Volunteer in USA with International Volunteer HQ on a wide range of volunteer abroad projects, including Environmental Sustainability, Homeless Support, Arts and Culture Preservation, and Neighborhood Revitalization. Volunteers are based in New Orleans with placements located throughout the city. With low volunteer program fees and top rated volunteer projects, you will not find a more affordable and trustworthy volunteer travel organization in the USA.
Most affordable fees - as the world leader in affordable volunteer travel, we’re able to keep our fees low by partnering with a local organization in United States to support meaningful community projects and local employment.
Local community partners are working to change the environmental landscape of New Orleans in many different ways, with a focus on working with nature, instead of against it. Think community gardens and urban farms, to various recycling initiatives. Depending on the need at the time, you might find yourself volunteering on an initiative supporting the city’s green infrastructure by helping with the upkeep of bioswales throughout New Orleans, weeding and planting at urban gardens, assisting in recycling efforts to keep building materials out of landfills, or supporting organizations through different projects that promote environmental education.
There are a number of organizations in New Orleans who are dedicated to supporting the homeless population and low income communities, by providing help through local homeless shelters or through other community outreach initiatives. On the Homeless Support project, you will play an important role in strengthening and supporting these organizations.
As a volunteer on the Homeless Support project, there are multiple ways that you might help support the local organizations we work with. You will be involved in a range activities from manual labour to assisting them with administrative tasks. In addition to this, your role may include beautification of the homeless shelter, community outreach, food preparation and the organization of facilities for the local organization.
New Orleans is a city known for its many unique and vibrant neighborhoods. Neighborhoods that have a diverse history, culture, strengths, and challenges. Multiple organizations throughout the city are dedicated to addressing these challenges and improving the quality of life for those residents who live in low-income neighborhoods. The goal of the Neighbourhood Revitalization project is to support the continued community rebuilding efforts of these local organizations and gain a better understanding of these dynamic communities that help to make New Orleans the city it is.
There are a wide range of initiatives and types of volunteer activities that you could be a part of, as there are many organizations that provide community support and revitalization in a number of ways. You might work with an organization dedicated to clearing storm drains that would otherwise flood communities, or work with an organization that’s dedicated to recycling materials from all over New Orleans preventing usable goods from ending up in landfill and putting affordable materials back into the market for the community to use. You might assist an urban garden that brings the community together with weeding and planting, or support community centers with various beautification tasks. The projects are wide ranging but in general volunteers need to be physically fit to participate in light-to-heavy manual activities.
Please note any generals skills, limitations, or interests you might have in your application to volunteer on the Neighborhood Revitalization project to ensure that you are well directed and supported in making a positive difference.
If you head to downtown New Orleans, you’ll be immersed in a cacophony of music, art, and self expression. It’s a city known for its culture. However, underneath all the glitz and glamor of downtown New Orleans, there are cultural and artistic traditions that are being threatened. This is in large part due to the commercialization and gentrification of low-income communities and neighborhoods that are the birthplaces of the majority of cultural expressions New Orleans is known for. In addition to this, kids from low-income communities are often deprived of independent creative outlets, especially in their schools which have less of a focus on fostering creativity through the arts.
If you’re someone who appreciates culture and believes in the power of art as a means of community development, this project will be a perfect fit for you. The Arts and Culture Preservation project aims to help organizations in New Orleans that are dedicated to promoting and preserving the arts and culture of the city through community outreach and providing safe spaces where children and adults can express themselves and learn.
There are many different ways that you may support these organizations - local initiatives need help with the beautification of their facilities or art installments, and support with after school art programs. There are also environmental organizations that like to promote art through the creative reuse of materials. Keep in mind that because art is prevalent in the wider New Orleans community, this initiative is continually changing but always rewarding.
If you are traveling in New Orleans prior to your volunteer program, our local team can pick you up on Sunday from any hostel or hotel within New Orleans. Alternatively, you can choose to make your own way to the volunteer accommodation.
Orientation is hosted by our New Orleans team at the volunteer accommodation in New Orleans. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date and covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in New Orleans – Introduction to New Orleans, Culture and Customs, Rules and Expectations, Safety, Travel Opportunities, Introduction to Project and Placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.
8:00 - 9:00 AM Leave home and travel to your project. You will join with the local staff to complete various outlined tasks that will help support the local organizations mission. Work and hours are dependent on the project and location that you are participating in.
12:00 - 1:00 PM Lunch break. In New Orleans, workplaces typically have a lunch break for about an hour. The time and length of your lunch break will ultimately depend on the organization that you will be working with.
The biggest problem you’ll have here is figuring out what to do first! Start by exploring the French Quarter, the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans, famous for its grand architecture and lively street-life. Discover Treme, the city’s cultural pulse and brass band powerhouse. Make the most of Crescent Park, the 1.4-mile-long riverfront park and enjoy the bike lanes that run from the Bywater to the Marigny. Watch the transformation of Bourbon Street at twilight as the home of jazz comes alive and the live music starts up! Or, head further afield and take in the wild backwaters, Mississippi River, and vast sugarcane fields on a swamp tour.
If you’re looking for group volunteer opportunities in the United States, this program is perfect for large groups of college students, high school students, corporate teams and families. Whether you’re looking to organize an alternative break trip, team building exercise, or meaningful volunteer vacation, our local team in New Orleans are highly experienced in proving impactful volunteer opportunities for large groups.
We’ll work closely with you to understand the goals of your group, so you can leave the planning to us. We can create a customized itinerary to provide your team members with a well-organized schedule so you can make the most of your time in New Orleans, while making a positive contribution to the local community.