Why you might want to work in relief and development (and why you might not)
This chapter gives an overview of what I think are some of the pros and cons of working in international relief and development. Bear in mind that different agencies and different assignments vary greatly – these are the broad brush strokes.
If you find this site at least as useful as a beer, please consider buying my e-book on Amazon! Getting your first job in relief and development
Some of the good things about careers in relief and development work:
A job with meaning that aligns with your values
I count myself very lucky to be able to make a living doing work that is in alignment with my values and the things that I believe in. It seems to me that a lot of people have made peace with the idea that work is something that is separate from your values, from your passions and from your interests – something that fills the work day and pays the bills, and what you really want to do happens on the weekend and evenings. I meet many people who express a level of frustration that the jobs they are in are not providing that level of fulfillment and purpose that they want in their lives. Mission driven organizations provide one way to reconcile the two elements of seeking professional fulfillment and paying the bills.Being a humanitarian aid worker is a lifestyle (a calling, if you will) – not just a job. There is often no sharp distinction between work and the rest of your life, between your interests and passions and your job description. There is an upside to that work that you feel passionately about, and are not doing simply because you are getting paid to.
Opportunities to make a difference
On a good day, it can be the best job in the world. Really. I cannot imagine anything else being as interesting, challenging, exhilarating, and rewarding as some of the jobs I have had. Plus, every now and again, things go right, and you walk away feeling that, for some people, in some places, the world is a better place because of something you did. That’s tremendously powerful and motivating, and it’s what keeps many people doing this. This doesn’t happen every day, and the degree to which you feel a direct link between what you do and change in people’s lives depends on where you sit in the organization, but for most of us, there is a feeling that what we are doing is contributing to making the world a better place.A community of motivated co-workers
The people I have met in this line of work are among the most wonderful friends and colleagues I can imagine. The bonds that are formed working together in intense situations are very powerful, and friendships formed over even a few days can be long lasting (although on occasion this intensity can produce equally high levels of acrimony!) I’ve known some people in the western world for years, and never got beyond small-talk, and have spent a few weeks working intensively with others who I feel I know as well as it is possible to know someone. Being a part of this community of people who share similar values and aspirations is hard to quantify, but it is definitely a positive aspect of the job.Challenge and responsibility
You will likely have more responsibility and authority earlier in your career than you would have in the corporate world. While this can be a double edged sword, it is possible to be given responsibility for multi-million dollar programs and hundreds of staff with comparatively little experience. It can be a sink-or-swim situation, but if you swim, people will give you more and more responsibility. I remember vividly arriving in the office of a major NGO in Albania just as millions of refugees were fleeing war in Kosovo, and being put in charge of a major part of the logistics of supplying the food for hundreds of thousands of people. I tried to explain that I was new, and didn’t know how to do this, and was told that I would have to figure it out, because no one else was there on the ground to do it. I swam, just about, and you likely will too – it’s not that there is no support and training – there is certainly more than there used to be, it’s just that you need to be ready to step up to challenges and expect to be given tasks that are overwhelming. It’s part of the nature of the work – the problems we face are enormous and extremely challenging, and there is often no choice but to attempt to address a problem, even though the skills and resources available are not sufficient.See the world, experience different cultures
Living and working in cultures other than your own can be fascinating and very rewarding. It is quite different from tourism, and lets you get to know a society and understand more about it than other types of travel. There are very few other careers that give you such an opportunity to experience a range of different countries than relief and development work. You will also see things that no one else will see (not all of them will be good, mind you, but they will be fascinating, challenging, and sometimes exciting!) You’ll be there along side the best and most inspiring examples of people working to overcome apparently impossible odds. You’ll find yourself constantly inspired by the determination, ingenuity and resourcefulness of the people with whom you are working.Things that cut both ways:
Pay
While there is a huge range of salaries and benefits, ranging from agencies that only really ‘employ’ volunteers to organizations that pay extremely well, the pay even at the top end with the United Nations and some contractors is generally less than the equivalent in the corporate world. Furthermore, for most people working in the non-profit world, it is decidedly mediocre compared to careers in the private sector.It’s very hard to generalize, but most of the larger international NGOS have pay-scales that allow their employees to live comfortably, and, if you are working overseas the equation changes again.
- Many ex-pats are able to pay less income tax (or even avoid it entirely) in their home country while they are living overseas (you should consult a tax advisor on the specifics of this as tax law changes frequently and is different in each country). This can make a huge difference to your take-home pay, and you should get professional tax advice to make sure you take full advantage of it.
