Our aim
To strengthen and support the local culture and communities
Volunteers need to be flexible - although you come in on a particular programme, there are various common tasks which involve volunteers, interns and staff. Everyone is considered equally important, is equally valued and respected, and expected to do their fair share.
We accept hundreds of volunteers throughout the year, and many of our jobs will broaden your experience of the world.
All jobs organised for volunteers helps The Mirror Foundation to continue its vital work. The language barrier may mean it is not always apparent why or how this is the case, so volunteers are encouraged to ask questions. In essence, anything that a volunteer can do to help the staff will be gratefully received - a volunteer taking the time to do something that a staff member would otherwise have to do, means that they can concentrate on their main work. Volunteering is about helping others, putting your needs and desires second for a few short weeks.
We run a number of volunteer programmes - Indoor (teaching), Childcare, and Outdoor (manual labour).
Length of stay
Length of programme
Unless you are travelling with parents, you must be over 18 years of age at the beginning of the programme
- Animal Care, Childcare and Outdoor programme volunteers can stay for a maximum of 12 weeks
- While we allow a minimum of one week stays, we strongly recommend at least 2-3 weeks and preferably longer, so that you can settle in, learn some of the culture, and really get to grips with the work
- Volunteers cannot change their programme after they have chosen it - based on your decision, we organise teaching schedules, and work projects, which are affected by the number of volunteers on a particular programme
- Extending your programme is an option, up to the maximum limit, and is charged on a weekly basis (payable at the start of the extended week)
Finally, many volunteers fail to factor in any significant leisure time as part of their holiday. We suggest you give yourself at least a week after the programme has finished for travelling. You will have made lots of new friends here, and may wish to travel with them afterwards.
- Category: ⊕ Extra information
Common tasks for all
Common tasks
- Every morning at 8.30am, all volunteers and staff are required to attend the daily meeting.
- Volunteers are excused for Mondays as this is part of the weekend, but the meeting on Saturday mornings is also mandatory - as it is also a volunteer working day.
- Volunteers are expected to keep their spaces clean and tidy, and rotas should be organised to share the chores fairly
- This includes cleaning dorms, bathrooms, and the volunteer office
- Work or activities at The Mirror Foundation have cropped up at all times of the day and night. If asked to join in, volunteers could be involved in many different tasks - examples of these are: firefighting in the hills above the foundation; cleaning out houses in local villages hit by flash floods; emergency road repairs; blood donations for road traffic victims; who knows what will occur in the future!?!
- Category: ⊕ Extra information
Personal Requirements
Personal requirements
- We need people who are able to follow our rules - it makes our work easier, and your time here more fun, safer, and more productive.
- We need people to be healthy, capable, proactive and self-sufficient.
- People open to learning about other cultures, and who can live politely and with consideration in a group situation.
- Don't come with any preconceptions, don't judge. Use the experience to learn about another life, and more about yourself.
- People who are relaxed and happy, with a good sense of humour - they are more fun to work with.
- Fluency in English (or Thai). A good knowledge of English is very important when teaching, as poor accent and/or knowledge will confuse students.
- Who can stand hot weather... occasionally cold weather... and sometimes very wet weather.
- We require people who understand this is a job of work, not a holiday
- Category: ⊕ Extra information
What to bring
The programme pages have specific information about what to bring, but the list below is relevant to everyone.
Required
- Clean national police check - a copy to be uploaded or emailed before you arrive
- Photocopy of your insurance details
- Photocopy of your passport
- Photocopy of your visa page: either the one obtained before you left, or the one stamped on arrival
- Photocopy of the TM6: this is the arrival/departure card stapled into your passport on arrival into the country
- Sleeping bag or sleeping bag liner
- A limited supply of sleeping bags are available to rent - you will need one for homestay (and winter, which gets cold)
- Clothing which is appropriate to Thai culture and our dress code
- Wet weather clothes: for rainy season - approx May-October
- Warm clothes: November-February is pretty cold at night, and can drop down to 5°C
- Sturdy shoes and flip flops
- Towel
- Toiletry items
- Underwear
- Flashlight/Torch
- Small padlock for locker
Optional
- Laptops are also good to bring if they do not weigh you down too much - we have wifi internet access. It also takes some of the strain off the existing volunteer computers.
- Hat: to prevent sunstroke or sunburn
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Personal medicines
- First Aid kit
Most of these items are readily available to buy in Chiang Rai, so if you have enough time before starting, you can spend sometime shopping in town - it will save on the weight you have to carry here...
