Career Options Magazine

“I just wish there was a simple, hassle-free way for me to work somewhere interesting in return for food and lodging,” I said to a friend as we waited for a train in Barcelona. We were both students on exchange in France for the spring, and I was trying to plan what to do for the short period after school in Europe ended but before my summer job in Canada began. Traveling was an ideal option, but I was running low on money and the time frame was too brief for a job or internship.

“Well, that exists,” she told me. “It’s called HelpX. Look it up.” I was initially skeptical—I was someone who had spent a lot of time searching for volunteer opportunities around the world when I was supposed to be writing essays. I had never heard of HelpX or met anyone who had tried it. Most international volunteer organizations I researched presented mazes of administrative red tape, sometimes with hefty participation fees.

However, when I returned home and visited the website, I learned that HelpX acts as a liaison between independent hosts (families or employers seeking assistance in return for housing) and helpers (labourers looking for the opportunity to stay somewhere new) for a minimal, one-time fee. The well-known organization WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) operates on similar principles, but with a focus on organic farming. HelpX is much more varied; hosts offer positions that include hostel receptionist, goat herder and childcare worker.

I was stunned at the sheer number of postings; there are thousands of them, organized by geographical region. A prospective helper could garden in Alberta, tend sheep in Ireland, assist in an elementary school in Morocco—the possibilities seemed endless. It was as though my wistful fantasy manifested itself right before my eyes. This was exactly what I’d been looking for.

Several months later, I spent two beautiful weeks working outdoors in southern France, staying in a 17^th-century farmhouse surrounded by vineyards. I am certain it will not be my last HelpX experience.

HelpX.net launched in 2001 and has grown steadily ever since. The site isn’t flashy or aesthetically arranged, but is very easy to navigate. Each host posts a profile of varying length and detail—some include pictures and lengthy descriptions of their home and the job, while others are very minimal. The standard arrangement between host and helper is five to eight hours of work for five or six days a week; these terms are dependent on each host’s needs and practices. To access host contact information and read reviews, the user pays a ‘Premiership’ fee, which grants them a two-year HelpX membership for 20 euros (around 25 dollars). In doing so, the user constructs a helper profile, which details if they are traveling alone, with a friend or as a couple. The helper can list skills, qualifications and interests that the host may later browse. Once registered, the helper can sift through postings and contact hosts offering jobs that interest them.

Of the hundreds of helpers, most are between the ages of 20 and 35. Because of the slow economy, it’s been hard for young professionals to find work directly out of university or college. Taking a gap year to travel the world or pursue an unpaid internship appeals to many, but can also break the bank when it comes to living expenses. HelpX provides an interesting alternative: you can travel as little or as much as you want and try your hand at a variety of different vocations—all while living for free (except for the cost of transportation). HelpX commitments vary in length—it can be difficult to find a placement for less than one or two weeks, and they can last up to a year. Hosts often offer longer stays in exchange for teaching skills, such as how to build a house addition. A lot of helpers choose to stay at a variety of placements to offset the cost of long-term traveling and experience new jobs.

Those who try many placements can experience both positive and negative host environments, but most find that hosts and helpers share similar goals.

“Flexibility is key,” says Ali Tamlit, a 24-year-old student and HelpXer from England. “Patience and a willingness to give things a go can lead you to enjoy an experience that was initially not so good.” Tamlit and his girlfriend, Frances Kelsey, took a year between their undergraduate and masters degrees to spend eight months traveling Europe, HelpXing along the way in Austria, Slovenia, Turkey and France. They mostly worked in landscaping and childcare, but also helped with sheepherding in Austria.

If you want to tailor your HelpX experience to further your career development in specific areas, that is absolutely possible. Many HelpX placements take place in the areas of small business, agriculture, building and hospitality. Have open communication with hosts regarding your skill set, and propose ideas around how you can use them in your placement. For example, if you are a marketing and communications major, ask a host if you could spearhead a publicity and advertising campaign. Hosts can review your effort, and their endorsement could be valuable when moving forward into the workplace.

Even if career development is not your specific objective, it’s hard to come out of a HelpX placement without experiencing some remarkable skills and growth.

“My interpersonal skills grew in just the few weeks that I did HelpX,” says Kelly Agnew, a student from Virginia who did a placement this spring. “I was exposed to new experiences that have made me a more adaptable person.”

I hope I’ve served the same purpose my friend did while we waited for the train all that time ago, giving a small piece of information that could lead someone else to a big adventure. The beautiful thing about HelpX is it is there for you whenever you’re ready, for as long as you want. The sheep in Ireland are waiting…

Jasmine Irwin is a media and public interest student at Western University.

For more information, please visit: helpx.net, wwoof.org, careeroptionsmagazine.com