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Orphanages all over the world have real needs that can be very difficult to meet. In 2005 Globe Aware ceased trying to operate too closely in conjunction with them as many vulnerabilities rose to the surface for which we have not been able to find firm solutions. We do occasionally provide training and services in group settings (like sewing teachers, English lessons) or donations in the form of meals or educational materials. We have a firm policy against any volunteers working one- on-one with any children. We ask that if you ever witness anything that concerns you to please voice these so that we can all work toward the best possible solutions. Children should not be treated as an attraction. Understanding the real challenges that needy children face worldwide is important, and we are always seeking the best way to promote such awareness. Please contact us if you would like more information.
In December 2012, a film crew fromJourneys for Good traveled to Cambodia with a group of Globe Aware volunteers to document their volunteer vacation. While in Siem Reap, the group had a chance to give English lessons in a local orphanage. Please watch the video for an explanation and idea of what Globe Aware has determined to be appropriate action in this controversial issue.
lobe Aware trips are more than just vacations. The experiences you have will not only have a positive effect on the people you help, but may also change your life forever as well. The Globe Aware community will be with you to answer your questions before your trip or share in your experiences after you return.
To learn more about Globe Aware volunteer vacations and our volunteers, join the community on Facebook or on Twitter.
Since 1990 Ms. Haley-Coleman has been establishing long-term strategic partnerships and projects in the non-profit and for-profit international arenas. Prior to co- founding Globe Aware, she was Vice President of Business Development for an aerospace company in Houston called Team Encounter. Previously she spent several years heading up Business Development for a Canadian company, Infotriever, which facilitated global contacts and communication. As the Director of International Business Development at Telescan (now InvestTools) , she created strategic international relationships and developed a globalization strategy plan throughout 20 countries to put financial education tools into the hands of millions at no cost to the end user. During the launch of CNBC.com, she spent several months serving as interim Product Manager, where she managed and supervised all product development efforts and trained the entire on-air staff. In her off-time, she co-developed and patended Dcipher, an online artificial intelligence engine which creates free, real-time analysis of stocks and portfolios to help those who cannot afford or understand how to pick investments for their future financial stability.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Haley-Coleman worked at FCA Inc where she developed international joint ventures for small to medium sized companies to help develop the self-sustainability of West African markets. Certified with her Series 7, 65, and 63 licenses, she also spent two years as Associate Portfolio Manager of the Capstone Japan Fund, where she researched international stocks, made investment decisions, and placed trades. Her background also includes several years at Documentary Arts, Inc, a nonprofit where, as Associate Director of Programs, she was responsible for organizing programs, writing and securing grant funding, and several volunteer intern positions at the Dallas Museum of Art and the High Museum of Art. Throughout her career, Haley-Coleman would squeeze in volunteering while traveling internationally on business, and consulted with various international NGOs on how to achieve their goals. She was struck by the difficulty of trying to give time effectively in needy communities within the confines of the typically rushed American lifestyle. Over the years, together with a group of like-minded individuals with backgrounds in medicine, construction, sustainability and communications, she helped to co-found Globe Aware. The objective was to allow busy Westerners a forum for giving their time in an organized fashion in a way that was significantly meaningful and fun for the recipient communities and for the volunteer.
Haley-Coleman holds an MBA in International Business from the University of Dallas, where she graduated with Highest Honors, she is a recipient of the Texas Business Hall of Fame Scholarship Award, has an M.A. from Southern Methodist University and a B.A. from Emory University. She currently serves on the Boards of a number of organizations, including the Executive Committee for IVPA (International Volunteer Program Association), an alliance of nonprofit, non-governmental organizations based in the Americas, that are involved in international volunteer and internship exchanges. IVPA encourages excellence and responsibility in the field of international volunteerism and promotes public awareness of and greater access to international volunteer programs. Haley-Coleman also serves on the Board of Groundwork Dallas, a grassroots effort to sponsor and coordinate community based environmental improvement projects in economically challenged areas, is President of Dallas' Shore Acres Beautification Club, and is also the Leadership Member for Service Nation, an initiative that strives to increase service & volunteer opportunities for Americans.
Do you love to travel? Do you want to make a difference in the world? Would you like to combine your vacation with a life and perspective-altering experience? If so, voluntourism may be for you.
"Voluntourism" combines the best intentions of the non-profit sector with the excitement of the tourism sector to create stimulating, service-oriented vacations.
Voluntourism is described by some as being a variation on the Peace Corps. model. Voluntourists are individuals interested in learning about foreign countries and people by working and living in communities in developing nations.
Voluntourism is becoming a popular vacation option. A Travelocity poll taken in December 2008 found that 38 per cent of the 1,000 respondents had added volunteering to their 2007 vacation planning options. Meanwhile, Travel Industry of America statistics indicate that 55 million had volunteered during a trip and more than twice that number have plans to do so in the near future.