For those arriving on pickup day in the morning, we take you out to a local supermarket after lunch. But if we pick you up from the airport after 13.00, you may not be able to join this excursion.
Laptops are also good to bring if they don't weigh you down too much - we have secure wifi internet access. It also takes some of the strain off the existing volunteer computers
We would be very appreciative if you can donate any goods such as non-used stationery, toys, instruments, digital cameras and laptops (if you have any of them). Either new, or in good condition and clean, which are used in projects or passed on to villagers. No clothes please.
What to expect
The unexpected... of course!
Apart from that, we can (almost) guarantee the following:
- A bed for the night
- Food on workdays
- Airport pickup on the Monday you are due to start; or at our Baan Pordeedin guesthouse in town at 11am
- Drop off on the Saturday of your final week (leaving no earlier than 1pm - actual departure time is advised on the day)
- At least one working homestay*
- Certificate of Volunteering**
- The experience of a lifetime.
*One week volunteers are not guaranteed a homestay
**We have a set of criteria to determine whether a volunteer receives a certificate. Please read the details in a following note
What NOT to expect
- Do not expect staff to be at your beck and call - we will do our best to make your time as comfortable and enjoyable as we can, but we are not your servants
- Do not expect hotel accommodation or food - we are a working NGO, which scrabbles for every penny, and makes every penny count. The work is aimed at people in need, not people in need of comfort
- Do not expect any tolerance for those involved in drugs, excessive drinking, rudeness, ignorance, aggressiveness, or sexual activity during the working week - it hurts our reputation and our relationship with local communities and government officials
- Do not expect a free ride - we are not a rich organisation. For volunteers applying directly through us, this means that we will need the balance of payment (in Thai Baht) made in full when you arrive. The programme will not be available to you until this is paid
- Do not expect everything to be exactly as you want it - you will likely be outside your comfort zone, and life can get frustrating or hard to understand. Talk to us, or friends, to work through issues - don't let things fester, as it does no-one any good
- Actually, just don't expect anything - life is much easier when you have no expectations or preconceptions. Take things in your stride, embrace the experience, and if you have to process it all, do it later...
Please read all the information carefully before applying. Staff at Mirror are very helpful, extremely friendly and approachable, but very very busy. They will go out of their way to help you, so please do not abuse the privilege. The lives of many people depend on our work, which means that volunteers need to be proactive, resourceful, sociable and generally able to help themselves.
Certificates of volunteering
Certificates of volunteering
We have a set of criteria to determine whether a volunteer receives a certificate. Obviously, behaving in an appropriate manner is top of the list. But also, volunteers who leave early must complete a certain amount of their programme to receive a certificate:
- 1-3 week programme: volunteers must complete the entire programme to receive a certificate (with no work days taken off*)
- 4-12 week programme: volunteer must complete a minimum of 3 weeks to receive a certificate
The volunteer programme runs from the Monday start date to the Saturday afternoon of the final week. Saturday afternoon to Monday evening is volunteer freetime. At all other times, the volunteer should be either working, or onsite at the foundation.
*Days may be deducted when volunteers are unavailable for work or absent without prior consent.
- Category: ⊕ Extra information
REMEMBER...
Final thoughts... Remember!
You are now running on Thai time.
- This means that things won't always happen with military precision! Expect to be flexible about timings and arrangements... everything will slot into place eventually. The important point is that YOU be on time - if others are late, or things get cancelled, then at least YOU can say "I was ready!"... New volunteers can experience frustration when things don't run to a timetable, but try to chill out, relax and if necessary, ask questions.
- Please remember you are a guest in Thailand and are now at an NGO that is trying to help keep Thai cultures.
- Please put your own culture aside and give Thai culture a try.
- Try to fit in to Thai lifestyle. It may not be the same as your country and sometimes not as comfortable for you - but this is a great chance to try and experience Thai lifestyle, food and culture. The staff will try to make your stay comfortable and happy but you shouldn't demand too much that they change to suit your habits and wishes.
- Please also remember that you are living and helping an NGO. The aim of the organisation is to help the Hilltribe people. Although we want to give you a great time and amazing experience, the main aim of providing help to the hill tribes must come first.
- Please forget about your own comforts and wants for a little while and try the lifestyle of service to others.
- Lastly - please remember the staff are here all the time and work very hard. They may not have had a holiday for a long time. They will often put themselves out to help you, so be aware that you don't ask too much of them. Help Mirror take care of their staff members.
- Category: ⊕ Extra information