Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.
~Mother Teresa
Volunteer FAQ
Due to Covid 19 and current travel restrictions, we are unable to accept volunteers at this time.
However, we are still accepting applications and will resume interviews once Thailand’s international borders open.
Q: Where does Sew Free have volunteer opportunities?A. International volunteer opportunities are only in Thailand.
Q: What is the minimum amount of time I can volunteer for?A. We require textile educators to commitment to a minimum of 1 month, English teachers two months, and counselors/mentors six months or longer. If you are coming to Thailand on vacation and you would like to visit our facility, you may only do a day tour.
Q: Are there any other opportunities to volunteer for other than the ones listed?A. Yes, we are open to other educators and coming. We do need volunteers for administrative roles, social media, and graphic design. If you feel that you can provide something useful to our students and our organization, please submit an application and we will take your skill sets into consideration.
Q: Is Sew Free a faith-based organization?A. Yes, we and our parent organization, Free Rain International, are faith-based organizations, but we do not require those we serve to be part of our faith to receive vocational training and holistic care.
Q: Will I have to or can I do outreach in the brothels/bars if I am applying to be an educator?A. Our outreach decides this on a person by person basis according to the needs of our organization. We do not do outreach year round.
Q: How do I know if I’m a good candidate for this type of work?A. If you have an open and willing heart, feel led to apply, and are over the age of 18, then you are a candidate.
Q: How do I contact you if I have questions about the program?A. All information about our program can be found on our site and our parent organizations site freerainint.org. Please submit an application before sending questions.
Q: Does Sew Free provide housing for me while I am volunteering?A. No, you will need to find your own housing, but our staff are happy to assist you in your search. Airbnb is a great resource to use for finding housing.
Q: How will I get around while I am volunteering?A. Our staff in Thailand each rent a motorbike for their transportation. To do this you will need to get an international driver’s license from AAA. If you aren’t comfortable with this, you can use public transportation. In addition, the Grab app is available as well as public busses, taxis, and motorbike taxis.
Q: Will I be able to use my phone and is there Wi-Fi available?A. Yes, Wi-Fi and SIM cards are affordable and readily available in each country. Wifi can be spotty a times, but it is available. If selected to become a volunteer you will receive more information on this in the Welcome Packet.
Q: As a textile artist, am I required to provide my work to volunteer?A. Yes. We would love to see your work or portfolio. There will be a space for you to provide your work on the application.
Q: I have certain strengths and weaknesses in textiles. What will I be teaching?A. We definitely want you to use your strengths as you teach. If you are a quilter, we would’t require you to focus on knitting. If you are a seamstress, we would require to focus specifically on needlepoint. We are flexible and encourage you to apply so that we can discuss your teaching strengths further.
Q: When will I hear if my application has been approved or denied?A. We receive a lot of applications and take each one seriously. We are limited to how many volunteers we are able to accept each year. We ask for your patience as it may take two months or longer to hear back on your application process. We do apologize as not all applicants will be accepted.
Q: What can I or should I wear when I’m in volunteering? Is there a dress code?A. Yes, we have a dress code for each country. If you are asked to be a Sew Free volunteer, this as well as other more specific items will be covered in the Welcome Packet.
Q: What is the weather like in Thailand/South East Asia?A: Hot! Hot! Hot! Temperatures cool to 70ºF/21ºC during the months of November to January. Temperatures rise to 110ºF/43ºC during the months of March to May. Rainy season is during the months of August to October, but it tends to rain sporadically throughout the year.
Q: How much money will I need to raise?A. This will depend on you length of stay. Please submit an application where we can further discuss a time commitment. Once you know how long you will be staying we can work on a budget and you can fundraise.
Q: Will I need a visa to travel and is it easy to obtain?A: The length of your stay will determine if you will need a visa to travel to Thailand. If you are staying for 30 days or less, you will receive a visa on arrival in customs at the airport. If you are staying longer, you may need to apply for a 60-90 day visa. Please apply and we can discuss your visa options further.