FAQs

In-Community opportunities in 2023 and 2024
Applications for In-Community placements and Immersions are now open.

Nepal - 3 week Immersion for 10-12 participants. A fully guided journey and trek through the  pristine Himilayan mountain landscape to the remote village of Tipling.
26 November - 17 December 2023     OR
5 - 26 January 2024

Opportunity to spend the summer break  - November '23 to January '24 - assisting at the local school in the remote mountain village of Tipling. Can be extended through to April '24.
For 2 - 4 volunteers.

Northern Territory - mid November to end of school year 2023.
Assist at St Francis Xavier School in Nauiyu/Daly River as they head into the busy schedule of the end of the school year.

Term 1&2 or Term 3&4 2024 placements in Wadeye or Nauiyu
For 2-3 volunteers.

Thailand - 6 - 11 month placments in 2024 with our partner communities in Huay Tong, Chiang Mai District and Xavier Learning Community, Chiang Rai District.
Minimum 2 volunteers in any location.

Tonga - Term 1&2 or Term 3&4 2024 placement at Takuilau College, Mau, Tongatapu.
For 2 - 3 volunteers.

Will I have support while volunteering?
Absolutely! You will have dedicated in-country assistance on both In-Community placements and immersions. We work with local partners who not only know all there is to know about the place where you will be staying, they have been working with volunteers for many years and can anticipate your questions and challenges before they arise. They are excited for you to join their communities and will be there to support you every step of the way.  The Sydney based Two Wolves Domestic and Abroad team will also check in on In-Community volunteers regularly.

How many other volunteers will be with me?
If you choose a short-term Immersion then you will travel with a small group of 10 - 12 participants and three adult leaders for the duration of your trip.

For In-Community placements, there is always a minimum of two volunteers at any location. At some placements you can expect up to about six volunteers living in the same location and either volunteering at the same school, or at different schools depending on the country.

Are there any age restrictions for participants?
While many volunteers have just finished high school or are at university, we welcome all volunteers 18 and above. If you have not yet turned 18 and wish to go on a In-Community placement, our interview process will assess your suitability along with parental consent.
If you are beyond university and feel you have additional skills and experience to share with our partner communities overseas, we can work with you to tailor a placement that makes best use of your knowledge.

Do I need a police check or Working with Children Check?
Two Wolves Domestic and Abroad is committed to protecting children and young people from harm. All volunteers are required to provide a Working With Children Check from their relevant Australian state, whether they wish to participate in an immersion or In-Community placement. This is a free check for anyone who applies for the purpose of volunteering. For those who will not turn 18 until their departure, we will also accept an Australian National Police check.

Is travel insurance included?
The Cardoner Project is covered by the general insurance policy of the Society of Jesus Australia (SOJA). This policy includes travel insurance for our employees and volunteers for up to 6-months. If your journey is longer than 6 months you will need to obtain your own cover.

How far in advance should I apply?
We are seeking applications for the Nepal Immersions and In-Community placements now.

Due to deadlines on components of the Immersion itinerary we will finalise participants for the November 26 Nepal Immersion departure by 18 August and for the 5 January departure by 22 September.

We encourage you to submit an In-Community application for 2023 as soon as possible. Pre-departure formation is a critical component of an In-Community placement so time is needed for applications to be processed and the formation and training sessions to take place before the end of this year.
For 2024 placements we are calling for applications by 21 July.

Can I travel before/after?
Flight bookings for In-Community placements is the responsibility of the volunteer. The Cardoner Project does offer the services of our travel agent and strongly encourages In-Community volunteers to travel together to their placement community so that they can be orientated to their new community together. If you wish to travel to the destination by a different itinerary we ask that your arrival coincide with that of your fellow volunteers.
At the end of the placement some decide to stay longer or to travel a little further to explore other locations and this is at your discretion. Please note that you will need to check your travel insurance cover as any travel outside of the volunteer placement term will not be covered by the SOJA insurance policy.

Our Nepal Immersions include a fixed itinerary for group travel and this cannot be changed.

How much does it cost?
Costs vary between programmes and are dependent upon the length of time you wish to volunteer. The longer you stay, the cheaper it becomes!
The cost of the 3-week Nepal Immersion is $6,900.00.
Please view our Programme Fees page for more information on inclusion and exclusions.

Fundamental to our pricing model is to ensure that we are a contributor, as opposed to a financial burden, to our offshore partners.

Why should I pay to volunteer?
While it may be cheaper to go it alone, there are many benefits of volunteering through an organisation like ours. It can be difficult and time consuming to find projects to support in a foreign country that are safe, worthwhile and reputable. When you volunteer through Two Wolves Domestic or Abroad, you know you are working with trusted partners who we have built relationships with through the Jesuit and Catholic networks. It is critical that our engagement with our partners does not place any financial impact on them. The cost also covers the formation and training we provide you for the spiritual journey you are about to undertake, teacher training skills and logistics like insurance, getting visas and travel.  When you arrive you will be greeted by our trusted partners and will have a safe place to live and work in a supportive environment and will have a safety net for your entire placement. Most people will find it a more cost effective and fulfilling experience to arrange a In-Community placement or immersion with Two Wolves Domestic and Abroad rather than to hope for the best as they go.

