FAQs

Putting together a social-impact trip with us is simpler than you might think. Here's the run-through:

1. Choose the project

Head to the projects page and filter by country or area (education, environment, health, women's empowerment and more). Not sure where to start? No problem — our team can help you work it out. Drop us a message on WhatsApp or by email.

2. Fill in the application form

The form is free and non-binding. We ask for your preferred destination and dates so we can check availability. We'll come back to you promptly with an initial confirmation.

3. Confirm your spot

To officially lock in your spot, just pay the registration deposit. This fee covers pre-departure prep, personalised orientation and ongoing support from our team. Once it's paid, you'll get:

- a full info pack on the project and accommodation,
- local coordinator contact details,
- the pre-departure guide with practical and cultural tips,
- official letters for visa applications (if needed),
- a document for exemption from international vaccination certificate fees.

4. Getting ready to go

Our pre-departure kit also walks you through the practical bits: flights, insurance, visa and the documents you'll need. We're around for questions right up to the trip.

5. Arrival and project start

Once you land, the local team will be there to meet you. From day one you can count on:

airport transfer on arrival (at scheduled times),
accommodation in a homestay or volunteer house,
three meals a day,
an on-site coordinator and 24/7 support.
That way you can settle in and focus on getting involved with the project and the community hosting you.

6. Once you're back home

The trip doesn't end when you fly home. You'll receive an official certificate of participation — handy for your CV and uni placements. You can also stay part of the HeyLocals community, come to events and keep supporting projects from afar.

Want to browse the available projects?
You can find everything here: /our-projects/

Prefer to talk it through? You can book a free info call: /group-call

Most projects are open to anyone — no special qualifications or previous experience needed. What matters is being 18 or over, plus a bit of curiosity, adaptability, respect for different cultures and a willingness to get involved.

For some specific programmes (healthcare, university placements) technical skills or qualifications may be required — we always flag that clearly in the project description. If you're unsure, we'll talk you through the best fit.

General requirements

Minimum age: 18.
Under-18s can take part if accompanied by a parent, or with written consent and a signed waiver from a parent/guardian.

Background check: for safety reasons, every participant submits a self-declaration (clean criminal record) at least 15 days before departure.

Language: a basic level of English is recommended for most projects. Local coordinators speak English, and fellow travellers tend to come from across Europe and beyond.

In short: if you've got enthusiasm and an open mind, you've already got most of what you need. We build the rest together, step by step.

Costs vary by project, destination and length, but as a rough guide a 2-3 week trip works out around £550-£1,300.

The fee covers everything you need to do the trip safely and without stress, including support before, during and after.

What's included in the fee? The following (it can vary slightly by project):

- Accommodation in a comfortable, safe volunteer house
- 3 meals a day (usually brunch and dinner at weekends)
- Airport pick-up on arrival (at scheduled times) and project-related transfers
- Orientation day on arrival to get to know the project, staff and local context
- A dedicated coordinator throughout your stay, plus 24/7 support from the local team
- Ongoing support from our HQ team (phone and WhatsApp)
- Materials and tools you'll need for activities
- Cultural experiences and outings organised with the host community
- Weekly catch-ups with the local team
- Official certificate of participation, useful for your CV and uni credits
- Pre-departure course and materials so you arrive prepared
- DBS / background check support where required
- Full support on flights, visas and vaccinations (some health costs may vary by region)
- A community of fellow travellers to connect with
- A direct contribution to the local project — part of your fee goes straight to it, with nothing extra asked on site

In short: the fee isn't just for board and lodging — it's designed to give you a complete, safe trip that's genuinely useful, both for you and the community hosting you.

A fair question. The answer comes down to sustainability, transparency and respect for the local organisations we work with.

The partners we work with are small, community-led organisations — often started by local people who wanted to do something for their area. They don't have fundraising teams, big grants, or the resources to write international project bids, but they do invaluable work on the ground every day.

Because they're small, they can't usually cover board and lodging for volunteers. So volunteers contribute directly to those costs, which also helps support the project that hosts them.

It's also worth saying: any experience like this — well-organised, safe and genuinely useful — costs money. It takes people, resources, coordination and care.

