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I don`t know about workaway, but I am a frequent couchsurfer. I have hosted travelers from Europe, Asia, North and South America, and I have stayed at hosts all over the world. It is free, you open an account, create your profile as thoroughly as you can, try to find people in your circle of friends who are already couchsurfers so they can vouch for you and add you as friends (so your profile has legitimacy and gives a potential host some information about you), you look for hosts in the city you want to go to, usually people you can relate to (age group, interests, etc.), contact them, stay at their place for a maximum of 1 to 3 days depending on the host. Check it out. There is also woofing, which is a work-stay program whereby you work for free in a small organic farm, and in return, you get free room and board. It can be from a few weeks to several months. I have not done it but a couple of good friends did that in Hawai, Canada and France, and they loved it.

I am looking into doing the same sort of thing and until you asked this question I didn't know that there was a Workaway program for those of us who are on a budget. I've come cross other programs for work and travel but they have a different more "strict and expensive sort of vibe". I'll put the links for them up here anyway in case you'd ant to check those out. Thanks for your question and I can't wait to see these answers!