Doctors, carpenters, nurses, teachers, laborers, business owners and entrepreneurs sign on for voluntourism programs to share their skills, knowledge and passion with others. These individuals want to help others in foreign lands. In return, they experience unique cultures first hand, develop new friendships and realize personal fulfillment.
Voluntourism can take you almost anywhere:
Building schools in the Andes
Irrigation projects in South East Asia
Constructing efficient ovens in Central America
Building hospitals in Eastern Europe
Repairing trails and roads in Nepal
Globe Aware identifies worthy projects, handles the vacation and project logistics and teams up with online trip planners such as Travelocity to send voluntourists on memorable service-oriented vacations.
Globe Aware trips are expertly planned and lead by committed, knowledgeable professionals. Voluntourists not require special skills or the ability to speak a foreign language. Globe Aware employees prepare the destination ahead prior to arrival and then accompany and work alongside voluntourists during their volunteer vacation.
Voluntourism is more than simply an alternative vacation option
Voluntourists embark on trips to serve, to learn and help others. They return with new perspectives, understandings and a lifetime of memories.
Voluntourism advantages for the individual volunteer:
Participating in meaningful service and having a deep impact on a community
Developing new skills through service or using ones you already have in service
Interacting with locals you would never meet in a hotel or at touristy places
Seeing and exploring places you would never see on a typical tour or vacation
Creating friendships that last a lifetime
Experiencing true satisfaction from your vacation time
Voluntourism is also an excellent corporate team-building exercise and endeavour when a business or corporation sponsors team trips.
Voluntourism advantages for a business or corporation:
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).
Ever since Errol Flynn cavorted here with his Hollywood pals in the 1930s and '40s, travellers have regarded Jamaica as one of the most alluring of the Caribbean islands. Its beaches, mountains and carnal red sunsets regularly appear in the sort of tourist brochures that promise paradise.
Costa Rica is Central America's jewel. It's an oasis of calm among its turbulent neighbours and an ecotourism heaven, making it one of the best places to experience the tropics with minimal impact. It's also mostly coastline, which means great surfing, beaches galore and a climate built for laziness.
Costa Rica's enlightened approach to conservation has ensured that lush jungles are home to playful monkeys, languid sloths, crocodiles, countless lizards, poison-dart frogs and a mind-boggling assortment of exotic birds, insects and butterflies. Meanwhile, endangered sea turtles nest on both coasts and cloud forests protect elusive birds and jungle cats.
Thrill seekers can fly through forests on zip lines, peer into boiling volcanoes, surf oversized waves and dive with dolphins and whales - all in the course of a normal day. Then again, if you have some serious chilling to do, you can always lounge in a hammock and enjoy the pure life, or pura vida - a national expression that sums up the desire to live the best, most hassle-free existence.
Full country name: Republic of Costa Rica Area: 51,100 sq km Population: 4.1 million People: 96% Spanish descent, 2% African descent, 1% indigenous, 1% Chinese Language: English, Spanish Religion: 75% Roman Catholic, 14% Protestant Government: democratic republic Head of State: President Abel Pacheco de la Espriella
GDP: US$32 billion GDP per capita: US$8,300 Annual Growth: 1% Inflation: 9.1% Major Industries: Tourism, electronics, coffee, bananas, sugar, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products Major Trading Partners: USA, Germany, Italy, Japan, Guatemala, Mexico
This is an example to give a rough idea of what your week will be like. Please note that all of these activities are subject to change and will depend on: how many volunteers are there during the week, project availability, weather, previous progress, etc.
Volunteers should expect to work between 6 and 8 hours a day. You will have two to three hours of unstructured free time, and several cultural awareness exercises.
Monday
Mid-day
Meet up with Globe Aware Coordinator; Go to program site and get settled in; Lunch
Afternoon
Introductions and Orientation; Discuss goals and itinerary
Evening
Discuss preconceptions and expectations; Welcome ceremony led by village Shaman; Dinner
Tuesday
Morning
6:30 wake-up call; breakfast
Mid-Morning
Begin work project
Mid-day
Lunch; Journal Project; Activity; Free Time
Afternoon
More work project
Evening
Cooking lesson; Dinner; Free time, write in your journal, call home, chat with other volunteers, etc.
Since 1990 Ms. Haley-Coleman has been establishing long-term strategic partnerships and projects in the non-profit and for-profit international arenas. Prior to co- founding Globe Aware, she was Vice President of Business Development for an aerospace company in Houston called Team Encounter. Previously she spent several years heading up Business Development for a Canadian company, Infotriever, which facilitated global contacts and communication. As the Director of International Business Development at Telescan (now InvestTools) , she created strategic international relationships and developed a globalization strategy plan throughout 20 countries to put financial education tools into the hands of millions at no cost to the end user. During the launch of CNBC.com, she spent several months serving as interim Product Manager, where she managed and supervised all product development efforts and trained the entire on-air staff. In her off-time, she co-developed and patended Dcipher, an online artificial intelligence engine which creates free, real-time analysis of stocks and portfolios to help those who cannot afford or understand how to pick investments for their future financial stability. 