Where does the money go?
Two Wolves Domestic and Abroad is as big or as small as the volunteer base that signs up for In-Community placements and immersions each year. We do not rely on fundraising or government funding to achieve social goals, and while some outside funding and grants are used throughout the year to run the organisation, the volunteer program fees are how the organisation sustains itself. Your program fees pay the costs associated with your immersion or placement and support our partners to ensure that you are an added resource that will benefit their communities, not a financial burden. We don’t request money from our partner organisations in the developing world. All our work is 100% funded through your contributions as a volunteer.

Your programme fees go towards project costs, housing and food, transport, volunteer support, insurance, volunteer trainings and handbooks, domestic overhead, etc. A lot more goes into your experience than you might expect. Your fee also covers indirect costs that make your project a worthwhile and safe experience like utilities, equipment and communication infrastructure. We must also ensure our programmes align with the relevant laws and policies in Australia and overseas and provide for bookkeeping and tax reporting.

Although running a programme that spans many countries takes a lot of organisation, Two Wolves Abroad does this with minimal resources to keep program costs low. We use paid interns to ensure maximum input from alumni with experience on the ground and minimal staff to manage human resources, administration, financial controls and IT. 

Do you spend my money on advertising?
One large problem for many of our partners in destination countries is that they can’t afford to promote their work and reach potential volunteers. Two Wolves Abroad creates a bridge between our partners overseas and volunteers in Australia. We visit your schools and universities  on career fairs and open days to share volunteer opportunities with you.

We believe that recruitment is a long-term investment which allow us to attract more participants, in turn allowing us to aim for larger social goals and to bring down programme fees by achieving economies of scale. At the same time, we save on costs by using the Jesuit and Catholic networks and our committed volunteer alumni rather than spending money on advertising.

Do I need a visa?
Yes - however the requirements  will depend on the location of your programme.   We will provide you with advice on how to obtain visas and the costs involved. Where you are required to make additional applications once in-country, our partners will help you with this process.

Will I be met at the airport?
Immersion participants will travel with their adult leaders and most In-Community participants will be met by our local partners at the airport. The only exceptions are where the airport is a long way from the final placement location and there are no local partner contacts where you land. We will work with you to make arrangements if this is the case.

What is the accommodation like?
While accommodation will vary depending on the country, it will be much more basic than you are used to at home or would expect on a tourist holiday. One of the aims of your In-Community service experience is to live with the community as one of them and this will be reflected in your standard of living. Most volunteers will share rooms and some will share common areas with families or students. You can expect running water, electricity, wifi and a safe environment.

What happens if I have special dietary requirements?
Most of our locations can provide for special dietary requirements but we suggest you let us know on your In-Community application or when signing up for an Immersion so that we can assess and advise on whether your needs can be met. 

How does Two Wolves make sure I am safe while I am on my placement?
The health and safety of our volunteers is paramount. Volunteers have access to a 24-hour emergency support system including our partners in country and our team in Australia in case of an emergency. We periodically review risk assessments for each location and have emergency action plans for each project, protocols for incident reporting and always stay up to date with local and regional developments. All our In-Community volunteers receive risk management training before leaving Australia as do our immersion leaders, along with first aid training. In our most remote location in Nepal, a satellite phone will be available to volunteers for Immersions and the duration of In-Community placements.

Are there any medical restrictions?
During the application process for In-Community placements, applicants must disclose any medical conditions that may either impact their ability to volunteer, or are important for us to know in case of any health problems or emergencies during your placement. We ask these questions so that we can ensure the safety of all volunteers.  If you are on a course of prescribed medications you will need to ensure that you have access to the medication throughout you stay. You may be asked to have a qualified doctor sign off on specific medical conditions.

Do I have to be religious to go?
No. While we are an unapologetically religious organisation and our mission is founded on Christian, Catholic and Jesuit values, we are about providing opportunities, not taking them away. Our volunteer experiences are not an evangelisation getaway, they are a chance to dive into something bigger than yourself that is driven by an underlying value of service, love and compassion that is drawn from our religious roots.

Is Two Wolves Abroad evangelistic?
Two Wolves Abroad respects all the cultures of the local communities we partner with overseas and we do not seek to change their beliefs. We work with Catholic partners who have strong faith and regular practice which our volunteers actively participate in and learn from. There are also opportunities to experience and learn from the cultures and religions of surrounding communities who hold a range of different beliefs.

Will I have contact with people back home?
Yes you will. All of our locations have internet access and phone signal although the quality varies. It is important to find a balance and not stay tied to your phone so that you can immerse yourself in the experience and for this reason, we ask Immersion participants to hand their phones in at the beginning of the trip and organise specific times for check-ins as required. We suggest In-Community participants use their phones as a tool for occasional updates with family and friends at home, to build ties with the local community and as an emergency contact to keep you safe.

I have questions about volunteering and where I can go, can I chat to someone?
Absolutely! We will be happy to put you in touch with volunteers who have lived in our In-Community placement locations before. We also have interns working with the Two Wolves Domestic and Abroad team who are familiar with many of the countries where we operate. If you’re going on an immersion, we can put you in touch with your leader who can give you a good idea of what to expect.

If you fill in the Expression of Interest form, we will be in touch soon. 

Can Two Wolves Abroad assist in fundraising?
We encourage you to raise money for your trip not only to pay program fees, but to pay for teaching materials and sports equipment you may like to take with you. See our fundraising page on the Two Wolves Abroad website for ideas on how to get started. You may also like to use a crowd funding website like GoFundMe which offers a simple and professional service online to manage your fundraising.  Simply create a page to share your story via social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.