Volunteer USA gives you the chance to experience all this and more, working on conservation projects in the National Parks, National Forests and wilderness areas in the Western United States.
What can I do?
Conservation and manual work
The projects are all conservation based, giving volunteers the opportunity to discover some of the USA’s most spectacular natural areas whilst contributing towards their survival.
Common projects include trail maintenance, fencing and re-vegetation (planting and transplanting native species). There are also projects to help protect local endangered species (e.g. the Desert Tortoise and Apache Trout).
For every 4 days on project you’ll get 3 days off and you’ll rotate between teams and projects to ensure that you get a variety of experiences.
The work is physically demanding, normally in remote areas and may involve a long hike just to get to base camp! Days are long (up to 10 hours) sometimes in extreme weather conditions. However, the camaraderie and sense of achievement is immeasurable.
If you’re up for a challenge and love the outdoors then Volunteer USA is definitely for you!
How long can I go for?
Our Volunteer USA placements last either 8, 10 or 12 weeks.
Where will I be working?
As a volunteer you can immerse yourself in the spectacular natural scenery of US national parks and reserves. Most projects are based in and around Arizona, Utah and Nevada.
Arizona’s landscape is among some of the grandest in the US, if not the world, beginning with the Grand Canyon and continuing through 21 other highly varied national parks, monuments and recreation areas. One-quarter of the Grand Canyon State (its new moniker) is Indian land, and one in twenty inhabitants of Arizona are Native American.
Utah’s National Parks are in the south and feature must-see destinations Monument Valley, the Navajo reservation and the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Other National Parks include: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol and Reef Arches.
There are five territories in Nevada and the two smallest seem to have the most to offer: Las Vegas Territory in the south with bright lights and bold attractions and Reno-Tahoe Territory, bordering California in the west with a more scenic, historic environment.
Whichever National Park you work in, you can be guaranteed to be outdoors and surrounded by some pretty awe-inspiring scenery!
Who will I be working with?
Volunteers work in teams of between 6 and 11 volunteers with at least 1 supervisor.
American partner recruits volunteers within the USA and internationally so you’ll be volunteering within a very international group of varied ages. There’s always a great sense of team camaraderie and teams rotate so you get the chance to meet and work with a variety of people.
Where will I be living?
On project
Most volunteers will camp whilst working on a project (equipment provided). While some projects have developed campgrounds with warm showers, the majority are in remote locations without any facilities. Food is provided at each project and volunteers shop and cook with their teams, taking turns preparing meals for the group.
On days off
During your days off you’ll be staying in shared volunteer housing in Flagstaff. The rooms are dormitory style. You’ll be responsible for your own food on your days off and there’s a shared kitchen in the volunteer accommodation and plenty of grocery shops and restaurants in Flagstaff.
Fancy a road trip?!
With Las Vegas and Santa Fe on your doorstep, days off in-between projects are a great chance to explore the local area. Many volunteers group together, hire a car and head off on a 3-6 day road trip.
How much does it cost?
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10 weeks
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£250
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12 weeks
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£250
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8 weeks
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£475
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What’s included?
Click the plus sign to reveal more information.
- BUNAC membership
- Moneywise Guide to North America
- BUNAC Volunteer USA Handbook
- BUNAC t-shirt
- Personal support and travel advice from knowledgeable staff.
- Airport pick up and transfer to your accommodation
- Project-related transport
- Trained professional supervision
- Project placements
- 24/7 support from BUNAC and our local partner organisation for the duration of your stay
- Orientation session
- T-shirt
- Discounts at local shops and special car hire rates.
- Dormitory style shared housing during time off
- Individual tents on project
- Camping equipment
- Food whilst on project.
What else should I budget for?
We feel it’s important to be as upfront as possible about any additional costs so
that you can manage your budget and have a hassle free trip.
Your arrival orientation, placement and local support services are provided by ACE (American Conservation Experience ) - BUNAC's partner in the US.
How do I apply?
Am I eligible?
We’re looking for volunteers who are self motivated, adventurous, hardworking and up for a challenge. To apply to Volunteer USA you must
be:
- A British or Irish passport holder, resident in the UK or Ireland
- Aged at least 18
- Eligible for the US Visa Waiver Scheme.
