While some nutrition volunteering programs abroad are designed specifically for the field, the majority of nutrition volunteer opportunities will be found under more generic labels. While each includes nutrition-based tasks, each type will focus on different aspects of the field.
Community Development placements generally include volunteer work directly with impoverished, malnourished, or marginalized populations (especially children) and in stress education programs. Tasks can include planning, preparing, and distributing healthy balanced meals and supplements, weighing and monitoring malnourished children, and creating and implementing educational outreach campaigns in the local community.
Healthcare placements are geared more towards volunteers interested in the medical side of nutrition, and often require some level of education or experience in a relevant field. Tasks may vary based upon each volunteer’s qualifications, but can include: performing health screenings, recording and analyzing data, treating patients, promoting a healthy diet and lifestyle, and designing research studies.
Agriculture volunteering abroad is perfect for volunteers who are passionate about how food is grown, as they focus on teaching alternative techniques or implementing organic farming practices and sustainable land management. Tasks for agricultural volunteers might include learning, teaching, and implementing new techniques, planting new crops, building enclosures, and creating educational campaigns. Hosting workshops and increasing community knowledge and understanding is a substantial part of farming volunteer placements.