- While it is possible to live extremely expensive lifestyles in capital cities like Jakarta and Nairobi, many postings are in relatively affordable locations where the currency you are earning in will go a long way. In more remote postings there may simply be nothing to spend money on!
- Many international organizations have generous packages of housing, insurance, education for dependent children etc, reducing expenditures further.
- There are sometimes ways to have some student debt deferred or forgiven if you work for a non-profit. You need to look into the specifics of your loans and your university to see what programs are available.
Some of the less good things:
Conditions
Pec, Kosovo, 1999
I’ve been posted in some truly fantastic places, but the reality is that much relief and development work takes place in some of the more challenging locations in the world. In emergencies you may occasionally be called on to live in a tent or share a small room with co-workers, more frequently in insecure environments you may live in the same house or compound as colleagues. You may not have reliable access to the normal amenities of the western world like electricity, hot and cold running water, reliable heat and cooling, and the freedom of movement to explore at your leisure. While aid agencies very rapidly find solutions for providing many of these things to their staff (through generators, water purification systems etc) the conditions in some postings can be distinctly primitive.
Conditions are not always harsh
How big a deal this is to you will determine how long you want to spend in some of the more remote and inaccessible locations. I don’t want to suggest that it was the main reason I left the Balkans, but the idea of facing yet another winter of snow in Kosovo with no reliable heat and power was something that certainly factored into my decision to look for work in South East Asia!
Think seriously about how you feel about access to reliable medical care, social life with people from your culture, speciality food and drink, and other creature comforts, and pick your postings accordingly. Bear in mind that, when you are starting out, you have far less choice. A very informal system of seniority tends to reward those who have ‘paid their dues’, and more senior positions are usually based in regional headquarters offices in more connected capital cities with better amenities.
Workload
The flip side of a values and passion-driven business that is focussed on changing the world is that the employees are often expected to work hard and make sacrifices. Long hours and unpaid overtime and often the norm, and many jobs in the field are meat-grinders – they are emotionally and physically exhausting and people tend to ‘burn-out’ in a few years. This is not to say that organizations themselves are always unreasonably demanding of their staff, but that they often have cultures and work-ethics that are very demanding.This is particularly true in emergency postings, where the first couple of months can especially hectic and sleep-deprived. Some organizations try to mitigate this by providing additional vacation time or rest and recuperation (R&R) for their teams in particularly stressful locations. You need to make sure that you take personal responsibility for managing your workload and stress levels.
It’s not always a feel-good business
Some people want to work in this line of business because they want to help people and feel good about what they are doing. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s worth bearing in mind that it’s not always a feel-good job. In places with high levels of need and suffering where resources are insufficient, neither you nor the beneficiaries of your work will likely feel particularly uplifted by the amount you are able to do. You may spend a lot of your time refusing requests because of inadequate resourcing, deal with donors who are unsympathetic, officials who are uncooperative, or combatants who are unwilling to help. Don’t expect to get a high level of recognition or praise for your efforts, or to feel that you are able to solve all of the problems you will encounter.Relationships and roots
While it creates intense bonds between colleagues, the business can place enormous strains on marriages and relationships. The pace of work, the upheaval of constant and unpredictable travel, separation from loved ones, and other stressors can make stable relationships difficult. Go into it with open eyes, and talk early and often about what is going on. As Jan Davis and Robert Lambert succinctly point out “emergency relief work is frequently carried out in situations where there has been massive breakdown in civil society and where great evil has been perpetrated. Against this background, the immediate benefits to be gained from a comforting, supportive sexual relationship may seem to outweigh the long-term costs of dealing with the consequences of such a relationship when returning to normality. How you deal with these issues is a personal matter, but it is important to be prepared” 1.Think seriously about the strains that this kind of work will place on your family relationships and friendships – not only will you be away for long periods of time, but your experiences will change you, and make it more difficult for you to fit back into old relationships. It’s not impossible by any means, but go into it with your (and your partner’s) eyes open.
1 Engineering in Emergencies – Davis and Lambert.
Further reading
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27 Comments
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How would someone with a strong background in systems administration get a job in the humanitarian field?
Hi Shauna,
I’m not certain I can give you specific advice on this – it may depend on what types of ‘systems administration’ you are into, but in general, the advice is pretty much the same for everyone – you need to get at least some experience living and working in the developing world before any recruiter will look at your resume, no matter how technically impressive it is.