When should I apply?
Places are limited so we recommend you apply as soon as possible to reserve your space.
The latest date we can consider your application is 6 weeks before your UK departure date.
What comes next?
Once you’ve applied for Volunteer USA we’ll help you
prepare for your trip by guiding you through the following stages:
You'll have a telephone orientation interview where we’ll discuss all aspects of the programme to ensure that you’re fully prepared for your trip. Following a satisfactory interview, BUNAC will formally accept you onto the programme.
BUNAC’s in-house travel agents GS World Travel can arrange your flights for you.
We will send you full details regarding the levels of cover we provide.
Full terms and conditions for the programme are included with the application form.
When can I go?
The upcoming arrival dates are listed below.
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August 29th 2009
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June 20th 2009
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September 26th 2009
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July 18th 2009
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October 24th 2009
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August 15th 2009
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January 9th 2010
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November 28th 2009
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February 6th 2010
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December 26th 2009
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March 6th 2010
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January 23rd 2010
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March 20th 2010
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February 6th 2010
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April 17th 2010
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March 6th 2010
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May 15th 2010
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April 3rd 2010
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June 12th 2010
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May 1st 2010
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July 10th 2010
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May 29th 2010
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July 24th 2010
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June 12th 2010
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August 7th 2010
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June 26th 2010
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September 4th 2010
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July 24th 2010
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October 2nd 2010
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August 21st 2010
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Flights
We’ll discuss your travel plans in detail during your interview.
Our in-house travel agents
GS World Travel can give you a quote on 020 7250 0222 or by emailing info@gsworld-travel.com.
Visa
Most participants will travel on the US Visa Waiver programme which allows unpaid voluntary project work for stays of no more than 90 days.
If you’d like to stay in America for a longer period you will need to apply for a tourist visa. Full information will be provided by BUNAC on acceptance to the programme.
Can I travel after my volunteer project?
Definitely!
The visa waiver programme allows a maximum stay of 90 days so the 8 and 10 week programmes provide more time for travel but there will be plenty of opportunities to travel on your days off. Volunteers often organise road trips to Las Vegas and explore the surrounding area.
Application
Reveal the answers to the FAQs below by clicking on the plus
sign.
Volunteers don’t need any conservation experience. The only requirements are a sense of adventure, a desire to make a difference and a willingness to remain flexible and positive through ever changing project work, locations, and weather conditions.
Projects will be outdoors in all types of weather. Extensive hiking is often involved, sometimes in extreme conditions such as elevations above 9,000 feet (3,000 meters), 100 degree heat, freezing temperatures, steep terrain, rainstorms, high winds, etc. While it’s not necessary to be superhuman, volunteers should be generally fit, comfortable with living outdoors and flexible enough to enjoy the challenges presented by fickle weather conditions.
There’s no upper age limit for volunteers although a reasonable level of fitness is definitely a necessity. Due to the high elevations and the rigor of the tasks involved, this programme is not recommended for individuals with respiratory problems such as asthma. If you are in any doubt about your ability to take part in this programme, consult your doctor for advice.
The programme is geared to 10 or 12 weeks projects. Whilst it’s possible to cater for those who wish to volunteer for only 8 weeks, the on-site administration and logistics are more complicated. Our local partner therefore makes an additional charge to short-term participants to cover these extra overheads.
Volunteer Projects
Projects typically last for 4 days a week, up to 10 hours a day. This schedule will give you 3 days off per week for exploration of the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas (approximately 4 hours away by bus), Lake Mead, Lake Powell, San Francisco, relaxation and participation in cultural events.
Some projects involve a great deal of travel, in which case volunteers will participate for 8 consecutive days and then enjoy 6 days off before the next project. There may occasionally be projects that last from 3-6 weeks, where you’ll enjoy your days off in a location other than Flagstaff.
ACE, BUNAC’s US partner will help organise outings, lead group hikes and organise cultural and educational events in order to help volunteers make the most of their time off.
