Puerto Rico: Thousands of kilometres from home, with hardly any mobile phone signal or Internet connection, Jessica Cheam is one of 13 volunteers in Puerto Rico at a 30-years ongoing project called Las Casas de le Selva. In an area spanning 405 hectares of rainforest, she and her colleagues help scientists carry out research on how to sustainably harvest forests and measure the impact of such activities on biodiversity.  Visit site

Volunteerism has become a given in many places. Increasingly, religious institutions, schools and other organizations offer young people possibilities to help either abroad or within their country. More and more young volunteers participate in their programmes for different reasons. While some may need their volunteer experience for school, travelling or résumé-building, others may want to help and really make a difference. The author argues that it still has to be seen whether their intentions affect the work they do.  Visit site

Washington, D.C., USA: Relief organizations largely say that right now, money donations are needed more than additional aid volunteers.

“It’s a bit of a tough one for impromptu volunteers to enter into the fold,” says Richard Muffley, spokesman for the Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) in Washington. Unsolicited volunteers may not have the needed training from aid organizations and will still need to be fed and housed once in a disaster zone, he says. “Cash is truly the most economical and efficient way of making a contribution.”

But Mr. Muffley and other aid organizations also say there are still opportunities to be hands-on with Haiti earthquake relief – which, they note, will continue long after the shock the quake triggered this week.

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Miramar, USA:

The reports, photos and televised coverage of the disaster caused by Tuesday's 7.0 earthquake in Haiti has caused many people around the world to seek ways to help. While some people want to donate money, other people want to donate their time and expertise to help.

But anyone desiring to go to Haiti to help with disaster relief efforts would probably be better off contacting a relief agency rather than try to go there on their own.

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New Delhi, India: We need a new volunteerism... The old volunteerism was based upon charity. The new volunteerism is based on building a community whose values are shared equally.  Visit site