Volunteer South Africa

Duration: Five, nine, thirteen or seventeen weeks.

Placement opportunities: Helping in a school, crèche, environmental project or at a wildlife sanctuary in the areas around Cape Town.

Accommodation: With a host family.

Eligibility: British passport holders aged 18 or over.

Volunteer Ghana

Duration: Three to six months.

Placement opportunities: Teaching in a local school or working in a vocational training centre, orphanage or HIV/AIDS awareness project. Volunteers are based all over Ghana.

Accommodation: With a host family.

Eligibility: Current university or gap year students of anyone who has graduated within the last two years and is aged 18 or over (can be any nationality).

Volunteer Peru

Duration: Two or three months.

Placement opportunities: Helping at a community development project on the outskirts of the capital, Lima.

Accommodation: With a host family.

Eligibility: Any permanent resident of the UK, aged 18 or over who can speak Spanish (please contact BUNAC for information on Spanish speaking courses).

Volunteer Costa Rica

Duration: Three months.

Placement opportunities: Contributing to a conservation, ecological or environmental project or in a tourism or teaching role. Volunteers are based all over Costa Rica.

Accommodation: With a host family.

Eligibility: Any permanent resident of the UK, aged 18 to 32 who can speak Spanish (please contact BUNAC for information on Spanish speaking courses).

Volunteer Cambodia

Duration: Three months.

Placement opportunities: Teaching at a local school, helping at the landmine museum or a childrens centre. Projects are based in the town of Siem Reap.

Accommodation: In a Siem Reap hostel.

Eligibility: British or Irish passport holders who are currently resident in the UK or Ireland and aged 18 or over.

Teach & Travel China

Duration: Eight weeks to 12 months.

Placement opportunities: Trainee teacher intern in either nursery, primary, or secondary schools.

Accommodation: Shared room provided by the school.

Eligibility: Any permanent resident of the UK, aged at least 18 and educated to A-level standard.

Volunteer USA

Duration: Eight, ten or twelve weeks.

Placement opportunities: Trail clearing and conservation work in the breathtaking National Parks of America

Accommodation: Camping and shared housing

Eligibility: British or Irish passport holders, resident in the UK or Ireland aged at least 18