Volunteer in China

Volunteer in China with International Volunteer HQ today. IVHQ’s local staff in China require volunteers NOW! IVHQ China has a wide range of volunteering projects in China, including Teaching English, Childcare and Panda Conservation.

LOCATION OF CHINA VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

IVHQ has volunteer placements located in and around the ancient Chinese city of Xi’an (home to the world famous terracotta warriors). Panda conservation placements are located approximately two hours outside of Xi’an in the Shaanxi province at a panda sanctuary.

START AND DURATION OF CHINA VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

Programs begin on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Volunteers can choose to volunteer for periods ranging from 1 week to 6 months.

CHINA VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS

Volunteers must be 18 years or older at the beginning of the program and have at least a high school education. Volunteers must also take a letter from their local doctor or a medical certificate to the program in China to give to program. This letter must declare them fit and healthy with no known transmittable medical conditions (a requirement from local officials for working with children). All volunteers must provide a criminal background check to IVHQ partner staff on arrival in China.

HOW MANY OTHER VOLUNTEERS WILL THERE BE?

Last year IVHQ placed over 300 volunteers on our China program, making us one of the most popular volunteer organizations in China! Between 20 and 40 volunteers start on our programs in China each month. What does this mean for you? More people to socialize with and travel with, more people to meet from different cultures, more people to volunteer with, more projects to work on, more staff support, better infrastructure for volunteers and lower fees!

Click here to read more testimonials from IVHQ volunteers in China.

CHINA VOLUNTEER PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS

SPECIAL NEEDS/CHILDCARE

The special needs/childcare volunteer program in China focuses on helping at special needs centres and with some limited work available at orphanages. Many parents in China cannot afford special education or focused care for their child if they have a physical or mental disability. However, there are some community centers that do exist to offer programs for these special needs children from poorer backgrounds that cannot attend mainstream schools. Workers are desperately required as the centers are incredibly understaffed. IVHQ volunteers work in these community centers alongside a small number of local staff assisting children and adults with both physical and mental disabilities. Volunteers assist with the daily operations, which includes tasks such as preparing food, serving meals, cleaning and arranging games and activities for the children and adults. However, the most valuable thing volunteers can offer is love and support. In addition to this, there are also some limited opportunities to work at orphanages as part of the childcare program. Abandonment statistics have skyrocketed with the China's "one child" rule (or Family Planning Policy) and the societal value of boy babies only further complicates a dire situation. Most Chinese orphanages are understaffed, short on necessary resources and funds. Orphanage volunteers in China are needed to help provide love and care for these children, assist with homework and demonstrate valuable life skills. As an orphanage volunteer in China, you will be involved in many child-focused and enjoyable activities with these children such as feeding the children and preparing them for school. You will also arrange afterschool projects - games and crafts, sports and help them with their homework. You may also teach the children English depending on their age and English capabilities. NB The main need for volunteers on the IVHQ China Special Needs/Childcare program is at special needs centres, however we do have some limited availability at orphanages. While we can note your preference, we make no guarantees for what type of institution you will be placed as it does depend on need and availability at the time you will be volunteering.  

TEACHING ENGLISH

Volunteer English teaching in China focuses on developing conversational English skills with Chinese students. IVHQ mainly works with Chinese Government owned schools; most of which are located in Xi'an. In China, there is a growing demand for an English education. With the unprecedented economic growth China has experienced in recent years, the importance of English education has also grown. Many schools in China have established an “English corner”, a specially designed spot for teaching/learning English. Unfortunately, many of the "English" teachers within these schools, possess poor to little English vocabulary and as a result there is a high demand for native English speakers to assist with these classes. NB Volunteers DO NOT need to be a qualified or experienced teacher. Volunteers simply need enthusiasm, an open mind, caring spirit and a compassionate nature. If English is not your first language it is important you are fluent and have both advanced written and verbal English skills.

PANDA CONSERVATION

This program is currently suspended until further notice due to the pandas being used by the local Government. We hope to have it reopened again by early 2014. The regal Giant Panda, a well known symbol of China, faces extinction. Many factors are assaulting the Giant Panda’s survival: habitat loss, industrialization, a low birth-rate and a history of poaching. It is estimated that there are only 1000 wild Giant Pandas left in the world. The majority of these live in the Chinese provinces of Shaanxi and Sichuan. IVHQ partners with a wildlife and Giant Panda conservation center in the Shaanxi province, approximately two hours outside of Xi'an. Fifteen Giant Pandas call this center home and are being monitored and studied along with other endangered species and wildlife. When you volunteer with the Giant Panda project, you have direct contact with these splendid animals as you work at the conservation center. Volunteers will bathe and feed the animals, clean enclosures and perform general maintenance at the sanctuary. Other endangered species at the center include Golden Monkeys and the Crested Ibis – and volunteers will interact with these rare animals as well. It is important to note that the work with the pandas only takes 2-3 hours daily, and therefore many volunteers also choose to teach English at a local school to ensure they have sufficient work and do not become bored. Teaching classes are arranged with the program coordinator during orientation upon arrival in China. NB The IVHQ Panda Conservation has different program fees to the other China programs due to the high costs associated with running this program. Please refer to the program fees page for more information on this.

CHINA PROGRAM COSTS

One of the strengths of IVHQ is our extremely affordable fees. Click here to see the program cost to volunteer in China and what you receive in exchange for your fees.

ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS

Considering the fact that hotels and guesthouses can be expensive for volunteers especially those wanting to stay for longer periods, we work on a program where we place our volunteers into a volunteer house with other volunteers. The volunteer house is a large centrally located, Western-style house with 5 bedrooms (all shared accommodations with a variety of double beds, single beds and bunk beds). The house has two bathrooms with Western-style toilets and hot water for showers. The house is safe and secure, located in a compound of apartments with a security guard and a security gate. In the volunteer house, there is a cook who cooks the meals for the volunteers. For the Panda Conservation project, volunteers are accommodated in a local hostel close to the project (hence the higher cost of the project).

Bottled water is readily available in China and volunteers should budget approximately US$5 per week for this (2 litres per day). In all China volunteer projects, breakfast, lunch and dinner is provided throughout the duration of the project. We offer an experienced cook to provide local meals two times a day in our volunteer house (breakfast and dinner) and lunch is provided at the project. We offer fresh, nutritious and safe local foods for our volunteers to eat. On the Panda Conservation project volunteers eat breakfast, lunch & dinner at a nearby restaurant which offers very delicious Chinese food (this is already paid for as part of your fees).If you have special eating needs, please let us know ahead of time so that we can make arrangements for you. However, we need to stress the point that you should not expect to eat as you normally do at home. We will do our best to see that you are well taken care of, but also as a volunteer, there is a need to be flexible.

ACCOMMODATION UPGRADE OPTION

For volunteers who would prefer to not live in a dormitory situation with shared facilities, there is the option of upgrading to a 3 star hotel located nearby the volunteer house. Volunteers have a private room and bathroom and meals are provided in the hotel restaurant (breakfast and dinner). Lunch is still provided at your project. The upgrade costs an extra US$25 per person per day for a single room or for twin/double occupancy (if there are two of you travelling together) the cost is US$15 per person per day. If you wish to upgrade your accommodation, please let your IVHQ program coordinator know once you register and they will adjust your program fees accordingly.

ORIENTATION

Programs will begin on the first and third Monday of each month and orientation is held on the Sunday night and starts at around 7pm. This last for approximately 2-3 hours. Orientation will be conducted by the local staff in Xi’an and cover everything you need to know for your volunteering placement in China – Introduction to China, Chinese Customs, Rules and Expectations, Safety, Basic Mandarin lesson, Travel Opportunities in China and Introduction to your project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing. The next morning (Monday) volunteers will head to their volunteer placements with project staff.

VOLUNTEER WEEK

First Day: On the first day of the volunteering placement, the volunteers will be picked up at their accommodation by project staff and shown the way to their placement.

Weekdays: While our programs are flexible and can be fitted to your requirements, an example of a typical day is as follows.

• 7.30am Breakfast.
• 8.00am Volunteer leaves accommodation and travels to the project; the volunteer joins with the local staff. There is usually a tea break and a lunch break. Lunch is usually taken at your project site. Work and hours is dependent on the project and location that the volunteer is participating in.
• 2.00pm-5.00pm Work at the project usually ends. The volunteer at this point is free to visit and see places or do shopping. 
• 7.30pm Dinner at your accommodation

Weekends: During the weekend, volunteers have spare time and usually just relax or take the opportunity to explore other parts of Xi'an and China. Long weekends can be taken to travel further afield such as the Great Wall of China in Beijing, Terracotta Warriors or other Chinese cities such as Guilin or Shanghai. 

China Volunteer Fees

Volunteer Period		Program Fee US$
1 Week		270
2 Weeks		420
3 Weeks		570
1 Month (4 weeks)		720
6 weeks		1020
2 months (8 weeks)		1320
10 Weeks		1620
3 Months (12 weeks)		1920
4 Months (16 weeks)		2520
5 Months (20 weeks)		3120
6 Months (24 weeks)		3720
To convert these prices to your local currency click here. Please note: All programs attract a Registration Fee of $249 USD on top of the Program Fee.

What do my fees pay for?

Registration Fee (Refundable if you choose not to go)* – 24/7 support from IVHQ staff, program marketing costs, information pack, administration costs, travel costs to inspect programs and communication costs with volunteers.
Program Fee – Airport pick up, orientation, program supervision, accommodation and meals during volunteer placement period, In-country 24/7 support and In-country administration costs.

What additional costs will I have?

Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, souvenirs, trips or tours you do while in the country, transfer back to the airport from program, local transport, spending money (volunteers in China generally find US$50 to be sufficient for basic weekly expenses).

China - Panda Conservation Program Fees

Volunteer Period		Program Fee US$
1 Week		670
2 Weeks		920
3 Weeks		1170
1 Month (4 weeks)		1420
6 weeks		1920
2 months (8 weeks)		2420
10 Weeks		2920
3 Months (12 weeks)		3420
4 Months (16 weeks)		4420
5 Months (20 weeks)		5420
6 Months (24 weeks)		6420
To convert these prices to your local currency click here. Please note: All programs attract a Registration Fee of $249 USD on top of the Program Fee.

What do my fees pay for?

Registration Fee (Refundable if you choose not to go)* – 24/7 support from IVHQ staff, program marketing costs, information pack,  administration costs, travel costs to inspect programs and communication costs with volunteers.
Program Fee – Airport pick up, orientation, program supervision, fee to Chinese Government for work with Pandas fee, accommodation (local hostel) and meals during volunteer placement period, In-country 24/7 support and In-country administration costs.

What additional costs will I have?

Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, souvenirs, trips or tours you do while in the country, transfer back to the airport from program, spending money.