Five lessons from international volunteer placements for nonprofit professionals

We often think about international service in terms of what we can give—our skills, our experience, our time and our willingness to help. Those things matter. But international work also asks something of us. It asks us to listen differently, to adapt, to question our assumptions and, sometimes, to become comfortable not having the answer.

That can be uncomfortable. It can also be one of the most valuable parts of the experience.

My international volunteer experiences in Mongolia, the Philippines, Kenya, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone have shaped how I work, lead, and serve. Each experience was different, but together they reinforced lessons that I continue to carry into nonprofit work today.

For nonprofit professionals considering an international volunteer placement, I would offer five lessons. They are not a checklist for getting the experience “right.” They are ways of thinking that can help us enter unfamiliar environments with humility, resilience, and purpose.

1. Resilience: Growth rarely happens in our comfort zone

Working in an unfamiliar environment can test resilience quickly. There may be isolation, uncertainty, different systems, limited resources, or circumstances that do not unfold as expected. Resilience is not about pretending everything is fine. It is about finding a way to remain present, learn, and keep moving forward.

My experience in Mongolia, where isolation became part of the learning, reminded me that resilience is often less about having a solution, and more about developing the capacity to respond. What can I control? What can I influence? What do I need to accept and navigate?

If you are preparing to go overseas, expect some discomfort. Do not see every difficult moment as a problem to eliminate. Some may be where the greatest learning happens.

2. Listen before you lead

When we bring professional experience into a new environment, it can be tempting to demonstrate our value immediately. We may arrive with ideas, expertise, and a strong desire to help.

But leadership does not always begin with an answer. Sometimes it begins with listening.

Understand what people closest to the work already know. Ask what has been tried. Learn what is working. Listen for what may not be said directly. Local knowledge is expertise. Listening is part of responsible leadership.

A useful question before offering your first recommendation is: “What do I need to understand before I decide what I think?”

3. Cultural intelligence is a leadership skill

Working across cultures makes something very clear: our way of doing things is not the only way of doing things.

Cultural intelligence is more than knowing customs or learning a few phrases. It requires us to recognize that culture influences how people communicate, build relationships, understand authority, solve problems, and define what good work looks like.

It also requires self-awareness. We bring our own culture, professional training, and lived experience into every room. Those influences shape what we notice, and what we assume.

That lesson applies beyond international placements. Canadian nonprofits work with diverse communities, colleagues, volunteers, partners, and funders. The ability to remain curious, notice our assumptions, and adapt our approach is a leadership skill.

When something feels unfamiliar, pause before deciding it is wrong. Ask: “What assumption am I bringing to this situation, and what might I understand differently if I looked at it another way?”

4. Uncertainty develops adaptability

We like plans. Nonprofit organizations need them. But working overseas can teach us that a plan is a guide, not a guarantee.

Conditions change. Information is incomplete. Priorities shift. In Kenya and Sierra Leone, experiences shaped by crisis and recovery reinforced for me how quickly circumstances can require us to rethink what we thought we were there to do.

Adaptability does not mean abandoning purpose. It means staying clear about what we are trying to accomplish while being willing to change how we get there.

I have found it helpful to ask: “Given what we know now, what is the most useful next step?” Hold onto the purpose. Be willing to adjust the path.

5. Service is a two-way exchange

Perhaps the most important lesson is that service should not be viewed as something we simply give to others.

My experiences overseas reinforced the idea that service can be a two-way exchange. We bring skills, experience, and a willingness to contribute. At the same time, we receive knowledge, perspective, relationships, and lessons that can change how we see our work.

When considering an international volunteer placement, ask: “What can I contribute?” and “What can I learn?” There is another question that is just as important: “How can my contribution strengthen local knowledge and leadership rather than replace it?”

Approaching service this way changes how we enter the work. We are not arriving as the person with all the answers. We are arriving as a partner—ready to contribute, listen, and learn.

This is what I mean by giving through service and gaining through experience. The value is not only in what we leave behind, but also in what we carry forward.

Bring the learning home

The value of an international placement does not end when we return home. In many ways, that is when the deeper reflection begins.

What changed in the way you lead? Do you listen differently? Are you more comfortable with uncertainty? Do you recognize your assumptions more quickly? Are you more intentional about creating space for other people’s expertise?

These are not simply lessons for international development. They are lessons for nonprofit leadership.

Working beyond familiar borders has taught me that leadership is not always about knowing what to do. Sometimes it is about knowing when to listen, when to adapt, when to step back and when to keep going.

If you are considering working overseas, go prepared to contribute—but also prepared to learn. Understand the local context before deciding what you can offer. Ask what the organization or community needs, and consider how your contribution can support local leadership rather than replace it.

Bring your skills, your curiosity, and your willingness to listen. Service is not only about what we give. It is also about what we gain, and how we bring that learning forward.

Shelina Gwaduri-Dilgir, MA, CFRE, is Chief Development Officer at HelpAge Canada and a nonprofit and philanthropic leader with more than 25 years of experience spanning fundraising, international development, community leadership, and social impact. A Certified Fundraising Executive, Shelina brings a global perspective shaped by her work across multiple countries and is passionate about purpose-driven leadership, building meaningful partnerships, and mobilizing resources to create lasting social impact for communities in Canada and around the world. She has also been recognized among Women We Admire Top 50 Women Leaders in British Columbia for 2025 and 2026. Connect with Shelina on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgwaduri/ and get more information on her work with HelpAge Canada. https://helpagecanada.ca/

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