Best foot forward

Count turtles in the Seychelles

It's not cheap but it is probably the ultimate experience for a scuba-diving enthusiast. This is a rare opportunity to be part of a scientific research team, diving the reef as you collect data on coral and fish and taking part in vital surveys of whale shark, turtle, octopus and lobster species. Be prepared to spend the first fortnight in intensive teaching sessions. Price from £1,745 (Dh9,368) for five weeks, excluding flights. Departures on July 2, August 6, October 1 and November 5. Book on www.responsibletravel.com/Trip/Trip101021.htm

Help street children in Peru

If you can handle a hammer, you can make a difference to the lives of streetchildren in Peru. The Vine Trust's working parties offer basic manual labour to help build and maintain centres for abandoned boys and girls in a country where thousands of children are "lost" by parents who can no longer afford to care for them. Your two-week visit will take in the capital, Lima, and one of the charity's more remotely located centres — which will most likely mean a jungle expedition. And you can opt to stay on to visit Macchu Picchu and the Inca Trail. Price £900 (Dh4,835) for two weeks, excluding flights; £300 (Dh1,612) goes to building materials. Book via www.vinetrust.org/workparties

Crew a tall ship

Sailing a 55-foot ship isn't something many people can claim to do — and that's the point of the Jubilee Sailing Trust's holidays. It operates a buddy system which pairs able-bodied and physically disabled crew members in an environment so challenging that no one has an advantage. Involved in every part of running the ship, from helming to scrubbing the decks, you can take a day trip to Jersey or a longer expedition in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean. Price from £135 (Dh731) for a daysail to £1,350 (Dh7,305) for a month-long passage to Antigua. Book on www.jst.org.uk

Join a South African village

The village of Mapoch, 40 kilometres outside Pretoria, was hit hard during the apartheid years: Villagers were forced from their land to an area with no infrastructure and little employment. People and Places UK, named "best volunteering organisation" in the Responsible Tourism Awards 2009, has worked with the Mapoch's Ndebele community to set up businesses, amenities and education projects. Whether your skills are practical (construction, crafts, etc) or cerebral (IT, teaching, business and marketing), they can find a way for you to help the village. Price from £1,295 (Dh6,957) for four weeks, excluding flights. Book via www.responsibletravel.com/Trip/Trip900591.htm

Care for Cambodian orphans

Caring for about 50 children of all ages, the orphanage feels like a family home. It offers educational and vocational opportunities, including a workshop, beauty salon and an arts and crafts centre. Volunteers help to widen the children's horizons with new skills and languages. Accommodation is at a large house in the centre of the town; Phnom Penh is an hour and a half away and there is plenty of opportunity for sightseeing. Price from £399 (Dh2,144) for two weeks. Book on www.thepodsite.co.uk/projects-destinations/cambodia-orphanage.html

Preserve the environment

Whether it's building hiking trails in Iceland's National Parks or coppicing on the banks of the Kennet, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers runs holidays that offer a chance to get back to nature. There are more than 200 holidays a year on offer; accommodation can range from a humble tent to a luxury cottage. You'll need to arrange your own travel and expect to cook your own meals. Present deals include £180 (Dh967) for seven nights, protecting butterfly habitats in Dartmoor; £570 (Dh3,064) for ten nights and cultivating orchards in Romania. Book via www.btcv.org

Join the blind in an adventure

Blind filmmaker Amar Latif came up with Traveleyes' unique tours, in which blind and sighted travellers holiday together in equal numbers. In return for a discounted holiday, you'll use your eyes to share the experience with your companions, whether it's Turkey's Turquoise Coast, the golden beaches of California or Florence's majestic Campanile. Traveleyes has won Latif several awards and its customers, both sighted and blind, keep coming back. Price from £499 (Dh2,684) for eight days. Book via www.traveleyes-international.com

Coach sports in Brazil

Infected by World Cup fever? Responsible Travel's football break in Brazil offers you the chance to play the beautiful game in the most obsessed nation on earth. In one of the poorest areas of Rio, you'll help at a club specially created for children who would otherwise be on the streets: no coaching qualifications necessary, just an enthusiasm for the game that matches theirs. And it's not just footy — other projects cover a wide range of sports from athletics to volleyball and dance to martial arts. Prices from £795 (Dh4,274) for 14 days, excluding flights. Book via www.responsibletravel.com/Trip/Trip902407.htm

Run a stately home

For variety and value, few organisations can match the National Trust's working holidays, where you help to protect some of Britain's most beautiful countryside and historic houses. For £90 (Dh484) a week, staying in hostel-style accommodation, the trust offers hundreds of different activities, from goat-herding and dry stone walling to archaeology and children's work; some also provide the opportunity for outdoor pursuits such as surfing and sailing. New projects this year include tending the medieval knot garden at Norbury in Derbyshire and helping run a food fair at the romantic Godolphin estate in Cornwall. Prices from £55 (Dh296) for a weekend. Book via www.nationaltrust.org.uk/workingholidays

Wash an elephant in Thailand

You don't have to join the circus to work with elephants. At a wildlife rescue centre in Tha Yang, Thailand, volunteers work alongside professional mahouts (keepers) to walk, water, feed and bathe the animals. The six domesticated elephants here have been rescued from the city streets, where they were used for begging; with up to ten others, you can spend a week or three getting to know these magnificent creatures. It's not all clearing dung: Bangkok is two and a half hours away and there are tropical beaches close by. Price From £425 (Dh2,286) for one week, excluding flights. Book via www.thepodsite.co.uk/projects-destinations/elephant-care.html

Volunteering in the UAE

II The Environmental Agency is keen to have volunteers become involved, particularly in work related to environmental education and awareness. Visit www.ead.ae for information.

II EWS/WWF operates a volunteer programme open to anyone who can spare a few hours a month to assist with conservation work in the UAE. Activities range from administration and fundraising, wildlife surveys and clean-up operations to educational presentations and awareness campaigns. Visit www.uae.panda.org/ for details.

II Gulf4Good raises funds for specific projects through encouraging people living in the region to participate in fun and energetic challenges and activities, from hiking to running. The group tries to match tasks to volunteers' individual skills, whether it be writing press releases or running fitness skills courses. Visit www.gulf4good.org for information.

II The Special Needs Families is a group of families with individuals with special needs who support each other. Their volunteer group includes teenagers, young adults, retired schoolteachers, airline crew and everyone in between and extends from classroom activities. Visit www.snfgroup.com for more information.