I am 15 years old and would love to be an international aid worker… Would there be anything specific I would need or that would help me when I am taking my A-Levels and further on a degree.
Hi Fran – first of all, good luck with your GCSEs! At this point I would say there isn’t anything specific you need to be doing unless you want to specialize in something like medical or engineering work. Languages never hurt (French or Spanish would open up parts of Africa or Latin America respectively, but only if your languages are good enough to operate without an interpreter), but really I would focus on things that interest you and set you up for a degree you’re interested in. I’m guessing A levels like Geography might be interesting, but I wouldn’t want to suggest they would be specifically helpful from a career standpoint.
My main piece of advice would be to study what interests you, but to look for courses that include travel to the developing world. Get your A levels, and then find a degree course that includes travel, or maybe even a year abroad working somewhere in the developing world, use your summer vacations to travel or intern in the field, and network, network, network! Let us know how you do, Nick
Hi Nick,
My name is Aditi and I am looking for work in the UK (I do have a work visa). I have been working in rural India for the past two and a half years on improving governance through increasing citizen participation. I have worked on improving the implementation of some very crucial government schemes in India.
Apart from this I have also written a few papers and presented them at national and international conferences. I almost always only get calls for internships and never for paid jobs. And I am very disheartened with this. Can you suggest something and would reading your book help me or you have some other suggestion for me? One more thing I also did my MSc from the LSE.
I am not sure if this is the best way to seek advice on my career. I hope you would not mind!
Best
Aditi
Hi Aditi, I’m afraid I don’t know much about getting jobs in the UK, and I’m not sure I really understand what kind of work you’re looking for – it sounds like you are an academic? Good luck with that, I’m sorry it’s not something I can really help with.
Nick
Nick,
I am 21 with a 4 year old son. I have always wanted to do humanitarian and relief work, but since I am a single mother, I’ve put it off. I try to do whatever comes around locally that is avaliable to me. I work with special needs people, I volunteer with Make-A-Wish, and will be spending a few weeks working at an orphanage in India next year. I want to do more, especially on the international level, but I’m not sure thats possible with a son, so I have been studying history in school. Is there any advice you can possibley offer on ways I can help or a career field that is kid friendly or anything else?
Thanks ever so much!
Hi there Elizabeth – first of all, congrats on your son – that’s such a wonderful age!
On the career questions, I would say a couple of things – first you mention studying history in school – I presume that means you are studying for a degree? If so I would encourage you to continue to do that, since having a degree these days is a basic requirement. Second, everything else on this site still applies. It’s a tough field to break into without experience, and experience is tough to get a the best of times, with or without a child.
That said, I don’t want to put you off – there are plenty of people who do this work overseas who have kids, and some who are single parents. Child care and good schools are relatively cheap and it isn’t a bad lifestyle at all to have all the help you need on hand. I would actually break from my normal advice in your case, and encourage you to seek jobs in INGO headquarters, then try to leverage those into field positions. With a child in tow I think that may be the best bet, but let me ask around and see what the sense is from my friends and colleagues with kids in the field.
Hope that helps,
Nick
would like to travel to africa and work with children am a professional women with a bright eager adoptive daughter who would want to travel with me. she wants to exchange her beautiful stuff animal hundreds of them ang give them to every child she meets. would like to be shown her real life counterparts in the wild. please advise web sites that have organization that can accomidate us. thank you laurie
You know, I really try hard to be respectful of wherever people are coming from, and not to come across as negative about ideas that people are exploring. I’m going to make an exception here though. Sorry about that, but better that you hear it from me at this stage than someone less sympathetic down the line.
So, in no particular order, here are my thoughts:
1. You want to travel to ‘Africa’. You should understand that ‘Africa’ is not a thing. It’s the second largest continent in the world, and the second largest population of any continent. I contains north of 50 countries, with diverse cultures, languages, economic situations and geography. I cannot think of a sentence with the word ‘Africa’ in it that would not be better if the word were replaced with some more specific geographic term. Angola is not Algeria, Egypt is not Ethiopia, Zambia is not Zimbabwe. OK. Now I’ve got that off my chest…
2. You want to ‘work with children’, and are a professional. Well, that’s good. I wonder what kind of children you want to work with, in what context, and what professional skills you bring that would not be available locally? Perhaps if I knew more about your geographic intentions, professional skills and languages I could help you more, but in general, the big international children’s agencies would be good places to start. Unicef, Save the Children, etc etc. Of course, they tend to want people with extensive experience managing programs for children, and tend to employ local people in their front-line positions, which is the problem this blog is all about.