Projects are dependent on among other things, the weather, nesting and migrating seasons of native wildlife, and immediate needs of project partners; they are therefore allocated on arrival. Volunteers will be rotated every 2 - 4 weeks to provide a variety of experiences.
Our American partner recruits volunteers within the USA and internationally so you can expect to be volunteering within a very international group of varied ages. The common language is English.
Where possible we will do our best to place you with your friend or partner. If you’re travelling with a friend you should be prepared to work on different projects and have different days off.
Yes, all volunteer projects are outdoors and the weather can be unpredictable at any time of the year. Project descriptions are always subject to change.
Our partners are contracted to achieve specific goals within very strict deadlines. If you leave early your team will be short staffed and as a result it may not be possible to complete the work in the time allocated by the park. In such cases you will be charged an early departure penalty of £225; this fee will contribute to the overheads and additional resources required by BUNAC and our local partners to meet the projects commitments.
We ask that you consider your participation very carefully. When choosing the 12 week programme please think seriously about any additional travel that you may like to do. The 10 week programme will give you longer to explore other parts of the USA.
Flights, Visa & Insurance
We’ll discuss your travel plans in detail during your interview. Most volunteers book onto the same flight so that they can travel to the US as a group. Our in-house travel agents
GS World Travel can give you a flight quote on 020 7250 0222.
Volunteers travel on the US Visa Waiver programme. Subject to meeting the terms and conditions of entry, participants will be granted a total, non-extendable stay of 90 days on arrival in to America. Check that you qualify using the US Embassy Visa Wizard.
If you want to stay in America for longer than 90 days you will need to apply for a specific US Tourist Visa prior to travel. This will require attendance at the US Embassy and will therefore add time and expense to the processing of your application. If this applies to you, please contact BUNAC.
Yes, within the restrictions of the visa. The visa waiver programme allows a maximum stay of 90 days. The 12 week (84 days) programme is arranged so that participants complete their last project and then have between 3 and 6 days off taking them up to the total 12 week programme period.
This will allow between 9 and 12 days in total for travel. The 8 week and 10 week programmes provide a greater opportunity for travel. Most volunteers will also travel during their days off whilst on the programme.
Unfortunately not. The Visa Waiver is only appropriate when undertaking volunteer projects through a recognised partner. For alternative opportunities in America please refer to BUNAC’s Work America, Summer Camp USA and KAMP USA programmes.
Yes. BUNAC offers a fully comprehensive insurance policy that has been arranged with Endsleigh, one of the UK’s leading insurance companies. Full details will be sent following acceptance on to the programme.
Accomodation
Most projects are in remote locations and virtually all involve camping. Volunteers should bring warm sleeping bags and sleeping mats to use during projects. Some projects have developed campgrounds with warm showers while many are in remote locations without any facilities. Camping equipment is provided and BUNAC will send a comprehensive packing list following your acceptance to the programme.
On days when volunteers aren’t taking part in projects they stay in either student apartments or one of the volunteer houses in Flagstaff.
Housing is communal, with dormitory style bedrooms and shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. There are storage facilities for luggage that isn’t needed on projects and there is also a safe in the office for passports, tickets and other small valuables.
Food is provided at each project. Volunteers shop and cook with their teams, taking turns preparing meals for the group. On their days off, volunteers are responsible for buying and preparing their own food. There are self catering facilities in the accommodations and there are plenty of affordable diners and restaurants in town.
We recommend that you anticipate spending £175 per month whilst you are volunteering. However, if you intend to travel during your days off or on completion of your programme (hiring a car for a road trip for example) we recommend that you take extra.
You must be 21 years old or over if you want to drink alcohol in America and you will need to show your passport each time you enter a bar to confirm your age. If you’re under 21 you won’t be permitted in any bar regardless of whether you’ll be drinking alcohol.
Alcohol is prohibited whilst on project and within the accommodation. However, there are lots of things to do for those under 21 including bowling, cinema, restaurants and cafes. Your accommodation for your days off will include common areas with TV, CD and DVD.
If you have any further questions on Volunteer USA, please call the BUNAC Volunteer team on 020 7251 3386 or e-mail volunteer@bunac.org.uk.