Sabbatical abroad with Rainbow Garden Village
Skilled volunteering abroad
In our everyday world, which is often so clocked through and seemingly constantly accelerating, the need for a deeper meaning, for real fulfillment and sustainable added value is growing among more and more people. In our RGV office, we keep receiving inquiries from interested professionals who have both feet on the ground, but at the same time feel the desire to reduce to the essentials - to what really counts in life. Our suggestion: How about a sabbatical abroad, i.e. a professional break that is used for social or ecological commitment in Africa, Asia, Latin America or Oceania?
In fact, today more and more employees - often highly qualified specialists or managers - but also numerous self-employed people are taking this step and fulfilling the dream of a sabbatical, i.e. a longer break or a sabbatical year from their regular job. In addition to extensive travel, it is becoming increasingly popular to use this professional breathing space for voluntary work abroad, to gain new experiences far away from everyday life and to grow from them.
At Rainbow Garden Village, we are excited about the growing demand for sabbatical programs! For our Skilled Volunteers, i.e. committed participants with work and life experience, we therefore offer numerous interesting volunteer projects in which they can contribute their know-how, skills and ideas for a world worth living in. Are you interested?
We would be happy to advise you and work with you to find the right sabbatical program for you!
Sabbaticals abroad by continent
Popular projects
Nepal | Social & Teaching
from 4 - 20 weeks
Peru | Creative & Community
from 4 - 24 weeks
from 17 years
Costa Rica | Animals & Wildlife
from 4 - 24 weeks
from 21 years
South Africa | Animals & Wildlife
from 2 - 12 weeks
Nepal | Social & Teaching
from 4 - 20 weeks
from 18 years
Nepal | Social & Teaching
from 4 - 20 weeks
from 18 years
South Africa | Animals & Wildlife
from 12 weeks
from 18 years
South Africa | Animals & Wildlife
from 26 weeks
from 18 years
South Africa | Animals & Wildlife
from 4 weeks
from 18 years
Sabbatical with meaning - from dream to reality
Who is a sabbatical suitable for?
From enthusiastic young professionals to world-loving participants who have already had a long professional life: there is no age limit for meaningful engagement as a skilled volunteer. A certain physical fitness and resilience are of course basic requirements in our sabbatical programs, since our target countries are predominantly in hot to tropical climate zones.
Solid knowledge of English, Spanish or French is an advantage for communication in the team, with many of our locations offering the opportunity to take a language course. With a good dose of openness, flexibility and genuine interest in the culture of the target country and its inhabitants, you are very welcome to help out as a Skilled Volunteer during your time off at RGV and get fully involved in the work on site!
Note: In general, we use a respectful “du” as a form of address in our consultations and our documents. In this way, we quickly create a personal and trusting relationship with our participants. If you prefer a more formal approach, that is of course no problem - please let us know in your request.
The most important things about the sabbatical at a glance
With over 20 years of experience, Rainbow Garden Village is a proven specialist in volunteering in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and Oceania. In more than 30 countries, our participants support a wide variety of social, ecological and other sustainability-oriented projects in various sectors and areas of activity.
Professionals who organize their time off with us have very different expectations of their stay abroad than our younger volunteers, who are often still in the middle of their training. Your wide range of experience flows specifically into the cooperation with other specialists and managers on site. Under certain circumstances, there is even the possibility of initiating a suitable own development project from scratch during the sabbatical.
We also offer tailor-made solutions for every phase of life in terms of accommodation and additional services on site.
From the first idea to planning and organization, on site in the project to your return: RGV offers you the complete package from a single source. In doing so, we pursue a holistic approach that goes far beyond mere mediation. We have local teams at all locations and help where help is really needed. Our participants provide targeted support, which means that jobs are guaranteed not to be saved in the target projects. Social responsibility and sustainability are deeply rooted in the way our organization sees itself.
Questions about Sabbatical? We are happy to advise you - personally and individually!
Corporate volunteering for companies
In many companies, social and global responsibility is now an integral part of the company philosophy. The most important capital of a successful company is its employees and leaving a livable planet for future generations is in all of our interests. This is precisely why the idea of corporate volunteering is gaining more and more supporters among employees: employees are given the opportunity to do charitable work as part of their professional activity. Both sides win: Social institutions are grateful for competent helpers who make their know-how and time available - and the motivation of the employees and the identification with their employer increases considerably. This strategic impact cycle has a positive social impact on a small and large scale - whether at the local level at the company headquarters or at the global level, for example in a targeted volunteering program abroad.
RGV opens up the possibility of offering a very special incentive for supporting specialists and managers: a meaningful and sustainable skilled volunteering assignment for personal development. With our many years of experience in the field of volunteer work and sabbaticals abroad, we offer the expertise to develop a tailor-made program - and thus make the world a little bit better.
FAQs: Frequently asked questions about foreign programs with RGV
Preparation
How far in advance do I have to register?
Ideally your registration takes place at least 3-6 months before the desired departure date, But also short-term registrations are up 1-2 months before the planned departure is possible.
But it could be that your dream project is already booked. In this case we will try together to find a suitable alternative for you.
Can I travel with a friend or in a group?
Yes! On request we enable a double room if you for two with a friend or a friend, or an apartment or other suitable accommodation for groups.
We are very happy to enable our participants to go on a project and share accommodation with friends. Shared accommodation is usually possible both in the volunteer house and with the host family, although the room in the volunteer house may also be shared with other participants. In some locations there is also the option of sharing an apartment.