3. As to your ‘adoptive daughter’ (and I don’t know why the fact that she is adopted is relevant here, although her age would be), the idea of her traveling with you through ‘Africa’ with hundreds of beautiful stuffed animals, giving them away to the first few hundred children she meets sounds like a nice plot for a Dora the Explorer episode, but in reality is more likely to result in a riot in most of the places where INGOs work.
4. In closing. Please, please, please, I beg you, re-think your plans. What I would suggest, if you have a serious interest in ‘Africa’, is to think a little more about what it is that interests you. Subscribe to National Geographic, and research some places to take your daughter on vacation. Go there a few times, try to make some friends, build some personal relationships with people you meet, perhaps your daughter can become pen-pals with some children she meets. Try to think of this as a genuine exchange of cultural knowledge. Most people, in most parts of the world, are very interested and welcoming of foreigners who are genuinely interested in learning about their language and culture. They may or may not want hundreds of second hand stuffed toys, but who knows?
Good luck,
Nick
Hi!! This site is wonderful! and I’m only on chapter 2! lol
I’m wondering if u might be able to direct me to what’s out there in terms of upper-level non-profit work.
..The highest goal i have been able to set for myself is to become a hum. aid worker.
..but what can i work towards once I’ve begun working in the field? I guess some goals would be to feel fulfilled and live a comfortable lifestyle, & having the funds to visit other countries.
A pre-question to that lol: I was hoping you could direct me to an agency that would hire someone in my position to work abroad as a humanitarian. I am 24yr old woman, have a BA in psychology, studied abroad for a year in Jordan & picked up a minimal understanding of Arabic, visited 5 other countries for vacation, & have a lot of experience working with homeless populations as well as some instructing experience with kids.
My standards I think would be that I just want to make a difference and not freeze to death. lol i would prefer to have a semi-comfortable position to begin with, as to not shock myself too much when first starting out. but i can see how that might not be how it works. I would also prefer East/South-East Asia, South America, or the Middle East, as regions to be stationed. But I would be open to most all opportunities.
Thank you so much for creating this website!
~Chevohn
Hi there – thanks for the feedback – I appreciate it. Might I suggest that you read the rest of the site, which, I think, answers your question? Please feel free to post again if I’ve missed the point. I’m sorry that I can’t point you to a particular agency who would hire you. Good luck! Nick
Hi Nick,
I’m a recent graduate with a bachelors in Aviation Science (Pilot program). I’m sort of going through a soul searching phase of my life. I initially picked aviation because it’s not a ‘normal’ career, as that’s something I can’t see myself doing; i.e. the typical 9-5 job. Now, I’m not even sure if I want to do that. I feel like I should do something meaningful with my life.
I don’t have a degree in geography, linguistics, IR, or the like. However, I do have a somewhat diverse background. I’m originally from Pakistan, but I was born in Kenya (my dad worked as a volunteer doctor). I’ve also lived in Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Sweden, and the US. I am fluent in 3 languages (English, Swedish, Urdu). Also, I’ve studied Spanish long enough to get by in a Spanish speaking country.
To pursue a career in this field, will I have to go to grad school and get a Masters degree in something specific/related to this field of work? Can you name any specific humanitarian organizations with whom I can gain experience with?
Hi – Thanks for your note. I think I may have misunderstood your question, because I feel like the answers to all of your questions are already on the site, insofar as I can throw and light on them. Please do feel free to re-phrase them if I’ve misunderstood, but the short answers to your questions, from my perspective are:
1. Not initially – I don’t think it helps you get your first job, although it may be a good idea later in your career.
2. Peace Corps is always a good start, CRS has probably the most built out program of fellowships, other organizations including Mercy Corps have good overseas internship programs. While it has risks, and I don’t necessarily recommend it, a lot of people get a start in this line of work by going to a place they would like to work (that is relatively safe and has good infrastructure) and volunteering and networking until they get hired.
Good luck,
Nick
Thanks for answering all our questions! So many of us want to know how we can make a difference and contribute to the larger world and yet the responses to our inquiries seem distant and vauge. I’m learning from your responses to others and you bring the challenges a little closer without making me run away in tears. Please keep it up.
