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Volunteer Overseas. Volunteer work abroad in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia or Nepal

It was very rewarding and know I’m a better person because of the people I met on this journey. read more

Volunteer overseas in community, grass roots projects

Amazing volunteer overseas placements! Read about the field projects we support and you can join in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Nepal!

Open your mind, get new perspectives! Your first experience may be our acclaimed Cross Culture and Volunteer Training in Nong Khai, Thailand, also open to other volunteers, backpackers, and travelers, and free for Openmind Projects volunteers.

Spend your volunteer money wisely!
Openmind Projects offers low cost, affordable and value for the money volunteering work abroad. Why pay -90 /€50-75 per day, the rates many European and U.S. travel and volunteer organizations charge, when you can pay only /€17 per day with Openmind Projects in Thailand for a two month period? Check out our low fees!

Our Volunteer with Support option is a real bargain!

/€17 is about 680 Thai baht. On your own a room in a guesthouse in Thailand would cost you 400-700 baht per day and wouldn't include a volunteer placement/project, meals, volunteer support, handbooks or training!

With us, your entire fee goes towards supporting our grassroots projects in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Nepal as well as supporting you as an overseas volunteer!

Volunteering is possible all year-round. Volunteer projects include: education, environment, conservation, health care, eco tourism, work with orphans and children, and more. If you're looking for a rewarding experience have a look below at some of the projects supported by Openmind Projects.

Apply Online and ask us for more information about our volunteer work abroad opportunities and volunteer conditions.

You can volunteer overseas in Thailand in the poor Northeast (Isan) or South Thailand, Laos, Cambodia or Nepal.

Gap year students overseas, holiday or spring break volunteers, career break or vacation volunteers, retired or senior volunteers overseas and family volunteers can teach English in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Nepal, teach IT, help at health and child care overseas projects. Ecology volunteers can join environmental, wildlife, marine conservation or sustainable and community based eco tourism projects. Interns can teach English or join eco projects.

Volunteer/teach at Openmind Projects Training Center in Thailand

Situated in Nong Khai, in northeastern Thailand—Isan—our Training Center is the heart of Openmind Projects. Here we train both our local trainees and new volunteers. And they in turn teach each other about their respective cultures and languages! Read also about our popular Volunteer Training.

Volunteer in Lao community based eco tourism in the Water Buffalo Mountains

Amazing opportunity for the volunteer interested in nature, trekking and photography to work in an eco project in Laos. Teach English to children. Teach English while working alongside local village guides. One of our several eco volunteer opportunities in sustainable development.

Volunteer on a Thai island

Teach English on an island at a Muslim school. This charming island is just a short boat ride from Krabi but is a world away and remains unknown to most tourists. For volunteers who want to experience authentic island and fishing village life.

Volunteer with Burmese, hill tribe and refugee children

Teach at a school for Burmese children. The majority of the students are from ethnic minorities among the hill tribes including refugees from Burma. This volunteer placement lies close to the Burmese border amid beautiful mountains with several wildlife refuges and the Thee Lor Sue waterfall, Thailand's highest!

Teach English in a village by the Mekong River in Thailand

In this small village, sitting on the bank of the Mekong River, our volunteers work in the local kindergarten and school. Since it caters to the poorest families in the area this is a place where you can provide a major resource!

Teach English at a Buddhist Temple

This well known temple school trains young novices in basic subjects as well as Buddhist teachings. This is one of our placements for volunteers who are interested in learning about Buddhism and temple life while teaching English to novices. One of our many teach English volunteer placements in Thailand.

Marine wildlife protection, scuba diving, teaching English on the Andaman Sea

Openmind Projects volunteers assist with surveys of the coral reefs in the Andaman Sea. Qualified volunteers may dive and document their findings, others may teach English. Highly recommended for those who are avid and experienced divers and passionate about marine wildlife. One of our many eco volunteer options.

Volunteer at an orphanage and school in Cambodia

This orphan home cares for over a hundred children, from infants to teenagers. It's a great opportunity for the volunteer who wants to support disadvantaged children and help them become reintegrated into society.

Volunteer at a home for war orphans in Nepal

Assist the staff providing for the children and teach at the nearby Creation School. This small orphanage in Kathmandu, Nepal, houses about ten orphan children at any given time. One of the child and health care projects we support.

Volunteer at a rural health care center

This small community hospital in northeast Thailand treats villagers with minor health problems. Depending on your experience you can assist the staff directly during their work or help them improve their English. A richly rewarding opportunity for the volunteer interested in rural health care abroad. One of several Health Care options in southeast Asia.

Community development, eco tourism and teaching in Chitwan, Nepal

This community development project in Nepal supports local eco tourism efforts as well as the village school. A unique chance for adventurous and independent volunteers with an interest in wildlife, village life, teaching and trekking.

