Short answer: yes. IVHQ has placed around 160,890 volunteers across 40+ countries since 2007, is a certified B Corp and holds public review scores of 4.8 on Trustpilot (2,439 reviews), 4.9 on Go Overseas (2,733 reviews) and 9.56 on GoAbroad (2,134 reviews). We've been named Top Volunteer Abroad Provider by Go Overseas for six consecutive years.
This page comes from the IVHQ team. If you'd rather hear it from independent sources, the Trustpilot reviews and the 5,000+ alumni stories on our reviews page are the better places to start. If you want our version, keep reading.
The short answer
Here's what IVHQ actually is, in concrete terms:
- Founded in 2007
- Around 160,890 volunteers placed, from 96+ nationalities
- 40+ countries with active programs
- 300+ volunteer projects, from teaching to wildlife conservation
- Certified B Corporation, which means we meet verified standards on social and environmental performance
- Global team with in-country partners in every destination
- Sister brand: Intern Abroad HQ, both under HQ Travel Group
The third-party validation that matters most:
- 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 2,439 verified reviews
- 4.9 out of 5 on Go Overseas from 2,733 verified reviews
- 9.56 out of 10 on GoAbroad from 2,134 verified reviews
- B Corp certification (publicly searchable in the B Lab directory)
- Named Top Volunteer Abroad Provider by Go Overseas for six consecutive years
The rest of this page covers how IVHQ actually works, where your Program Fee goes and how we think about volunteerism ethics.
Is IVHQ a scam?
No. Here's how the booking process actually works.
You apply for free. There's no charge to start an application. Once you've chosen a country and project, a Registration Fee of US$329 (approximately AU$502) is due to confirm your place. The subsequent Program Fee is paid 30 days before your start date, not upfront. You can change destinations or move your start date before that final payment.
When you arrive in-country, the local team meets you at the airport, takes you to your accommodation and runs your orientation. There's an in-country phone number for emergencies and a coordinator on call. You'll stay in a shared volunteer house, in a local hostel or with a host family, so you're not alone in a new country.
If something goes wrong on the ground, the in-country team handles it first. If they can't resolve it, head office customer support is the next escalation. Both are staffed by real people, and we have alumni who can vouch for what that support looked like for them.
B Corp certification is publicly searchable in the B Lab directory and requires recertification every 3 years against verified social and environmental standards. Trustpilot, GoAbroad and Go Overseas all run their own review verification processes. Recent reviews that name the volunteer and the specific project are the strongest signal you can ask for.
Where does your fee go?
Your Program Fee covers four things. Here's the breakdown.
Accommodation and meals (around half of your fee)
Where you stay varies by country: a shared volunteer house, a host family or a local hostel. Most programs include daily meals.
Host project contribution (around a fifth)
This is the part most people don't realize exists. The school, clinic, conservation site or community organization hosting you receives a portion of your fee. Running a project that takes in volunteers costs money: staff time to supervise you, materials for the work you're doing, transport and the administrative cost of vetting volunteers. Without this contribution, host projects would lose money taking volunteers in.
In-country team (10 to 15 percent)
Airport pickup, orientation, 24/7 emergency support, project supervision, weekend logistics and the cost of the in-country office.
IVHQ overhead (10 to 15 percent)
Head office staff, the booking platform, customer support, marketing and the cost of vetting projects and renewing partnerships.
Programs start at around AU$30 per day in some destinations. For current pricing on each country, see our country pages.
Going directly through a local NGO may cost less upfront, but a managed program like IVHQ gives you a fully hosted experience: accommodation, meals, airport pickup, orientation and 24/7 in-country support are all sorted before you arrive. That means less time on logistics and more time making an impact.
Going direct can work for confident solo travelers who have contacts in the country or relevant language skills. But for first-time travelers, anyone on a tight schedule or anyone who values having structure and support from day one, a managed program is the smarter investment.
Voluntourism vs. volunteerism
Volunteerism is what we do at IVHQ. Structured placements with vetted local teams, where short-term volunteers contribute alongside the people already doing the work, on projects the community asked for in the first place.
Voluntourism is the word for when that goes wrong: short-term placements that cause more harm than good. The responsible-tourism community has been calling this out for over a decade, and they're right to. We take the critique seriously and use it to shape what we offer and what we've stopped offering.
Here's how we draw the line.
Projects that work well for short-term volunteers
- Teaching English in established schools with local teachers
- Wildlife and animal care alongside research teams
- Construction and renovation projects with local crews and supervision
- Community development supporting ongoing local initiatives
- Environment and conservation work like reforestation and beach cleanups
Projects we've moved away from or restructured
- Short-term orphanage placements. We phased these out years ago on the advice of the responsible-tourism community. Unqualified volunteers in childcare settings, especially with short rotations, can cause harm to children who form attachments and then experience repeated loss.
- Medical placements without qualifications. Healthcare work now requires relevant qualifications or is restructured as shadowing roles with no direct patient care. Elderly care and special needs support are separate. They're companionship and structured assistance, not clinical work.
Projects that still have ethical complexity
- Childcare and community kindergarten programs. Where we still offer them, we require background checks, structured supervision and a minimum stay of 1 week.
- Special needs care and disability support. Same approach: qualifications or supervised shadowing for any clinical component.
We don't think IVHQ has solved every question in this space. Nobody has. When the responsible-tourism community pushes back on something, we update what we offer.
If you want to read more, our responsible volunteering policy goes deeper.
