All volunteers must be between 18 and 70 years old* to join, must be in good health and be aware of both the physical demands of living on board and in West Africa, as well as any physical demands of the role for which they want to join. For example, our volunteers may be required to sleep in a bunk-bed in a dorm-style room with other volunteers of the same gender.
As we are governed by a maritime authority, all volunteers are required to submit a medical history and physical evaluation which are reviewed by a licensed medical professional as part of the application process. Some pre-existing medical conditions (for example insulin-dependent diabetes, heart conditions, pregnancy, immune-suppressed conditions, etc.) may disqualify service due to maritime regulations and lack of availability to adequate medical care. Find out more about Medical Conditions for Volunteers.
Did you know the ship has multiple decks, and the average crewmember climbs about 30 flights of stairs per day?
Did you know some roles primarily work off-ship (and sometimes even live off-ship), and require a different kind of physical stamina to be exposed to the heat and African climate?
Did you know roles such as Housekeeper, Sales Staff, Dining Room Staff, Hostess, and Galley Staff are physically demanding and require heavy lifting and manual labour?
*As a temporary measure, Mercy Ships has instituted an upper age limit for volunteers. While chronological age alone is not a determinant of overall health, during the current COVID-19 pandemic, age has been identified as an independent risk factor of severe disease. In view of this, applicants over the age of 70 years old may not join for more than one year at a time, but can serve in a short term capacity in the absence of any health issues.