With your fee, you're not paying to 'help' — you're contributing to a network of relationships, cultural exchanges and small projects that wouldn't exist in this form without it. The fee also funds the standards of organisation, logistics and safety that don't just happen on their own.

Your contribution covers:

- running costs: board, lodging, local transport, materials and wages for the people working at partner organisations
- a direct contribution to the project hosting you (you won't be asked to fundraise on site)
- the work of HeyLocals: vetting projects, supporting you before and during the trip, creating useful resources and building the network around you

Worth flagging the difference here:

- Flexible dates

With this option, you can join the project you want in practically any week of the year (apart from closure periods, which are always shown on the project page and booking form). We usually ask you to arrive on a Sunday and leave at least the following Saturday. If you want to stay a few more days, there's flexibility.

- Group trips

The dates here are fixed and pre-set — you'll find them on the project page. On these trips, you'll be with a group organised by us, with dedicated coordination.

The difference is purely organisational: some partners ask us to bring more volunteers at certain times of year, or have activities that work better with larger groups. The experience itself, the work and what we expect of you stay the same.

Short answer: no, you won't be on your own.

Most of our projects come out of partnerships with local organisations that also work with international partners. So on the ground you'll meet volunteers and travellers from all over the world, all with the same desire to get involved.

You'll stay in shared volunteer houses, alongside people working on the same project or other programmes in the area. It's a great way to make friends, share experiences and build connections that often last well beyond the trip.

The local team also regularly organises evening activities, group meals and outings, so the social side stays lively throughout.

So beyond getting to know the local culture properly, you'll find yourself living alongside people from other countries who share the same goal — contributing and growing together.

No, flights aren't included in the project fee. We leave them to you so you can pick how and when to travel, based on your budget and what suits you.

That said, you won't be left to figure it out alone:

- we'll suggest the best arrival window,
- we'll help you find suitable flight options,
- and if you'd like, we can put you in touch with other travellers on the same dates so you can sort it together.

Safety is a top priority. We only work with organisations we know personally, or that have been working for years with reliable international partners. Every project goes through a careful due diligence process to make sure standards hold up — logistically and humanly.

Our aim is to offer a calm, accessible trip for people of all ages, with or without international travel experience. So even if it's your first time travelling solo, you'll find a safe, structured and welcoming setting.

Every participant submits a DBS check (or equivalent background check) before departure. Host facilities also have clear rules against inappropriate behaviour, drug or alcohol use, harassment and disrespect for the local context.

Throughout the trip you'll be supported by a local coordinator on site, available 24/7 for anything you need. Before you go, you'll receive a complete pack with practical info, tips, contacts and emergency numbers, so you arrive properly prepared.

Of course, these are trips in non-European settings, sometimes in rural areas. A bit of adaptability and an open mind go a long way. But one thing's certain: you won't be left on your own.

If you'd like an official copy of our due diligence document for a specific project, get in touch and we'll do our best to share it.

As early as you can — even just for a better flight price. As a rule of thumb, we recommend applying at least 1 to 2 months before your departure date.

For peak-season projects (June-August), or ones with limited spots, give yourself at least 3 months — that way your place is secure and you can prep without rushing.

If you need to leave at short notice, message us anyway. In some cases we can speed things up. Just keep in mind that visas or some documents can take time, so last-minute departures aren't always possible.

Once your place is confirmed, we'll ask you to settle the fee and send the documents we need (passport, travel insurance and background check). Some timelines are flexible depending on the project — you'll find the details on the specific page or you can ask us directly.

Yes, absolutely. Let us know when you book and we'll do our best to place you on the same project and at the same accommodation.

You can also travel with a partner, a sibling, or organise a larger group (for uni students or families, for example).

Yes. At the end of the trip you'll receive an official certificate of participation. It's useful for your CV, and you can also present it to your university to request credits (if your course allows).

We can also write a personalised letter describing the activities you took part in. Just let us know after your trip and we'll sort it.

It's a fair question — and the honest answer asks us to look beyond the day-to-day tasks.