Who owns IVHQ?
International Volunteer HQ is owned by HQ Travel Group, founded in 2007, with a global team and in-country partners across 40+ countries.
HQ Travel Group has two brands:
- International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ): volunteer abroad programs
- Intern Abroad HQ (IAHQ): international internships for students and graduates
We're a certified B Corp social enterprise. That's different from a non-profit. Our B Corp certification means we meet verified standards on social and environmental impact, but the company itself runs commercially. The host projects we partner with are usually non-profits, NGOs or community organizations.
If you'd like to verify any of this independently, the B Lab directory lists every certified B Corp publicly.
What real volunteers say
We have over 5,000 reviews on our website and verified ratings on Trustpilot (4.8/5), Go Overseas (4.9/5) and GoAbroad (9.56/10). Recent quotes from volunteers, pulled from public Trustpilot reviews:
"Volunteering in women's empowerment in Nepal through IVHQ has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. The women I had the chance to work with were incredibly kind, eager to learn and full of heart."
"My experience volunteering in Kenya through IVHQ was truly life-changing. From start to finish, the program felt safe, well organized and reliable, which made it easy to focus on the meaningful work I was doing in childcare."
"I had the opportunity to volunteer with IVHQ for a week in Cusco, Peru, as part of their childcare program. From the moment I arrived, the local team was supportive and welcoming. It was both challenging and fulfilling, as each day brought new opportunities to engage with the kids and make a tangible difference in the community."
"My recent 4-week stay in Thailand was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I had the opportunity to take part in activities such as planting mangroves, collecting rubbish and teaching children. The coordinators in Hua Hin were very organized and welcoming and the food was delicious."
"I did the Construction & Renovation program in San Jose, Costa Rica, in July, and it was the three best weeks of my life. It was amazing to work on real construction projects with local workers. We spent hours under the sun mixing concrete and working hard, while sharing our cultures and realizing that, even though we come from totally different places, deep down we are all the same."
What to verify before booking any volunteer agency
We'd rather you ask these questions than not ask them. If you're considering IVHQ, run this checklist on us. If you're considering another agency, run it on them too.
- Is there a clear Program Fee breakdown? You should be able to see what your fee covers and roughly how it splits between accommodation, in-country support, host project contribution and head office overhead. If an agency can't show you this, walk away.
- What's the refund and cancellation policy? Read it in writing before you book. Industry standard is partial refund up to a certain date, no refund after that. Generous policies are rare. Be cautious of agencies that promise full refunds without clear conditions.
- How long has the agency partnered with the local project? Strong programs have multi-year partnerships with local NGOs and host organizations. New partnerships can work but ask how the project is vetted.
- Can you talk to past volunteers? Most reputable agencies will connect you with alumni on request. If they refuse, that's a flag.
- Are there recent independent reviews? Check Trustpilot, Go Overseas and recent dated reviews. Older reviews matter less than recent ones, especially recent five-star reviews that mention specific projects by name.
- Is the agency a certified B Corp or similarly accredited? B Corp certification, which IVHQ holds, requires verified standards across customers, workers, community, environment and governance. It's publicly searchable in the B Lab directory.
- What happens if the project shuts down or you have a serious issue on the ground? Get this answer in writing before you book.
Run the checklist on us. The answers are on this site or available from our team.
Common questions about IVHQ
Yes. IVHQ has been operating since 2007, has placed around 160,890 volunteers, partners with vetted local organizations in 40+ countries and is a certified B Corporation. Public reviews on Trustpilot (4.8/5, 2,439 reviews), GoAbroad (9.56/10, 2,134 reviews) and Go Overseas (4.9/5, 2,733 reviews) verify the volunteer experience.
No. The company has operated since 2007, is a certified B Corp and holds verified five-star public review averages on Trustpilot, GoAbroad and Go Overseas. We’re transparent about how the booking process works, where your Program Fee goes and how we vet host projects.
International Volunteer HQ is owned by HQ Travel Group, founded in 2007. The parent company also operates Intern Abroad HQ. Both brands run as a certified B Corp.
No. IVHQ is a certified B Corp social enterprise. The local teams we partner with are typically non-profits, NGOs or community-run organizations.
Yes. IVHQ programs include airport pickup, vetted accommodation, in-country team support and 24/7 in-country emergency contact. Safety specifics vary by country and are detailed on each country page and in the orientation that takes place in-country. You’ll stay in a shared volunteer house or with a host family alongside other IVHQ participants or a local hostel, which removes most solo-travel safety risks.
Programs are priced from as low as US$20 per day and include accommodation, meals, transport and other services. It’s free to apply. A Registration Fee confirms your placement and the subsequent Program Fee is due 30 days before your start date. Program Fees vary depending on your chosen destination and the duration of your placement.
It’s free to apply. A Registration Fee is required to confirm your place on a program, with a subsequent Program Fee required 30 days prior to your start date.
The in-country team handles issues on the ground first. If they can’t resolve a problem, head office customer support is the next step. Specific resolution timelines depend on the nature of the issue.
It depends on the project. Short-term volunteers can support ongoing local initiatives effectively (conservation, teaching, community development, construction) but are less suited to roles requiring continuity (unsupervised childcare, medical work without qualifications). IVHQ phased out short-term orphanage placements years ago for this reason.
Yes. Reaching out to a local NGO directly typically costs less than half a managed program. The trade-off is you arrange your own logistics, accommodation, orientation and emergency support, and carry more risk if something goes wrong.
