Workaway: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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{{Short description|Online homestay platform}}

{{Infobox website

| name = Workaway.info

| logo = Workaway_logo.png

| logocaption =

| screenshot =

| type =

| collapsible = no

| collapsetext = Show screenshot

| caption = Screenshot of Workaway's homepage.

| language = English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese ▼

| url = {{URL|www.workaway.info}}

| area_served = Worldwide

| industry = [[Travel industry]]▼

| area_servedowner = WorldwideVEN ltd

| founder = David Milward

| registration = Optional, site can be browsed without registering. Signing-up as a host is free. Paid and unpaid subscriptions for volunteers.▼

▲| industry = [[Travel industry]]

▲| language = English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese

| owner url = VEN ltd{{URL|https://www.workaway.info/}}

▲| registration = Optional, site can be browsed without registering. Signing-up as a host is free. Paid and unpaid subscriptions for volunteers.

| launch_date = {{Start date and age|2002|04|17|df=yes/no}}

| current_status = Online

}}

{{Homestay service}}▼

'''Workaway''' is a platform that allows members to provide or seek unpaid [[homestay]]s in exchange for a specified amount of household work, usually 4-5 hours per day.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/oct/17/free-working-holiday-spain-beach | last=Bowes | first=Gemma | title=Spain for free - a working holiday | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=17 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=https://eu.capecodtimes.com/story/lifestyle/2012/03/04/budget-travel-website-offers-work/49715333007/ | title=Budget Travel: Website offers work-for-room-and-board abroad | last=Frommer | first=Arthur | authorlink=Arthur Frommer | work=[[Cape Cod Times]] | date=4 March 2012}}</ref> Volunteers must pay a [[subscription fee]] to use the platform.

The work opportunities on offer are varied and based in a wide range of countries around the world. Some types of volunteering available include gardening, animal-care, childcare, creative projects, cooking and farming,<ref>{{Cite news | last=Finn | first=Christine | url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2011/jan/15/volunteer-creative-community-germany | title=Culture clubs: volunteering in creative communities | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=15 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | last=Bowes | first=Gemma | url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/oct/17/working-holidays-free-worldwide | title=Five great Workaway working holidays | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=17 October 2009}}</ref> language teaching,<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://english.elpais.com/economy-and-business/2024-03-31/heres-the-deal-a-little-work-for-a-ticket-to-fiji.html | title=Here’s the deal: A little work for a ticket to Fiji | first=Susana | last=Carrizosa | work=[[El Pais]] | date=31 March 2024}}</ref> and construction work as well as more specialist and niche help requeststasks.<ref>{{Cite news | last=Dixon | first=Rachel | url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/feb/01/tips-for-esaping-volunteering-housesitting-working-abroad | title=How to escape: tips and sites for working or volunteering abroad | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=1 February 2016}}</ref>▼

'''Workaway''' is a platform that allows members to arrange [[homestay]]s and cultural exchange. Volunteers or "Workawayers", are expected to contribute a pre-agreed amount of time per day in exchange for [[lodging]] and food, which is provided by their host.<ref>Bowes, Gemma. [https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/oct/17/free-working-holiday-spain-beach "Spain for free - a working holiday"], ''[[The Guardian]]'', London, 17 October 2009. Retrieved on 8 March 2012.</ref><ref>Frommer, Arthur. [http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120304/LIFE06/120309943/-1/NEWSMAP "Budget Travel: Website offers work-for-room-and-board abroad"], ''[[Cape Cod Times]]'', Cape Cod MA, 4 March 2012. Retrieved on 8 March 2012</ref>

Workaway is aimed at budget travellers<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.bigissue.com/life/workaways-how-to-travel-the-world-without-spending-a-penny/ | title=Workaways: How to travel the world without spending a penny | first=Rory | last=Buccheri | work=[[The Big Issue]] | date=20 November 2023}}</ref> and language learners looking to become more immersed in a foreign country while allowing hosts to meet like-minded people who can provide inexpensive work. It has been described as a useful way to improve foreign language skills<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/student/travelling-on-a-student-budget-8469379.html | title=Travelling on a student budget | last=Utton | first=Charley | work=[[The Independent]] | date=28 January 2013}}</ref> as well as an opportunity to develop new talents and learn about local traditions.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jul/12/working-holidays-volunteering-breaks-lessons-learned | title=Working holidays: my volunteering breaks and the lessons learned | last=Rainsford | first=Cat | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=12 July 2014}}</ref>

==How it works==

Hosts register at workaway.info and are expected to provide information about themselves, the type of help they require to be performed, the accommodation they offer and the sort of person they are expecting.<ref>[http://www.workaway.info/information-for-hosts.html "Workaway.info information for hosts"]</ref> Workawayers create an online profile including personal details and any specific skills they might have, after which they can contact hosts through the website and discuss a possible exchange.<ref>[http://www.workaway.info/information-for-travellers.html "Workaway.info information for travellers"]</ref>

One of the benefits for potentially isolated communities or people is the chance to bring the world to them via travellers using the site. Travellers can then profit from their host's knowledge of regional places of interest and their local environment. The ability to share space with a variety of people has been shown to enable cultural exchange and the chance to learn more about how others see the world. <ref name="infranken">{{cite web |url=https://www.infranken.de/regionallk/forchheim/hochstall-4-bietet-raum-fuer-talente-aus-aller-welt;art216,-art-3922198|website=infranken.de|language=German |title=Hochstall 4 bietet Raum für Talente aus aller Welt |author trans-title=Hochstall 4 offers space for talents from all over the world | last=Roepert, | first=Ekkehard |datewebsite=17infranken.de December|language=German 2018|accessdatedate=317 JanuaryDecember 20192018}}</ref>▼