The contribution of a volunteering trip isn't only about technical skills or how long you stay. There's the direct side — supporting teachers at a local school, helping with daily activities at a children's centre, lending a hand to rangers at a nature reserve. And there's the indirect side, less visible but just as real: exchange, curiosity, listening.

Volunteers who arrive well prepared and are welcomed properly can support the work of local communities — bringing energy, ideas, attention and new connections. At the same time, you tend to come home with a different perspective: new questions, more sensitivity to cultures and challenges very different from your own.

It isn't about doing great things — it's about doing small things with respect and intention. You don't go to save anyone, you go to share spaces, stories and everyday life. It's a trip that gives something to both sides.

If channelled well, the value of all this carries on long after the trip ends. It's a mutual exchange that leaves a mark.

Yes, you can travel even if you're under 18, as long as you're at least 14 and have written consent from a parent or legal guardian.

You'll need to sign a waiver before departure, but don't worry — we'll walk you through the process step by step.

Over the years, plenty of under-18s have joined our projects and got on really well with both the group and the local coordinators. If it's your first time abroad, you're not on your own — we're here, and there's a whole team ready to look after you.

More than 'doing something', we ask you to show up with the right spirit — curious, respectful and open. Our projects work best when travellers are proactive, flexible and ready to adapt to settings that are very different from their own.

The golden rule: the more you put in, the more you get out. People who arrive with enthusiasm, a willingness to learn and a desire to get involved come away with much more from the trip.

Bear in mind that many of the places we work in have their own rhythm — punctuality is looser, the unexpected is more common, but that slower pace is often what makes the connections feel more genuine.

So we ask you to:
– Be patient and stay positive, even when things don't go to plan.
– Respect the local culture, customs and rules of the place hosting you.
– Be kind to staff, residents and other volunteers.
– Hold off on judging — watch, listen and learn.

In return, you'll have an experience that — we promise — sticks with you for a long time.

Yes — all our projects follow a strict Child Protection Policy, agreed with our local partners.

The policy is there to protect children and young people from any form of abuse, exploitation or inappropriate behaviour, and also to protect volunteers from ambiguous situations or unfounded accusations.

Here's what it covers:
– Every participant must provide a background check before the project starts.
– During orientation you'll be given the full policy and asked to sign a document confirming you've read and understood it.
– A detailed code of conduct sets out how to behave around children and young people (covering photographs, physical contact, gifts, private spaces, etc.).
– Activities involving children are always supervised by qualified local staff.
– Inappropriate behaviour or policy breaches lead to immediate removal from the programme and, where needed, reporting to the relevant authorities.

The goal is that every trip is not only useful, but ethical, safe and respectful for everyone involved.

Yes, in most cases. If you let us know at least 30 days before departure, we can change the date or destination free of charge, subject to availability.

With less than 30 days to go, changes are still usually possible — there may just be some extra costs to cover the logistical reorganisation, as set out in our Terms and Conditions.

Either way, message us as soon as something feels uncertain — we'll always try to find the best solution with you.

Yes, we strongly recommend a local or international SIM so you stay connected — especially for emergencies and contacting coordinators on site.

For all our destinations, we recommend Airalo (you can see the rates at this link) — an easy way to buy eSIMs straight from your phone, even before you leave. We're official partners, and it works simply and securely in nearly all the countries where we operate.

On weekends, when there aren't project activities, you'll have free time to explore the country hosting you.

To help you make the most of it, we've picked out trusted experiences through our GetYourGuide partners — day trips, cultural tours, diving, trekking, street food and plenty more, always with local guides and proper organisation.

👉 Have a look at the available experiences. You can book before you leave or directly on site, depending on your time and interests.

Yes — travel insurance is compulsory for our projects. You'll need cover that includes, at a minimum, medical assistance, accidents, lost luggage and trip cancellation. Some destinations may also require COVID cover.

To keep it simple, we're official partners with Heymondo — an insurer designed for people travelling independently or joining programmes abroad. With HeyLocals you get an exclusive 10% discount on all their policies.

👉 Activate your insurance with the discount
If you're unsure what cover you need for a particular destination, just message us and we'll happily talk it through.