© Pexels What is WWOOFing or “Work for Accommodation”? WWOOF stands for the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms organisation that connects volunteers with hosts so they are able to work for accommodation, food and cultural experience. In exchange, the hosts get someone to help with one-off projects and seasonal work on their farm. Today, “WWOOFing” is a general term used for the act of working for meals and accommodation on a farm. HelpX is the same concept but includes homestays, ranches, lodges, B&Bs, backpacker hostels and sailing boats. For both schemes, volunteers work for 2-3hours a day, with some flexibility to get days off. For example, some hosts will allow volunteers to work extra hours on one day to get the next day off, and other hosts will give you days off anyway. The timeframe for staying with a host can also be flexible by lasting from one week to a couple of months.

© Pexels WWOOF NZ With an emphasis on sustainability, WWOOF has the aim of spreading the techniques of using organic principles around the world. This means that when searching for host listing on WWOOF NZ website, the host must mention how they farm sustainably. Hosts are split into two categories due to the nature of the work required: WWOOF hosts organically farm livestock and/or horticulture. Hosts must own a farm, smallholding, garden, allotment, vineyard or woodland. Expect to be helping out with jobs such as fruit picking, pruning, docking tails, milking, feeding, making compost, etc. Cultural exchange hosts usually have social or conservation projects, such as building, crafts, animal care and sustainable tourism. For a more detailed look at what it’s like to do WWOOFing, check out Everything You Need to Know About WWOOFing in New Zealand. How to Sign up to WWOOF The membership fee for both volunteer (up to two people per membership, great for couples!) and the host is NZ$40 for the first 14 months then NZ$20 to renew for another year. Because the host also pays to use this service, you can expect the hosts to be more genuine. Plus, people can report a bad WWOOFing experience, so dodgy hosts can be taken off the website. For tips on how to make your WWOOF profile stand out, head over to How to Create a WWOOF Profile That Hosts Can’t Refuse! To sign up to WWOOFing and browse the host database, simply set up an account on the WWOOF.co.nz website.

© Pexels HelpX Free membership is given to volunteers. The free membership for volunteers is only a taster of the listings. The volunteer cannot get the contact details for a host without buying a membership of NZ$36 for two years. By paying for the membership, volunteers get the same information as they would on the WWOOF NZ website listings. Plus, there are extra categories of work, especially working in a hostel for accommodation. This is ideal for those looking for other work for accommodation options where they can choose to hone different skills, rather than exclusively farming. Due to fewer host regulations on HelpX, make sure to read the reviews! Thankfully, HelpX encourages users to submit reviews so you can usually get a lot of information. The conditions are more flexible with HelpX hosts too, for example, you can do 2 hours a day with some hosts but then the volunteer may not get food in exchange. Ask plenty of questions by contacting the host, making sure both volunteer and host meet each other’s needs. For more information about the advantages of using HelpX, see Everything You Need to Know About HelpX in New Zealand.