Global Village is a meaningful short-term (7-9 days) international volunteer experience with opportunities around the world. By working closely with Habitat country programs, volunteer groups partner with local communities, building or improving homes as part of Habitat’s vision of a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live.

Build solutions include constructing brand-new houses and renovating existing homes to enhance living conditions for families. No construction experience is required as you will learn local and culturally specific solutions that are inherent to the host community. Each build is led by a volunteer team leader trained by Habitat for Humanity Canada in logistics, volunteer management, risk and safety management and finances in order to support leading a group of volunteers in the field.

Global Village offers two ways for you to get involved, depending on whether you are part of a group or an independent volunteer.

Group volunteering (closed teams): If you have a group of 12-16 volunteers, all aged 18 or older, you can organize a closed team to participate in a Global Village build. Your group will need to select a team leader and complete the required training. Closed teams are privately organized by an individual or organization and are by invitation only. If you have a build code from a team leader, you can register on our closed build opportunities page. If you are interested in organizing a team from your school, business, community group or network of friends, please contact us at globalvillage@habitat.ca for more information.

Individual volunteering (open teams): If you are not part of a group, you can still volunteer! Open teams are listed on our build opportunities page from time-to-time and are open to the public. If you are an individual looking to join a team, you can sign up for one that is actively recruiting members. Keep an eye on our build opportunities page for these opportunities.

The exact amount will vary by location but generally ranges from $3,100 to $4,200. Please visit our build opportunities page for details on specific builds, including what is covered for each build.

The minimum contribution is crucial in supporting Habitat’s mission in countries where resources are limited, enabling us to serve more households. The Global Village team will create an online fundraising page for you and support you through your fundraising journey.

Important Details:

An initial deposit of $500 is due within 15 days of your application being accepted.
The balance is due 35 days prior to departure.

Global Village invests both considerable time and financial resources to ensure the safe coordination of teams across the world. Habitat requires a financial contribution from each volunteer to aid in covering the program’s expenses, which can range from $3,100-4,200. This amount serves two purposes:

Direct contribution: It is a contribution to the country programs and supports ongoing program-related efforts.

Volunteer expense coverage: The funds cover volunteer expenses, including:

Construction-related technical oversight and interpretation support at the build site.
Travel accident and sickness insurance.
Trip cancellation insurance.
All meals and accommodations during the build.
Ground transportation.
Social learning exchange activities.
A portion of your team leader’s costs.

Please note that airfare and visa fees, if applicable, are not included in the program costs.

You will experience delicious local foods on a Global Village build. Typically, breakfast is provided at the hotel before volunteers depart for the build site. Lunch is provided on site, usually by local community members or small businesses. Dinner may be at the hotel or in nearby restaurants.

Volunteers will stay in double-occupancy accommodation with the option to request a single-occupancy room for an additional charge (called single supplement). During your program:

You will experience shared meals with the community and Habitat homeowners.
Dietary restrictions will be accommodated as best as possible.
Mealtimes may differ with each location.
Safe drinking water will be provided throughout the program.

The financial contribution for every Global Village build includes coverage for travel accidents and sickness insurance. Habitat for Humanity enrolls each volunteer in this policy, which is effective during the dates of the Global Village build and while participating in volunteer activities supervised by Habitat. This coverage is mandatory and cannot be declined.

Please note that this insurance only provides coverage during the official dates of the build and while engaged in Habitat-supervised activities. If you plan to extend your travel before or after the build or participate in activities outside the scope of the policy, you will not be covered by Habitat’s insurance. In such cases, Global Village strongly advises you to independently purchase medical insurance for any additional travel.

Habitat for Humanity Canada encourages volunteers to fundraise. All contributions above $20 made towards a Global Village build are eligible for a tax receipt, as they support the charitable work of Habitat Canada. Your personal fundraising page on Habitat Canada’s Global Village Volunteer Centre will allow you to set or update fundraising goals, send emails to potential donors, and track donations. Donors will receive an electronic tax receipt once donations are confirmed. All contributions are nonrefundable and nontransferable.

All contributions, whether from Global Village build participants or their donors, are eligible for tax receipts, as they are made voluntarily in support of Habitat Canada’s charitable work. Donors will receive a thank-you email and a tax receipt from Habitat Canada.

You cannot be reimbursed or transfer funds to a future build should you raise money above and beyond your target. Since contributions made towards your Global Village participation are eligible for tax receipts, the funds must be used for legitimate Global Village purposes as outlined in the donation policy. Any money raised beyond the initial targets will be directed to support Habitat for Humanity’s Global work, supporting Habitat’s mission in countries where resources are limited, enabling us to serve more households.

Funds raised towards your participation in a Global Village build are non-refundable. This includes the initial deposit, the balance, and any additional funds raised. If you are unable to participate on a scheduled build, Habitat for Humanity Canada will work with you to find another suitable build. However, it cannot be refunded or transferred to another individual.

If the build is cancelled due to a covered reason, you may be eligible to submit an insurance claim for compensation, with a maximum amount of up to $2,500 USD, which could include non-refundable flight costs.

Volunteers should not book their flights until the build is officially confirmed. A build is confirmed once the team has reached the minimum required number of volunteers and deposits have been received from all team members.

A final Go/No-Go decision will be made 70 days before the build start date. Once the build is officially confirmed, you will receive a notification from Habitat for Humanity Canada, at which point you can proceed with booking your flights.

We make every effort to conduct builds as scheduled. However, if Habitat for Humanity must cancel a build, we will attempt to place you on another team or re-route the team to a different location. We strongly recommend that you purchase flight travel cancellation insurance. Habitat for Humanity Canada will not be responsible for any expenses incurred due to changes initiated by the participant or costs for unusable airfare or any other expenses resulting from the cancellation.

Connect with your local Habitat for opportunities to support global housing such as advocacy, volunteering for building and renovation projects in your community, or volunteering with a local Habitat ReStore.

If you have any additional questions, please contact globalvillage@habitat.ca

Global Village frequently asked questions