You’re very kind – if you want to really show your appreciation you can always go buy my e-book on Amazon, or if you feel like you need the $6 more than I do, at least rate it! Thanks! Nick
Nick,
My name is Zak and I will be graduating with a degree in human biology this winter. I have already been on an abroad trip to the Dominican Republic for public health, and now realize this is what I want to do with my life.I am trying to figure out what kinds of jobs that this qualifies me for within agencies if any, or if there is another focus that would help me get my foot in the door.
Thank you for your time,
Zak
Hi Zak – I’m glad to hear you’ve found something you’re passionate about – that’s wonderful. The bad news from my side is that I don’t really think your degree in human biology in itself qualifies you for very much in this line of work. The problem is most positions require substantial field experience. You might want to look at it another way – figure out your ideal job, and then work back from there. I sorry that I don’t really have any specific advice beyond what is on this site, but if you have a more specific question I’d be happy to try to help!
Good luck,
Nick
Hi,
I’m a 20 year old student in Sydney. I never really knew what to do with my life until I spent my first year of uni doing a degree I absolutely detested (it was a commerce degree); and then I realised that the only thing that I’ve ever wanted to do is development and aid work (as I was born in a developing country- I was able to see poverty first hand).
Anyway, after a break of my degree ( I studied PR and development for a year), I started a business degree again due to the fact that it’s a solid degree to fall back on- but my question is what are the NGOs and development companies looking for? And if my business degree (with a HR and marketing major is suitable?)
I really do want to work in development but I plan on using a business degree to get into the company and then move around. Is that ok?
Hi Sam -
First of all, congratulations on having found something that you really want to do with your life!
Secondly, I would say that it’s a bad idea, in general, to study something that you ‘absolutely detest’. That’s just a personal opinion, but if you hate it now, chances are you’re not going to love it much more in 30 years time.
Third – I’m a little confused about your career plan, but, broadly speaking, there are a lot of ‘development’ related activities that might be interested in someone with that background. The first thing I would do is take a look at http://www.microfinancegateway.org/p/site/m/ Microfinance Gateway. It’s a great place to start on all things development finance. A lot of organizations doing job creation also emily small business advisors and the like. The other angle that I would explore is the option of becoming a finance professional within the NGO world. Like any business, INGOs employ bookkeepers, accountants, finance managers etc. It’s generally a position NGOs struggle to recruit for, for all the reasons you’d expect.
Fourth – as you know, the drum I always bang is that your degrees and qualifications will help you later in your career. NGOs will likely not recruit you out of college without a couple of years of field experience.
Fifth – Good luck!
Nick
Oh, and please consider buying my book!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058EUQVQ/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=nickmacdonald-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0058EUQVQ
Hi,
I am liking what I am reading. Currently I am 21 years old and I am looking to pursue a life out of working for agency’s that help others. I have looked heavily into peace corps. I am currently an Architecture student but I am quickly realizing that Architecture is not how I want to spend the rest of my life. I am wondering if you have any idea on college programs that would give me the tools in helping people. I was looking into liberal studies to get a broad sense of humanities, ecology, health, and language. However; I am worried that even though this program covers many aspects, it does not get specific enough to actually help people in third world countries.
Thanks,
Sam
Hi Sam – glad you like the blog – please consider buying and / or reviewing my e-book on Amazon – it helps me keep this site running.
Now – to your question – honestly, I’m not sure that I have any specific advice on college programs. I’m not convinced that there’s one major or other which will give you any particular advantage over any other in terms of getting your first job*. There’s certainly no degree that will qualify you for overseas jobs without additional work experience overseas. My advice is to study something that interests you, and spend your vacations, and any other chances you get, traveling in the kinds of places you think you’d like to work. Get a feel for what it’s really like, seek out internships overseas, and seriously consider the Peace Corps.
That’s not to say that there’s nothing you can take in college that will give you any insight into development issues, some development theory, development economics, sociology, anthropology, conflict studies, international law, languages, you name it, they’ll all help you get a better understanding of what development is and how it works.
Good luck, and let me know how you do!
Nick
* Having said that, there are exceptions – the combined Peace Corps masters programs seem like a good deal to me, there are a couple of fields like engineering, finance, primary and public health etc where specific college course are required, and there are schools that bring a well developed career service and alumni network with them that certainly doesn’t hurt (you know who they are).
Agh!! Sam, Don’t do a general degree just because you want to make yourself a better candidate for international work, please. Nick always has wonderful advice, so follow his lead. I just want to add, think about what you can offer a company or individual in another county. If you were them would you want to hire a generalist or someone who could tell you how to grow the best crops, which seeds work well in your area, how to engineer a long lasting latrine, how to upgrade outdated wiring in a building, how to get government funding for a project. These skills will also expand the choices you have with organizations like the Peace Corps. Without that your only option may be to teach english as a gateway to that international experience. ps. they can hire generalists from their own country. what will you offer that will add value to their work?
