Graduate Degree Students
In addition to offering volunteer programs to college students, HANDS also coordinates service programs for young people interested in volunteering before entering graduate school and/or simply taking some time off from work. Volunteering during this time is an excellent opportunity to make a difference in developing countries before making a permanent academic or career commitment. HANDS programs are ideal for those who want to continue their exploration and seek opportunities that promote that same spirit of adventure and service available to them during their college years!
One of the biggest advantages of volunteering with HANDS is that we provide personal volunteer 
placement. This means finding a service program that fits your time availability and area of interest, always ensuring that your volunteer work is effective and will positively impact the local community. Our programs range from one week to eight weeks of social service experiences and are offered in a wide variety of areas (i.e. education, microfinance, housing, health, etc). Here´s a list of some of the things that you might want to do:
- Teach English or other subjects in an orphanage or school
- Provide micro-finance consulting to women in rural Guatemala
- Build houses for low-income families
- Assist doctors in clinics
- Act as a translator in medical journeys
The benefits of volunteering are many and varied. In terms of personal growth, volunteering abroad in a specific field will provide you with a great sense of personal satisfaction and the opportunity to develop skills that directly or indirectly translate into a variety of professional avenues. These include but are not limited to teaching, advocacy, management, marketing, foreign language, planning and consulting.
Program costs vary depending on the time frame of the program and the organization you \work with. Here are some approximate costs involved with our volunteer programs.
(*) Program costs include food, housing, transportation and a pre-departure package. Note that program costs do not include airfare tickets. These are subject to change depending on the organization you work with.
The best experience is one that is planned. For this reason, you should give careful consideration to what you want to gain or give by participating in a volunteer program. We encourage you to read the story of one of our past volunteers as well as the following article:
A Gap Year for College Graduate Students
To help us find the right experience for you, please make sure you include your budget estimates and areas of interest in the application form. Apply now!