Volunteer in China

Travel to China and discover the oldest uninterrupted major civilization in the world, with records dating back over 3,500 years. This wonderful country is a land of cultural and geographic separations offering amazing options for varied travel, exploration and volunteering. In the just recent past, China seemed a mystery to many outsiders. Today, Chinese business, Chinese culture and Chinese food are part of everyday life throughout the world. Now, this fresh and “new” China welcomes you to glimpse a growing economy, changing society, new hopes and rich past. IFRE's China volunteer program is the beginning of a great once in a lifetime journey.

IFRE’s numerous China volunteer programs are based in the impressive city of Xi’an, one of China’s most popular tourist cities. Xi’an presents stark contrasts between “new money” and old poverty, like many large Chinese cities. It is described as a colorful – in both actual hues and cultural variation. Gastronomical adventures abound, ranging from casual street fare to formal 5 star restaurants. There are tours- the City Walls and Bell Tower and the city can be explored on foot. In fact, many travelers “get lost on purpose” in Xi’an to see what they discover by accident.

Volunteer Work Projects

Volunteer Program Fees & Dates:

Start Dates: Volunteer programs starts on the following (first and third Monday of each month)

IFRE is a 501(c)3 organization, so your program fee will be tax deductible. IFRE Volunteers is proud to offer an extensive assortment of programs at very reasonable prices (and may rank “best priced and best value” among the many volunteer abroad organizations in the USA/Europe/New Zealand).Our programs are now more affordable than ever. We are proud to focus on the humanitarian aspect of our business, not the profit. We work very hard and smart to keep costs down, especially for you the volunteer, as we know the value of your donated time and efforts. We remain devoted to maintaining both the quality of the program and the safety of all volunteers involved. Below is a brief summary of the program fee and services that IFRE Volunteers offers.

IFRE fees comprise of two separate fees. An application fee of $349 USD (covers advertising, staff/office expenses, etc.) and a nominal weekly program fee (covers room/board, insurance, field support, etc).

Arrangement of Room/Food/Supervision

We offer a “home base” in Xi’an, China. Our home base is located in a beautiful area of Xi’an city. This area /community is very safe, clean and accessible to local transport. Residing within this community are many business families, high ranked government officials and people with a high social status. It’s near to the supermarket and the shopping mall and you can easily walk to the local bus station if you choose to go into town. The nearby internet café, restaurant, police station and supermarket are just 1-3 km away. Our home base accommodations offer volunteers a wonderful place to rest and relax after a day’s work or weekend travel. This is the ideal setting for individuals looking for a “home away from home” and the perfect arrangement for sharing your daily experiences with fellow volunteers, or local staff. Volunteers joining Panda Conservation Project will stay in local economy hotel.

Dependent on the season and flow of volunteers, you may be placed with a local host family or with the family of our in-country coordinator. Our host family homes provide similar amenities as our home base, but you will also have your own room. Staying with a host family offers a valuable chance to learn more about Chinese people and their culture. When selecting home base or host families, we were primarily focused on the safety and comfort of our volunteers. In all China volunteer projects, breakfast, lunch and dinner is provided throughout the duration of the project. We offer 3 meals a day of local cuisine (Chinese food). Typically, volunteers eat breakfast and dinner at the home base and have lunch at their project. We offer fresh, nutritious and safe local foods to our volunteers to eat. We also work extremely hard to maintain our facilities in a positive condition.

Most of our volunteer projects in china are within 5-30 minutes away our home base in local bus. China has very strong and reliable system of local bus so you will be traveling to/from in local bus each day. Volunteers at our Panda Conservation project will stay at a modest economy hotel, close to the Conservation Center. We have a strong partnership with this hotel and they treat our international volunteers with kind respect and offer a very safe environment. Internet is available at this hotel. Breakfast - lunch - dinner is provided at a nearby restaurant, which offers very delicious Chinese food. In China, our in-country staff provides highly effective field support. Whether you stay in our home base or with a host family, our coordinators visit you regularly (even day or within 2-7 days) to ensure a successful and happy volunteer experience

Volunteer Program Free Time

Volunteers have free time for the duration of their volunteer project on weekends and during evenings. While IFRE does not arrange activities during this time off, our local staff, members and coordinators can provide priceless assistance in making appropriate arrangements for travel in China. It’s the time for self discovery and learning. It’s time to explore this foreign culture and exotic land. It’s definitely time for cultural exploration and sightseeing when in China! Our IFRE local coordinators/staff are available to give you free advice, travel tips and helps to book your travel.

A trip to the memorable city of Xi’an is not complete without visiting the Terra Cotta Army. These warriors and horses, arranged in battle configurations, are one of the noteworthy archaeological finds in the world and this breathtaking site can be found in the same city as IFRE’s China volunteer homebase! Other noteworthy attractions include the Bell Tower of Xi'an, numerous pagodas and temples, six Chinese National Parks and Mount Hua, one of the Five Sacred Taoist Mountains. Xi’an is awash with sightseeing opportunities.

Tourism is popular in Xi’an, and the city is well prepared for volunteers looking to fill their free time! There are caves, temples, palaces, markets, Chinese dragon boat racing, Mongolian wrestling, festivals, architecture, temples, art, restaurants, beaches, hotels and many more choices. Please discuss your options with our local project staff to find the best way for you to spend your free time in China.

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