Hey nick
First thing – love the site, exactly what I have been looking for, some good, first hand advice. And yes, I will be buying your book – but I must be honest and say I have not got round to doing it just yet.
Anyway, as you will probably guess, I am looking in to getting a position in humanitarian aid. I am currently 23 years old and i now feel as though I know what I want to do with my future. The reason for my post though is because in one of your comments, you mentioned a degree is now almost a basic requirement. My problem is this – I left school at 18 and was employed on a management course with a financial institution and whilst this has (supposidly) worked out for me as far as progression etc goes, I am not educated to degree level (and i deteste the industry I have found myself in).
I know there are many other barriers that I will need to overcome, such as work experience etc, but are you saying without a degree I wont even be considered?
Dan
Hey Dan, thanks for the feedback – I won’t pester you about the book!
So – degrees. Look, it’s like anything else, when you give advice, you generalize. It’s not that you can’t get a job without a degree – one of the most successful and well thought of people I know in this business who is now quite senior doesn’t have a degree, but he does have a very impressive resume that demonstrates his effectiveness despite not having one. It’s not that it can’t be done, it’s just that nearly every job I see posted has it as a requirement, and you’re at a disadvantage out of the gate if you don’t meet that requirement. Your resume probably won’t make the shortlist if you apply for jobs through a headquarters recruiting department.
You’ll need to either:
a) get one – where or what doesn’t matter too much, and you might find that you can use whatever qualifications or experience that you gained in banking to gain some credit.
b) talk up your management training or whatever it was. It could be that a recognized course in practical management with some proven effectiveness can fill the gap in your resume that a degree would take, and you can present it as equivalent in some way that isn’t too dishonest.
c) compensate in some other area.
Assuming that you want to go the ‘c’ route, my advice is pretty much going to be the same as always. Get out there. Get experience living and working in the developing world, volunteering, interning, making a nuisance of yourself. Get yourself know – network like your life depends on it. Don’t mention not having a degree unless someone asks, and make yourself useful enough that someone hires you based on what they know about you, not based on your resume.
Hope that helps,
Nick
Hi Nick, I am a 21-yr old undergrad working on my degree in psychology and am learning French and Arabic. I want to eventually work for an NGO in the Middle East and I have a couple of questions.
1. I want to be both a psychologist and a relief worker. Is that possible?
2. Should I change my major from psych to international studies (my college doesnt offer international relations)?
3. If I do change my major, would I also need a graduate/master’s degree? If so, in what, counseling or international relations? If I dont need a secondary degree I was planning on joining the peace corps right after undergrad school.
4. I’m studying abroad next year in the Middle East and plan to do volunteer work while I’m there. Would that count as some type of experience?
5. I plan to get married and have 1 or 2 kids in the future. Will I be able to take them to my work site with me?
Thanks in advance for your response.
Hi Erica,
First off – please do consider buying my e-book – it really helps me support this site.
So -
1. A psychologist and a relief worker. All things are possible – I guess it all depends what kind of psychology you plan on doing. There are certainly people who have that background and work in protection or psycho-social assistance, demobilization and reintegration of combatants, working with rehabilitation of victims of war etc, but there are few clinical roles for expatriates in those fields. Check out organizations like UNICEF, Save the Children, or some of the orgs doing work around child soldiers for some examples.
2. Only you can say. If psych is what floats your boat, then do it – there’s certainly no huge advantage that I can see to and IR or IS degree in terms of getting your first job – it all comes down to field experience.
3. I address this on the site – my advice to most people is not to get a masters until mid-career. You’ll have more experience, get more out of it, know what you want better, and it won’t price you out of the market in terms of entry level jobs. Peace Corps is a good idea, but make use of the experience to build your resume and make contacts.
4. It depends where in the middle east, how long for, and what kind of volunteer work. In general, the answer to this is ‘do the experience demonstrate that you can do the kinds of things you will be called upon to do in a paid job’?
5. Broadly, yes, but it depends on who you work for and where the work site is. Most major agencies pay for dependent spouses and children if the environment is suitable. That rules out the obvious places without good security, schooling and health care, but still leaves a lot of positions open. The problem is that competition for accompanied posts is higher, and they generally go to people with a lot of experience.
Good luck!