Reader Becky asks: “Is Workaway Safe?”
With all the promoting I do about this program, I thought this was an excellent question to start off the FAQ series. If you haven’t heard of Workaway, take your pick to learn more first:
- Volunteering Abroad’s Best Kept Secret: Workaway
- Volunteering Abroad in Mexico via Workaway
- Volunteering and Working Abroad
Why Workaway is Safe
My answer is yes, I feel that Workaway is safe.
I’ve done it twice, and it has never even presented a matter of safety for me. The first time I did it was in Italy, where we were actually living in Rome at the time looking for work. We went to check out the place and meet the owner before we even committed, so I understand that is a rare situation.
The second time was in Mexico. We were definitely counting on it working out because we didn’t have a plan B, nor could we afford accommodations for our entire trip, and it ended up working out great.
With Workaway, you can see reviews on the host profiles, and I always recommend reading these. If a host has bad reviews, you might not want to contact that one.
On the other hand, if they are all positive and seem to have a good rapport with their volunteers, it’ll probably be a similar situation for you.
So, the safety net here really is the review or reference system on the Workaway website. The other thing is that if for any reason you get to your Workaway and you aren’t liking it or you don’t feel safe there, you can leave. There are no contracts, nothing saying that you have to stay.
SO, trust your gut and I highly recommend giving it a try. It’s an incredibly unique way to travel.
Have you joined the BMT Community group on Facebook yet? It’s a great place to ask questions!