Global Village FAQs

Established in 1989, Global Village is Habitat for Humanity’s international short-term volunteer program. 

The program aims to build or improve homes by partnering with communities to address safety and livability standards, aligning with Habitat’s vision where everyone has a decent place to live. In 2019, Global Village operated in 30 countries and managed over 13,000 local and international volunteers annually. 

Global Village welcomes groups made up of 12-16 volunteers who are all at least 18 years old. Each group must select a leader to represent the team, submit a program donation and complete required training.

Not part of a group? Individuals are encouraged to check back for future Global Village opportunities that are open to independent volunteers. We also encourage you to stay connected by volunteering locally at a Habitat office near you or visiting our volunteer opportunities page for more information.

Volunteer work varies based on the community’s project goals which can involve building, repairing, improving or updating homes.

Volunteers may work on ancillary projects that ensure homes meet safety and accessibility standards. For example, volunteers may replace open-flamed cooking stoves with smokeless ones to reduce indoor smoke inhalation or build water tanks so homes in a neighborhood can access water. 

A Global Village build typically spans between eight to 12 days.

All volunteers are required to make a program donation ranging from US$2,000-$3,000, which can be fundraised.

This donation covers:

• A donation to the Habitat country program. 
• Ground transportation, meals and accommodations.
• Travel accident and sickness insurance.
• Trip cancellation insurance (for international builds only).
• A possible subsidy for team leader expenses.

Airfare, activity costs outside of the itinerary, visa and exit fees and any associated vaccines are not included. For more information, read about your program donation.

Habitat offers volunteers access to a peer-to-peer fundraising platform for eligible teams. Details on how to set up a fundraising page will be provided with the registration confirmation. Learn more about the fundraising for your Global Village build on our fundraising page. 

No specific technical or professional experience is required. Global Village is designed for volunteers looking to make a sustainable impact on the global housing deficit and advocate for adequate housing for all.

Each build is designed by the community around a local housing need and is tied to broader Habitat development initiatives.

New Global Village opportunities are continually added throughout the year.

Private teams
These teams are comprised of individuals associated with organized groups, including:

• Friends and family networks: Formed from personal networks.
• Organizations: Comprised of individuals associated with universities, churches, social clubs, among others. 
• Habitat affiliate: Some teams travel on behalf of a local Habitat for Humanity organization. The team leader can be a Habitat staff member, volunteer, board member, etc. Team members are usually recruited using the organization’s network.

Open teams
These teams have no specific affiliations and are formed by individual volunteers from around the world. Habitat facilitates the formation of these groups. Opportunities to join a group will appear on the Global Village website and Habitat social media platforms. Though there are plans to reintroduce open teams in the next few years, Global Village is not currently accepting applications for these teams.

Teens as young as 15 years old will be able to volunteer at qualifying Global Village locations. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Currently, no opportunities are available to independent volunteers. Volunteer opportunities are only open to private teams from organized groups such as churches, social clubs and universities.

Habitat can accommodate common dietary restrictions. Contact your team leader for more information. 

Habitat has a long history of working in other countries, and volunteer health and safety is our top priority.

Our country program staff in these nations know and live in the area and help ensure a safe and valuable experience for volunteers year after year. We also follow international travel advisories closely. While we cannot guarantee personal safety, we do everything possible to keep volunteers out of harm’s way, both on and off the work site, and include travel, accident and sickness insurance in the program donation. However, it is up to each individual to review the Habitat country program guidelines and follow the instructions of team leaders and country program coordinators for the best experience possible.

You will need a passport, but requirements for visas and vaccines vary by country. For U.S. citizens, visit the U.S. Department of State website for additional information. For non-U.S. citizens, consult with your embassy or consulate in your build location.

The immunizations you need to travel internationally vary by country and by person. Visit your doctor and consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s travel site for details on immunization requirements and recommendations, including COVID-19, for the country or countries you will be visiting. 

Work assignments can involve strenuous physical activity ― sometimes at high altitudes. Team members should be in good physical health when considering a build.

Travel always contains some risks. While Habitat for Humanity International has a comprehensive safety and emergency management plan in place, and all registered volunteers are covered under travel, accident and sickness insurance policy, all volunteers participate at their own risk. Volunteers should refer to the volunteer waiver for further information regarding potential risks.

Team leaders are volunteers and do not receive payment for their work. Habitat is fortunate to have dedicated volunteer team leaders who work alongside staff to prepare groups for their builds.

For more information on leading a Global Village build, read our team leader FAQs.

Connect with your local Habitat for Humanity office for opportunities to continue to reduce the global housing deficit such as advocacy, volunteering for building and renovation projects in your community, or volunteering with a local ReStore. 

We understand things may not go as planned. Please review our cancellation policies and reach out to your team leader to initiate your cancellation.