Volunteer World's Benefits
You’ve paid the deposit for your program but need or want to do a different program instead? Don’t worry. When planning to volunteer abroad there’s always a chance that you’ll find yourself in an unexpected situation and need to switch programs.
Such reasons may be:
Denied Visa application
Illness
Family reasons
Personal reasons
etc.
If you find yourself in a difficult situation and feel like you need to cancel or postpone your program, we are here to help you!
Visit our Support & Mediation page to discover what the first steps are. Before using the Flex Option, please consult us and go through the steps of the resolution support. If you have done that, you can make use of the flex option as described below.
This is how the Flex Option works
Please note: For any reservations made after Aug 5, 2024, the Flex Option can only be redeemed for travel dates within 12 months after your original travel dates with the Basic Package. If you decide for our Premium Package you can re-use your deposit without any time limitations!
1) Before your volunteer program has started
As part of our Platform Service, you can change your program for any reason before the program starts. With Volunteer World, the initial deposit you’ve paid can also be used to partly or even completely cover the deposit of the new program.
Let’s say you have reserved your spot (approximately 20% deposit) and the overall program fees are $1000.
You want to change the program before it has started.
The new program fees are at $1000 or more. The $200 deposit from your former reservation can be completely transferred. Thus, you won’t lose any money you have paid and only need to pay the additional cost in case the new program is more expensive.
However, you can use your 'old' deposit only to pay for the 'new' deposit. It can't be used to cover the final payment (payment with the organization). If the new program you choose is cheaper than the old one, we cannot disburse the difference.
2) After your volunteer program started
If you're already at the project site and need to switch to a different program, you can also use your 'old' deposit to cover the new one. But in this case, the amount is proportional to the days you have already spent at your first program.
Again, let's say you've paid a deposit of $200 and the program fees are $1000. You're going to stay there for 60 days.
Now you're deciding to switch programs and have already spent 15 days at the project site (25 % of the time).
That means you would be able to use $150 of your 'old' deposit for your 'new' one (Calculation: $200 minus 25%). We know it's getting a little tricky here, so don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions. ;)
However, you can use your 'old' deposit only to pay for the 'new' deposit. It can't be used to cover the final payment. If the new program you choose is cheaper than the old one, we cannot disburse the difference.
Important note
Payments made directly to the volunteer organization are NOT covered by the Flex Option. Therefore, we highly recommend getting insurance coverage (travel cancellation) that will reimburse these costs. We do not refund third-party costs, for example, bank transfer fees.
The Flex Option can only be redeemed for the deposit of volunteer programs on Volunteer World. It cannot be used to cover third-party fees, e.g. affiliates, such as Tourradar, GetYourGuide or travel insurance partners.
Furthermore, keep in mind that we can't refund other expenses, such as travel costs. We recommend always getting travel insurance!
Why you should always apply through Volunteer World?
In addition to the Flex Option, Volunteer World offers you more free benefits and security layers:
Quality Assurance: High ethical standards & transparent social impact
Refund Guarantee: We refund your fees if your project cancels your trip
Support & Mediation: We cover your back no matter what happens
Best Price Guarantee: We guarantee you the best price for your volunteer program
Do you still have some open questions? Our live chat will be happy to answer them :)