How to make a good Host profile

Your profile is there to help Workawayers decide if they're the right candidate for you. It’s a window into your house, property or project, and having it furnished in the right way helps you to attract the Workawayers and skills you are looking for.

Whether you are hosting as a family or an organisation, it’s great to talk about your background briefly to let Workawayers learn more about what kind of people they might spend their time with. You may want to mention who the members of your family or your organisation are plus your hobbies and favourite activities etc.It's always important to familiarise people with your area or place, including any cultural attractions or other things to do. Letting Workawayers know how to get around is another great way to help orientate your proposed guests.

It's good to indicate how Workawayers can benefit from helping you. Maybe you can teach another language, or give them some discount in your shops, or even offer them access to your tourist activities.

It always helps a great deal if you touch upon the qualities that would make a Workawayer the perfect person to stay with you. Do you prefer a talkative outgoing person to laugh and chat with at the dinner table? Maybe you would love to have a creative soul to bring some artistic inspiration? Or someone who craves adventure that you could take on a spontaneous field trip over the weekend? Or possibly someone who is more spiritual to join you at a Yoga session? Do the Workawayers need any essential knowledge, expertise or skills for the help you need? Try to include as much detail as possible about the help you are looking for:

Is there a fixed schedule?
Does the Workawayer need a driving license?
Do need help with a project that requires the helper to be physically strong?
Or perhaps you'd like your 5 year old daughter to learn English with someone who has lots of patience?
Maybe you have some IT projects that need attention, so Workawayers with programming or computer abilities would be an advantage?
Do you run a pet sanctuary and be unable to put-up Workawayers if they are allergic to cats?
Are you a non-profit organisation helping the impoverished needing Workawayers who can empathise or share the same vision?

Apart from the specific requirements you are asking for due to the type of jobs on offer, we always encourage mentioning what is unique or diverse about your project. Finding the ideal candidates and getting lots of jobs done is important, but don't forget that Workawayers travel to help out abroad in exchange for an authentic cultural experience. No matter what skills a particular person possesses, there is always something they are good at. Hosts should help them to integrate in local society and interact with them as much as they can.

Type of Accommodation

Hosts should be clear about the type of accommodation on offer and its facilities, so Workawayers will know what to expect before their arrival. Keep in mind that while most Workawayers have great adaptability to an alien environment, no-one is perfect! Some could get really freaked out by flying insects, while others may have a special fascination for exotic pets.

Be sure to advise Workawayers about any potential special circumstances so they can prepare themselves.

Extra Information

If you have a specific diet, such as being vegetarian or vegan, it's worth talking about this in your profile too. Mentioning the type of meals that a Workawayer can expect will likely save you some time answering emails about this subject. Do you only receive Workawayers during certain periods? Is there an internet café nearby if there is no internet access at your property? Do you accept smokers in the house? Do you live in an apartment on the 7th floor where there is no lift? Do you prefer to go to bed early or late? Do you live in the countryside with no public transport?Try to think of everything a guest should know before confirming their visit. The more information you provide, the greater number of suitable Workawayers you will attract. Your potential Workawayer will appreciate knowing as much detail as possible in advance, and be that much more prepared to be a wonderful helper for you!

Safety

Site FAQs

Any questions?

What do hosts need to provide for Workawayers?

You should be able to provide a welcoming, friendly environment for Workawayers.

Workaway is primarily about cultural exchange and learning opportunities so it’s important that you interact with your visitors as much as you can and make them feel part of the family, community or team. Hosts generally are asked to provide accommodation and food in exchange for help from Workawayers of around 4-5 hours per day 5 days a week.

For hosts who are businesses (or asking for help with a business activity) free accommodation plus at least minimum wage should be offered for each hour worked.

Who can become a host?

Workaway is open to all and our hosts come in many different shapes and sizes! We are a global community with Workawayers being welcomed in many different locations around the world - in cities, villages, on farms and boats, in small eco-communities and even in the middle of the jungle. The help asked for is just as diverse from babysitting to animal welfare to building treehouses for example. Every profile is assessed by our team on an individual basis and we look forward to reading about your place and how hosting Workawayers could make a positive impact.

Does it cost to register as a host?

No, to register as a host is totally free. Though we do encourage hosts to make a donation to charity.

What information should I include as a host?

When creating your profile, include plenty of info about the people involved, your place, the local area and the activities that Workawayers could do in their spare time. It's a great idea to include a description of how you will interact with your Workawayers, what you can teach them and what you hope to learn from hosting. The cultural exchange aspect is an important part of how we decide the suitability of a new host profile.

Make sure the help you need is clearly described and what the accommodation offered will be so that your visitors know what to expect. Adding photos to your profile really makes it stand out.

You can add up to 15 photos to your profile once online. It's best to show unique images (i.e images not online elsewhere). These can be of your place, family, project or area.

If you are looking for more than volunteer help you should ensure that you include info about how you are meeting the minimum wage requirements of your country.

Do Workawayers see my contact details or phone number?

No, we provide a way so that they can contact you via the website. Your messages will be delivered to your registered email address as well as appearing in your Workaway inbox. After you have established contact you can choose if you would like to reveal your email address.

Can I use Workaway to find paid employees?

As a listing site, we provide the opportunity for hosts who are businesses (or asking for some help with a business activity) to offer a wage to Workawayers and be listed as a paying host. This is to help hosts comply with any relevant laws in their own country regarding labour and workers.

When calculating payment, we ask hosts to ensure that at least the minimum wage is offered and that this is for every hour worked. Accommodation should be provided for free.

Although we still encourage shared meals as a way to enjoy a cultural exchange, if you pay a wage, you can ask helpers to be responsible for their own food expenses.

Host Helpdesk