search line.
