FAQS

How many participants will there be? 

There will be around 20 volunteers on program.

Am I required to have a COVID-19 vaccination?  Yes. All residential volunteers and staff are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. You may also be asked to provide proof of your vaccination status. 

If you are a day volunteer, you are not required to be vaccinated, but we will require you to be tested when you arrive at the base. We will provide rapid tests.

What does fully vaccinated mean? The term fully vaccinated refers to an individual who has had the single-shot vaccine or both doses of the two-shot vaccine, and two weeks has elapsed since the final dose.  

Do I need to provide proof of my vaccination status? Yes. Please bring your vaccination card with you. The team on the ground may request to see this at any time. 

Do I need to be vaccinated for anything other than COVID-19? Up-to-date Tetanus vaccination is highly recommended. For all other medical questions, we strongly recommend our volunteers consult with a medical professional before traveling. As every individual has their own health needs and levels of acceptable risk, we encourage you to work with your medical professional to decide on the best preventative measures for you. 

Is COVID-19 testing mandatory?  Yes. All Hands and Hearts require all volunteers to take a rapid test , antigen or PCR test within 72 hours of arrival. We are also providing rapid tests upon arrival. 

How long should I volunteer? You are welcome to join the program for as long or short a time as works for you. Some volunteers join for a day or two, others stay much longer. The average length of stay is typically two weeks. 

Can I join the program at any time? We welcome new volunteers to our base Monday through Saturday. Once invited, we will tell you the day we are expecting you to arrive and depart. If you need to make any changes to those dates, please let us know as soon as possible. 

Can I leave the program early? To help us plan our work effectively, we ask that you stay for the time for which you have committed. However, we understand that things happen, so if you do need to change your date, please let us know as soon as you can. 

Will there be time to rest? The work week will run from Monday - Saturday,  and everyone will take Sundays off work to rest and explore. If you are joining for more than 30 days, you must take a mandatory three-day break to allow time for physical and mental rest.