Tuesday, December 13, 2016

How To Join WWOOF?


You have probably heard before about "Wwoofing," but have you ever asked yourself what it is? "Wwoofing" is a movement which began in England in 1971, and it is based on the simple concept of exchange between an organic farm (or host) and a volunteer (or wwoofer). On one side the host is going to bring accommodation and meal, and on the other side, the wwoofer is going to bring his working skills to the life of the farm. There are no contractual reports between both sides and it is not about a contract of employment, which means that the wwoofer is not going to get paid any money.



WWOOF, World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, is an international network acting for the promotion of the wwoofing. It is an organization that is registered in the UK and it is with non-lucrative purpose. On its website, you can find a list of all the national organizations of wwoofing, which you can go to, in order to be able to wwoofer worldwide. The WWOOF intends to make sure that the national organizations and the "hosts" respect well the first idea of the project. It does not exist, however, neither standards nor bodies of control, which can give evidence, in a certain way, of the seriousness or the quality of such or such organization.



The candidates for wwoofing will have to, in most of the cases, to pay one small contribution (generally 15 euros) to the national organization of the country in which they wish to go, to allow him to continue its work of referencing hosts.


How to apply to become a wwoofer?



1- Check the website of WWOOF, to know more about the wwoofing and to find the national organization of the country which interests you.



2- Go then on the website of the national organization of the country, which intersts you, and pay your contribution.

3- Get in touch with a host and check the conditions of your stay including: working schedules, number of meals, accommodation etc.


What permit or visa you need to be a wwoofer?



If you wish to become a wwoofer in one of the member states of the European Union, you are free to circulate without need to other documents than your French, Italian, Spanish or whatever identity papers during three months. But you have to indicate your presence on the territory to the national authorities. For it is generally enough to go at the post of police or in the city hall of your place of residence.



If you wish to become a wwoofer in Australia, Canada or New Zealand, for example, you have to get yourselves a Work Holiday Permit (WHP).



If you wish to become a wwoofer in the United States, it's not easy to get a via. Even if the wwoofing is not a paid activity, it is considered as work by American authorities. Consequently, in theory, you have to obtain a working visa to be a wwoofer in the United States. It is not advised to get a tourist visa to the USA and then use it as a cover to become a wwoofer in the country,because this process is considered illegal in the eyes of the American services of immigration.

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