Volunteer overseas in community, grass roots projects in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Nepal

The different Volunteer Overseas and Cross Culture Training to work abroad in Thailand

International volunteering overseas: how to succeed

A "global mindset", an open mind, is what you need to be successful in a global world. It means being capable of adjusting to different environments and to have the ability to work effectively with international colleagues. This "global mindset" depends on intellectual and psychological as well as social skills factors. Without a global mindset it is very difficult to deal with cultural difference and international and unexpected situations. Having a global mindset, an open mind, is vital for anyone interested in an international job!

Your first step to volunteering with a global mindset is to join Openmind Projects abroad Cross Culture and Volunteer Training in Thailand!

Your second step is to join a grass roots volunteer overseas project!

Welcome!

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Get started: Apply Now!

Every month Openmind Projects arranges a 3-day Cross Culture and Volunteer Training Program for volunteers and travelers at our Volunteer and Training Center in Nong Khai, Thailand as preparation for your work abroad. The objective of our volunteer training is to help you become a successful volunteer and to help you to use your special volunteer talents in a new culture. A successful volunteer abroad brings not only his/her technical skills but also social and cross-cultural skills, curiosity, self confidence and patience. Our training is focused on boosting these skills and to help you feel comfortable overseas, increasing your self-confidence even when out of your comfort zone.

What is so special about our volunteer work abroad training in Thailand?

During our volunteer overseas training, we'll discuss Southeast Asian culture, language, dress and social codes together with local people. You will be immersed in the local culture on the very first day by interacting and meeting with the people you will work with. Our learning philosophy for local students is activity based "learning by doing" and that is exactly how our volunteer overseas training program at Openmind Projects is designed. This volunteer training is a must for volunteers to ensure a fun and successful stay. It is highly recommended by past volunteers and also by local authorities, schools and national parks.

Your volunteer work abroad training Openmind Projects style

Our volunteer training is activity based, instead of simply listening, you learn by interacting and communicating with local people.
You learn about Southeast Asian culture, important "do's and don'ts", and the values behind, how to greet people, how to dress, and more.
You learn basic Thai / Lao language skills. You get an opportunity to use these skills immediately by ordering food at restaurants, going shopping, and introducing yourself to local people.
You learn basic Thai / Lao language skills. You get an opportunity to use these skills immediately by ordering food at restaurants, going shopping, and introducing yourself to local people.
Before arrival you get our OpenmindProjects Volunteer Handbooks online giving you a chance to in advance for
your volunteer overseas experience. You can buy hardcopies at our volunteer training center.
On the final day, we practice what you learned during the volunteer training in a real situation!
And you will receive our Volunteer Training Certificate.

"Learning by doing", that is how our popular volunteer overseas training program at Openmind Projects is designed

Your Volunteer Overseas Training in Thailand Dates, 2012 and 2013

2012

January 4
February 1
February 29
March 28
April 11 (Thai school holidays)
May 2
June 6
July 11
August 15
September 26 (October Thai school holidays)
October 31
December 5

2013

January 9
February 6
February 27
March 27
April 18 (Thai school holidays)
May 8
June 5
July 3
August 31
September 25
October 17 (Thai school holidays)
November 6
December 4

Volunteer Overseas and Cross Culture Training to work abroad in Thailand

Welcome to volunteer at OpenmindProjects Training and Learning Center in NongKhai, Thailand.

"Suitable for volunteers who want to stay in NongKhai with our local staff and trainees as well as other volunteers. You mainly teach English and computer skills to our trainees and staff and volunteer some of the time at another project in NongKhai."

OpenmindProjects has created a successful training center in NongKhai helping underprivileged young people to better learning opportunities. It is based on our ideas about problem and self paced learning and designed as a simple but effective learning environment. Over the years we have had many successful trainees. This is also where we arrange our monthly cross culture and volunteer training for new volunteers.
Volunteers are welcome to stay at our Training Center together with other volunteers and our local trainees and staff, who stay and study for free at our center. They come from Thailand, Laos, Burma and Cambodia, mostly from the field projects that we support.

Volunteer Overseas. School Holiday Camps in Thailand

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Have a blast teaching at a holiday camp with children while sharing their culture!
Give poor children and students an extra and free chance to learn for a better future!

School holiday camps offer an exciting way for volunteers to help and encourage Thai children to learn and practice English, meet people from and learn about other countries, and practice eco-friendly behavior!

The camps are free for the children who come from poor village schools in the northeast (Isan) and south of Thailand, Laos and Burma. They are the sons and daughters of poor rice farmers, workers and fishermen.

Read this Volunteer Camp Story, your turn next time!

Watch this Holiday Camp Show video, your next adventure?

Marine Conservation and Scuba Diving in Thailand

Scuba diving in Thailand

Scuba diving opportunities for marine conservation: help save the coral reefs of Thailand!

An amazing marine and coastal volunteer placement untouched by tourism yet near bustling tourist spots and beaches on Phuket Island! A volunteer opportunity based at a Thailand Marine Research Center by the stunning Andaman Sea! Help save marine life, sea turtles, coral reefs and fish, all threatened by industrial-scale fishing and mass tourism which normally means lost habitat to marine life and lost income opportunities to the local communities.