When registering, please always mention the person(s) traveling with you!
Which previous knowledge do I need?
For most projects are Soft skills such as reliability, initiative and a sense of responsibility as well as the motivation to support a project are sufficient. Good linguistic proficiency (English or Spanish or French) are a great advantage. For some projects, however, specific knowledge necessary - you can read about this in the respective project description.
What insurance do I need?
In order to be able to take part in one of our projects, you need the following insurance:
- Health Insurance
- Private liability insurance
Make sure that the insurance is valid in your destination country!
When do I have to submit the documents?
Documents are only required after a binding registration. You should send us a letter of motivation and your CV by email immediately after registering. We need all the remaining documents no later than 4 weeks before departure.
Here you have one Overview of all required documents.
How do I change money into local currency?
It is best to take a credit card with you and withdraw money from the machine on site. Here you will find information about a free Visa card.
Will the project be recognized by my university?
As a rule: Yes! It is important that you let us know in advance Requirements of your university/college to a project (e.g. nursing internship). Internship specifications and focal points can be adhered to as long as we are informed about this and can therefore search for the appropriate placement.
Do I need a visa?
Yes, for some countries there will be one Visa needed! For many RGV destination countries, a visa must be applied for in advance. We will give you thorough instructions and obtain the necessary letters of invitation from your destination country.
Will I receive a confirmation of participation?
Yes, after your successful participation in an RGV project you will be issued with a confirmation of participation.
How can I get involved in my project after I return?
There are many ways to get involved as an RGV returnee upon your return. On the one hand, educational work in your area is a good start to make people aware of the project and the need. For example, organize an event at your university or in your community.
You can also send donations in kind and money to your project, which are always gratefully accepted. Find out in our magazine article about other ways you can continue to support your project from home.
>> Ask us an individual question <
We are happy to answer you from Monday to Friday between
10: 00 and 12: 00 clock and 14: 00 and 16: 00 clock
your individual questions. Just give us a call! Plan an individual consultation appointment with us or send us your message.
Costs & Financing
What additional expenses can I expect on site?
We have already covered most of the costs with your participation fees. Nevertheless, you should have additional costs of average 75 to 130 euros per week plan on. The largest additional costs usually arise from your personal expenses and your leisure activities. The amount varies depending on the country and activities.
During the preparation of the trip, costs for the entry visa may arise. Not every visa has a fee associated with it.
What are the participation costs?
The program costs vary depending on the country, project and duration of participation. At the end of each of our project descriptions you will find the program costs and the included services.
What does the organization use my money for?
Meaningful volunteer work abroad is associated with numerous cost factors. What are they and why is that so? => Detailed information can be found in our Article on the subject.
Sign in
How can I sign up?
Did you find your dream project? Perfect! Then you can now register with binding effect. Simply click on the "Register now" button in the respective project description and fill out the form. You can find more detailed information on the registration process in our Volunteer Guide.
How does the flight booking work?
As soon as we have confirmed your registration by email, nothing stands in the way of booking a flight. We have clearly described the best way to book your flight here:
Can I combine projects?
Yes! You can combine projects at one location, at different locations, but also in different countries. It is also possible to combine a project with a trip. You can specify your desired combination directly when registering.
Combination options at a glance:
- Combine programs in one country
- Combine programs across countries
- Combine a program with a language course
- Combine a program with ours Adventure & Trips
There are a few things Project combinations to note: The minimum length of stay per project must be observed and you may incur additional costs for country combinations, for example for an intermediate flight.
Can I extend on site if I like it?
Yes, this is possible from our side! The following points must be checked:
- Availability on site: The project must not be fully booked at the time.
- Validity of the visa: Your visa may need to be valid long enough.
- Rebooking the return flight: If you have already booked a return flight, you should be able to rebook it.
Health
Which vaccinations are recommended?
The required vaccinations vary greatly from country to country. For example, more vaccinations are required in the tropics than in the extratropical latitudes. In the health care we recommend using several information channels as a matter of principle:
• Consultation with the doctor
• Information from the Foreign Office
You can get general information about recommended health care and vaccinations online Center for Travel Medicine as well as on the side of Foreign Office.
On site
Are there other volunteers on site?
Yes! At our larger locations and in most animal welfare projects, you can be sure that you will meet other volunteers on site. Only in exceptional cases can it happen that there are no other volunteers on site.
Most of our volunteers come from German-speaking countries and other European countries.
=> Feel free to ask us by phone, how your project and your participation period look like.
Are there contact persons on site?
At all of our locations we have contact persons and RGV teams on site who will be happy to be there for you during your stay.
What are the working hours in the project?
Working hours can vary greatly between individual projects. Most of the time, however, you will be working on the project between 5 and 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. In the social field, the weekends are usually free.
Is there internet on site?
Often there is WiFi in our accommodations. If this is not available, the mobile network is usually sufficiently developed to go online. You can get a SIM card cheaply on site. Your team leaders can give you tips on this.
Can I travel on the weekends?
Almost all of our participants are in theirs free time very active and use the weekends or the days off to Journeys!
At most locations there are always several participants on site, so you can go on tour together. Our teams have plenty Tips for you and will be happy to advise you on organizational issues, such as public transport.
Can I travel after my project?
Yes, of course you can continue to explore the country after your assignment. However, you must observe the expiry date of your visa. You can also find them all here travel deals from RGV, which you can optionally book.
