We’ve all heard the saying, “Give a man a fish you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime,” at least once or twice.

That way of thinking has been a hot topic of discussion in the world of overseas volunteering, as some volunteers abroad are reporting experiences that left them feeling underutilized or in the way, rather than accomplished and proud for fighting the good fight.

No one wants to deter philanthropy (it helps the volunteers too!) , but just as the case with any field, some ways of going about volunteering abroad are better than others, and here are few things to keep in mind when planning your next charitable journey to foreign land.

Consider Your Skill Set

An extra set of hands is always helpful, but most of us possess skills that we wouldn’t always consider when thinking about a volunteer trip.

Most people are familiar with some of the “Without Borders” programs, such as Doctors Without Borders, Basketball Without Borders, Farmers Without Borders, etc. but the niches in the almost-endless list includes Geeks Without Borders, Knitters Without Borders, Rabbis Without Borders and about 200 other niches, so be sure to check out the options as you may be surprised that Surfers Without Borders is looking for some help on their next community relations trip.

Speaking of trips, a house of worship is another great place to inquire about ethical volunteer opportunities, regardless of your religious affiliation. Religious groups help fund mission trips for nurses, volunteer construction projects abroad, and many other niche opportunities for charitable work.

Or, if you prefer to stay away from religion but still interested in uncovering latent skills you might not be aware of maybe consider a quick volunteer trip within the United States. Obvious options are low-income neighborhoods that need additional assistance and resources, but you could also volunteer in communities with heavy tourism. For example, did you know that Florida attracted over 124 million people in 2018? With such a heavy influx of touristics there’s plenty of opportunity to help ranging from environmental clean-up to activism.

Taking some time to explore the niche volunteer opportunities will almost certainly introduce you to a need you didn’t know existed that you can help meet with a skill from your past or every day life.

Narrow Your Search

Realizing the delightfully large breadth of opportunities for volunteers abroad can actually be a bit intimidating, even though it does make you feel good about society.

There are many ways to begin narrowing your search, and price is probably the most logical place to start. Some programs will cost volunteers upwards of $3,000 per week, while other volunteer opportunities are completely free, so figuring out your budget should be square one.

Before you decide that “free” sounds like the only way to go, be sure to read the fine print to make sure free is really free, as some programs will not cover airfare, food, housing, or a combination of things of the like.

After determining the cost, time is net in line. If it’s July and you have three weddings to go to in September, there is no reason to look at opportunities longer than six or seven weeks. Some opportunities are as short as a week, while others can last more than a year with options of re-ing up for another go. Know how much time you want to spend volunteering and you can save time figuring out where to do it.

Put the Pieces Together and Check Yourself

Once you’ve found a niche and a timeframe, be sure to do ample research on the organization. Bad reviews on a volunteer experience carry a lot more potency that bad reviews on a clothing store because people going on mission trips aren’t generally the types to want to negatively effect a good organization. Talk to people who have been involved, and be prepared to step away if negativity arises. There is no shame in avoiding what could have been a wasted trip when your plan is to give your time and efforts to a worldly cause you care about!