Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) connects people and organic rural projects in more than 132 countries worldwide, promoting educational and cultural experiences based on the idea of a non-profit exchange, thus contributing to build a sustainable global community. Its main objective is to support, disseminate and share everyday life in the countryside according to organic farming principles.
Global Opportunities in Organic Farms
The idea behind WWOOFing is simple: volunteer your labour force in exchange for food and a place to sleep. In this way, WWOOF members have the opportunity to travel all over the world, engaging in useful and productive activities on an extremely small budget.
The volunteers (the ‘WWOOFers’, in most cases young students) participate in the agricultural activities on a free and voluntary basis, agreeing the exact amount of hours of commitment directly with the HOST so that it is mutually satisfactory (usually around 25 hours per week).
How is it possible to participate?
How to participate may vary slightly from country to country, but the basic principles are generally the same. To participate in WWOOF you must be at least 18 years old, however some local organisations – such as WWOOF Italy – may also accept applications from young people aged 16 and under.
To join, you have to pay a small annual membership fee that also covers a number of costs such as insurance and local travel to work on the farm. Once the fee has been paid, you will receive a contact list of HOST-registered farms, which you can contact directly to volunteer.
If you would like to volunteer in Italy you can visit the WWOOF Italy website where you can find all the information about the projects conducted by the hosts and how to participate. Those wishing to seek an experience abroad can visit https://wwoof.net/.
Source: WWOFF
