What prequisites, skills, knowledge, or training are required to volunteer?

The LIS Volunteer Waiver And Agreement must be signed and returned to us. Your application will not be approved until we receive it.

Your Clinic Application must be submitted and approved.

The Mandatory Training For Clinic Volunteers must be completed by you prior to the actual clinic. By applying for a clinic, you agree that you will understand this material by the start date. Not completing this training will cause delays and additional overhead during the clinic.

What’s the dress code and code of conduct?

The LIS Volunteer Waiver And Agreement includes the code of conduct. It must be signed and returned to us before your application is accepted.

This document includes the dress code. Please keep in mind that our clinics are often in countries which are more socially conservative than the U.S.

What are working conditions like? Hours? Environment?

The hours can be long. Clinic days start early and will run through late afternoon or early evening. There are often dinners with the host club during the evening at a different location before returning to the hotel. On clinic days, expect your time to be fully committed.

Working conditions at the clinic can be basic. Toilet facilities and climate control may not meet U.S standards.

Are travel requirements and logistics (flights, vaccinations,visas, lodging, transportation, food) arranged by Lions In Sight?

• Passports, vaccinations, visas, and flight arrangements are your responsibility.
• Lodging, transportation at the host site, and meals are usually pre-arranged by Lions in Sight (there are exceptions. Clarify with the clinic Lead). This applies to night before and the nights of the scheduled clinic dates. If you plan to arrive at the destination earlier or stay later for personal reasons, you must arrange and pay for these yourself.

What can I expect for lodging and meals?

Lodging is generally arranged and paid for by the host Lions Club (there are exceptions. Clarify this with the clinic Lead). Since these are working trips and not vacations, be flexible. Your accommodations may be fine or may not meet common U.S. standards.

• The location may be distant from tourist oriented sights, restaurants and shops.
• The hotel breakfast will likely meet local expectations but may not meet those of foreign guests.
• The staff may not speak English.
• There might be a lack of amenities that some Americans expect in even basic accommodations. For example, you may not have air conditioning and hot water availability might be erratic.
• If you are alone, you’ll likely share a room with another volunteer.
• You can expect the accommodations to be clean and safe.

• Meals are generally provided by the host Lions Club and are often brought in. It is usually local cuisine and choices are limited.

I would like to arrive before or stay after the clinic to sight see. Can Lions In Sight help me plan or make arrangements?

Planning and arrangement of personal travel is up to you.

I have special needs (e.g. dietary, disability, mobility, medical). Will Lions In Sight accommodate those during the trip?

Generally, no. Streets and buildings are not ADA compliant. The host club will probably not have the ability to provide custom meals or special care. Do not assume that accomodations will be made unless you have written confirmation, or an email, stating such from the clinic Lead.

I don’t speak the language of the destination country. Is that a problem?

While a working knowledge of the host country’s language is ideal, some volunteer translators will be available during the clinic. Even so, it is very helpful to learn basic phrases in the host language, such as greetings, farewells, and “thank you”.

Useful online tools for learning foreign language basics: BBC Language and Duolingo.

What expenses are my responsibility during a clinic trip?

Clinic volunteers are responsible for the following:

• Round trip airfare to the designated clinic airport. The airport affiliated with the clinic is listed here.

• The fees for passports, visas, and innoculations.

• All meals on days when no clinics are scheduled.

• Alcohol and souvenirs.

• Lodging on days before or after specified clinic travel days.

• Transportation to or from the airport on days before or after specified clinic travel days.

What if I don’t care for the lodging or food? Can I make my own arrangements?

This is not usually an option. Since the movement of many people has to be coordinated on a tight schedule, everyone should stay and dine together

Travel to that location seems dangerous or unhealthy. Will I be safe?

You are ultimately responsible for your personal safety and health. But an advantage of staying together for lodging, meals, and transportation is that it's generally safer to travel in a group.

Some Lions In Sight Clinics are scheduled in locations where the U.S. State Department or Center for Disease Control and Prevention advises caution or issues warnings about travel.

Lions In Sight expects all volunteer applicants to research the safety and health conditions in the host country at the U.S. State Department and CDC websites and decide whether they accept the risk of participation in the clinic.

When should I plan on arriving and departing Mexico for a four day clinic trip?

• Arrive no later than early Thursday evening, preferably mid- to late-afternoon.
• Depart no earlier than Sunday at 9:00 am.
• Volunteers are welcome to personally pay and arrange for an extension of their trip after the clinic ends. Travel details should be provided to the team lead.

When should I plan on arriving and departing for a week-long clinic trip?

• Arrivals: Plan to arrive sometime on Saturday or early Sunday morning. Travel to and set up of clinic sites is done on Sunday afternoons.
• Departures: Plan to depart anytime after Saturday noon. Many clinic sites are a considerable distance from the airport and time is needed on Saturday morning to travel to the airport. Prior to making your flight reservations, research the recommended travel time or check with the team lead regarding the distance from the clinic site to the airport.
• Volunteers are welcome to personally pay and arrange for an extension of their trip after the clinic ends.Travel details should be provided to the team lead.

What expenses are covered on a clinic trip?

The local Lions Club provides the following to LIS clinic volunteers (your Team lead will inform you of exceptions):

• Transportation to and from the airport on the specified clinic travel days. A local Lions Club member will greet you at the airport.
• Lodging on the specified clinic days including travel days. All LIS team members reside in the same hotel. Hotel amenities vary greatly and often do not meet U.S. standards.
• Meals on clinic days. The types of meals can vary, including home cooked meals brought to the clinic, meals provided in someone’s home, restaurant meals, or meals in the local Lions’ clubhouse.

What expenses are covered if a clinic is not being hosted by a local Lions Club?

In rare instances this does occur. In that case your team lead will inform you of the expenses you will be responsible for. This could include flights, lodging, meals, and airport transportation.

I'm a doctor who would like to learn more about volunteering. What's it like?

Watch these videos. If you have questions, please contact us.

Our club would like to volunteer for a clinic as a group. Is that possible?

This document explains how to qualify for a club trip. Questions? Contact us.