▲The opportunities on offer are varied and based in a wide range of countries around the world. Some types of volunteering available include gardening, animal-care, cooking and farming,<ref>{{Cite news | last=Finn | first=Christine | url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2011/jan/15/volunteer-creative-community-germany | title=Culture clubs: volunteering in creative communities | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=15 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | last=Bowes | first=Gemma | url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/oct/17/working-holidays-free-worldwide | title=Five great Workaway working holidays | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=17 October 2009}}</ref> as well as more specialist and niche help requests.<ref>{{Cite news | last=Dixon | first=Rachel | url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/feb/01/tips-for-esaping-volunteering-housesitting-working-abroad | title=How to escape: tips and sites for working or volunteering abroad | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=1 February 2016}}</ref>

==History==▼

Workaway is aimed at budget travellers and language learners looking to become more immersed in the country and culture they are journeying through while allowing local hosts to meet like-minded people who can provide the help they require.<ref>[http://www.workaway.info/ "Workaway.info"]</ref><ref>Borns, Patricia. [http://www.boston.com/travel/getaways/us/california/articles/2009/08/23/working_your_way/?page=2 "Working your way"], ''[[The Boston Globe]]'', Boston, 23 August 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2012.</ref> It has been described as a useful way to improve foreign language skills <ref>Utton, Charley [https://www.independent.co.uk/student/travelling-on-a-student-budget-8469379.html], ''[[The Independent]]'', London, 28 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.</ref> as well as an opportunity to develop new talents and learn about local traditions.<ref>Rainsford, Cat [https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jul/12/working-holidays-volunteering-breaks-lessons-learned], ''[[The Guardian]]'', London, 12 July 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.</ref>

Workaway was founded by David Milward and launched in April 2002. While building an off-grid house in Southern Europe, Milward often met travelers willing to work in exchange for lodging.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/travel/why-you-should-work-your-way-around-the-world | title=Why You Should Work Your Way Around the World | first=Jess | last=Simpson | work=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]] | date=September 21, 2015}}</ref> On returning home, he started offering a room in his own house in exchange for help on the land and the Workaway concept began.

==Controversies==

▲One of the benefits for potentially isolated communities or people is the chance to bring the world to them via travellers using the site. Travellers can then profit from their host's knowledge of regional places of interest and their local environment. The ability to share space with a variety of people has been shown to enable cultural exchange and the chance to learn more about how others see the world. <ref name="infranken">{{cite web|url=https://www.infranken.de/regional/forchheim/hochstall-4-bietet-raum-fuer-talente-aus-aller-welt;art216,3922198|website=infranken.de|language=German|title=Hochstall 4 bietet Raum für Talente aus aller Welt|author=Roepert, Ekkehard|date=17 December 2018|accessdate=3 January 2019}}</ref>

Volunteering may be regulated in some countries by [[labour law]]s. Hosts may face fines and volunteers and [[migrant worker]]s may require specialty visas and violations may be subject to significant sanctions, such as [[deportation#Contemporary|deportation]] and further entry ban.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/jan/17/workaway-volunteering-holidays-uk-hosting-ended-brexit | title=I loved being a Workaway host but now Brexit has ended it in the UK | first=Katie | last=Glass | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=17 January 2023}}</ref>

[[Exploitation of labour]] is another legal concern, as providing food and shelter for work has been compared to a modern form of slavery.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://grapevine.is/news/2016/02/18/unions-warn-against-volunteer-jobs/ | title=Unions Warn Against Volunteer Jobs | first=Andie Sophia | last=Fontaine | work=[[The Reykjavík Grapevine]] | date=February 18, 2016}}</ref>

Workaway charges the 'Workawayer' a yearly membership fee to connect to hosts but does not charge the host a fee to list. The duration of an exchange can range from as little as a few days to over a year.

▲==History==

The idea for Workaway came about through the founder's travelling experiences. After extending his stay in [[Hawaii]] in the early 1990s by working in the hostel in which he was staying, he realized many travelers wanted to be more than just [[tourists]]. On returning home, he started offering a room in his own house in exchange for help on the land and the Workaway concept began.

==Controversy==

As with any platform, both the host and the guest must reach agreements in terms of amount and quality of work. The platform itself is intended to provide connection between them. Volunteering may be regulated in some countries, so hosts inexperienced in [[labour law]]s may face fines and [[migrant worker|guest workers]] may be a subject to significant sanctions, such as [[deportation#Contemporary|deportation]] and further entry ban. ''[[Exploitation of labour]]'' is another legal concern, as providing food and shelter for work has been compared to a modern form of slavery.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

==See also==

* [[Gift economyCouchSurfing]]

* [[Homestay]]▼

* [[WWOOF]]

▲* [[Homestay]]

* [[Hospitality Club]]

* [[CouchSurfing]]

==References==

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* {{Official website|https://www.workaway.info/}}

▲{{Homestay service}}

[[Category:Cultural exchange]]

[[Category:Hospitality exchange services]]