Volunteer vacations are called many things; you may see terms which generally mean the same thing, depending on the organization which uses the term, such as voluntourism, service vacations, international volunteering, volunteer travel, working vacations, gap year travel, volunteer travel, and volunteering abroad.
What are volunteer vacations and service vacations?
Globe Aware trips are professionally planned and led. You do not need special skills or the ability to speak a foreign language. Globe Aware employees lay the groundwork prior to your arrival, accompany you during your volunteer vacation, and assist with transfers and departures.
- Globe Aware's volunteer vacations are appropriate for solo travelers, multigenerational family travelers, corporate groups, and custom groups.
- Immerse yourself in a new culture.
- Meet new people in remarkable, exciting countries.
- Experience a life-changing adventure. Help communities by working on meaningful projects. Click here for dates and costs.
Never heard of volunteer vacations?
Does the idea of paying to volunteer strike you as odd? Don't worry, that's a common first reaction.
First, for more on why you pay for a volunteer vacation.
Of course, people have been volunteering for years, whether in their neighborhoods, their hometowns, or even internationally. Super organizations have engaged in helpful missions to those in need for as long as history has been written. More recent, well-known examples: the Red Cross, since 1881, has organized volunteer relief efforts; Habitat for Humanity (building homes) and Doctors Without Borders (medical practitioners providing relief) have existed since the 1970s. All of us are surrounded by terrific opportunities to give back to the communities in which we live, where our children go to school, and the churches we may support.
The history of the term "volunteer vacations" is hard to define as it is a relatively new term in the English lexicon. Many churches have conducted missions for both general help and for religious conversion. The American government recognized the positive effect on its own citizens and the world when it was created. According to this government organization, "the Peace Corps traces its roots and mission to 1960 when then-Senator John F. Kennedy challenged students at the University of Michigan to serve their country in the cause of peace by living and working in developing countries. From that inspiration grew an agency of the federal government devoted to world peace and friendship."
Peace Corps volunteers, for example, commit a noble 27 months of their life to on-site experience. The median age of the typical Peace Corps volunteers is 25, 6% are over 50, 91% are single. So many good things have come from Peace Corps volunteers. Many Globe Aware volunteers are returned Peace Corps volunteers. It's hard to imagine the world of international volunteering without this organization with enough foresight to institute a government-supported international volunteer organization.
One concern has been the recent emergence of unscrupulous groups looking to profit from the growing interest in volunteering. Some organizations may charge $3,000 for little more than an address, provide no onsite support staff, follow no government-mandated rules about nonprofits and compensation limits, and do not feel responsible for how funds are used. Others are merely "brokerage houses" which "sell" programs organized and led by others, only adding administrative costs to your experiences. Some are principally concerned with religious conversion. Still, more give lip service to safety without real thought about what that means. Additionally, some are more adventurous for-profit companies that are not subject to the same regulations regarding scrutiny of the use of funds and hence are not rewarded with 501 c 3 tax-deductible status. All of these factors are among those you should strongly consider before giving your valuable time to an experience volunteering abroad.
Post 9/11, the interest in volunteer vacations has surged dramatically. In the wake of other catastrophic events, such as the Thailand tsunami and Katrina, many want to give back in a more concrete way than writing a check.
Volunteering overseas is undoubtedly one of the top experiences anyone could hope to undertake in their lifetime. Even a short-term volunteer adventure can change your life and world perspective. Few things can give you a greater sense of meaning and a greater understanding of a culture.
One thing you should keep in mind, however, is that you are not likely to cure cancer or fully teach or learn a language in a short time. Just as significantly, you should remember that manual labor is usually in great supply in developing countries, and it may be frowned upon if you participate in an activity which takes away from what would have been a paid job for a local. You will likely walk away from your experience feeling you received more than you gave. It is almost a universal reaction when giving your time to a reputable organization.
Whether you decide you want to volunteer your time in the United States restoring wilderness areas with the Sierra Club or American Hiking Society or feel you're up for the adventure that comes with long-term international volunteering with the Peace Corps or scientific research-related programs such as Earthwatch offers, or even short term volunteer vacations with a group like Globe Aware, you are likely to feel more profoundly connected to this wonderful planet we live on. It can be a challenge, but it's almost always worth it. And if you've already done lots of traditional travel, particularly organized group travel, you owe it to yourself to try volunteer vacations as an alternative way to experience and, most importantly, help the world.
Written by Dr. Ken Dorman, Board Member, Globe Aware
Several books on volunteer vacations you may want to consider reading:
Volunteer Vacations - Short-Term Adventures That Will Benefit You and Others
Ninth edition Bill McMillon (Author), Doug Cutchins (Author), Anne Geissinger (Author), Ed Asner (Foreword by)
How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas"
by Joseph Collins, Stefano Dezerega and Zahara Heckscher (Putnam Penguin 2002).
