Family volunteer vacations, once known as voluntourism, are back in action as the global pandemic comes under control. From community service to building homes, environmental research projects and teaching, travelers are looking for ways to give back. The concept of mixing volunteer activities with seeing the world dates back several centuries to the work of missionaries. It really took hold in the 1960s with John F Kennedy’s Peace Corps as a way to see the world.
Family Volunteer Vacations for All Ages
Many organized programs focus on volunteer vacations, close to home or abroad, for the entire family. Local charities have always relied on volunteer help, of course. Now, many welcome short-stay visitors to contribute a helping hand wherever they can. Tourists are welcome as groundskeepers and chauffeurs, for example, if they plan ahead with the Orlando charity, Give Kids The World. GKTW is a short-stay residential village for children with life-threatening illnesses. Those who have “Made-A-Wish” to visit the themeparks head to Orlando. The GKTW charity relies on many volunteers each week to meet their guests’ needs.
Blaze Trails Across the US Together While Volunteering
The American Hiking Society spearheads the annual volunteer effort, National Trails Day. They also run cheap, week-long camping trips with small, friendly groups on trail-clearing and trail-blazing projects. Participants must be able to hike at least 5 miles per day and be accompanied by a parent or guardian unless over 18-years of age. They’ve also begun a popular program of alternative spring breaks for small groups of college students.
Do Conservation Projects on Family Volunteer Vacations
Elevate Destinations is a highly regarded luxury adventure tour company. Their past trip to Haiti was selected as a National Geographic Traveler “Tours of a Lifetime.” Take your family on an adventure tour in one of their fascinating destinations on an itinerary specifically tailored to fit your family’s interests, including local service. They regularly offer exciting volunteer trips, such as an African safari in Kenya where you can work with lion conservationists. Another Kenya adventure gives you the opportunity to work with tribal communities. Participants will learn about tribal skills, traditions and rituals.
Enrich Your Travels with Cultural and Humanitarian Volunteering
Global Volunteers is a non-profit, non-sectarian, international organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota. They have run short-term human and economic development projects throughout the world for over 30 years. Having worked in 32 countries on six continents, they are currently offering projects in 13 countries. A spokesperson says they “have placed hundreds of families in meaningful, educational service projects in nearly all those countries.” Typically, many ongoing projects are open to families traveling with kids under age 15 during school breaks and summer. Tasks include caring for infants and pre-schoolers, teaching conversational English and health care. Active volunteers assist in light construction, building maintenance and planting school and household gardens.
GlobeAware.com is another resource founded by Kimberly Haley Coleman, herself a mother of two toddlers. They organize and offer a variety of one-week international family volunteer vacations. These are service trips whose mission is to “encourage people to immerse themselves in a unique way of giving back.” Families can review upcoming service projects on the Globe Aware website. Get in touch with them to find out if they are appropriate for different age children. Ms. Coleman notes that many young families want their children volunteering at younger ages. Global Aware is committed to developing opportunities where even the very young can participate (such as helping to build a clay stove in a Latin village.) They note that foreign languages and cultures can be easily embraced by family volunteers.
An operator of worthwhile tours called i-to-i organizes TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) training opportunities for travelers. There are intern trips to a handful of fascinating locations such as China, Spain, Thailand and Cambodia.
Teen Volunteer Vacation Opportunities Around the World
There’s one group with 50+ years’ experience and the endorsement of National Geographic. Because of their science research trips, Earthwatch is respected around the world. Their Teen Team Expeditions are hands-on trips that aren’t only educational. Teens on these trips make a real difference and help the places they visit. The organization offers all the tools, training, and experiences their volunteers need to make an impact. Activities range from snorkeling to tracking sea turtles, monitoring climate change and conserving wild bees. Teen Teams are exclusive to 15- to 18-year-olds and run during the summer months.
The U.K. based Projects Abroad has offered tailor-made group trips for more than 30 years. Join other students, sports teams, or simply groups of friends in traveling abroad to help others. They also offer two, three and four-week summer programs for 15 to 18-year-olds. Projects Abroad gives volunteers the option to custom-design a placement to suit their goals and interests. Groups focus on teaching projects as well as conservation, archaeology, childcare, sports, law, veterinary medicine and animal care, human rights, and other subjects.
Habitat for Humanity offers teens the opportunity to help construct and rehabilitate homes in their communities, across the US and abroad. Habitat for Humanity often has one-day volunteer opportunities as well as longer term projects.
Think Global, Act Local: Volunteer Vacations in the New York City Area
Volunteering opportunities don’t have to come from exotic locales. Often those in need are right in our own backyards. With that in mind, since our backyard is New York City, we decided to scour around for valuable work that students can do any time of year.
Is your teen interested in “learning the ropes”? The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater welcomes 2-4 volunteers for week-long stays to sail, assist and learn from the permanent crew. Participants must be at least 16 years-old during the mid-April until late October season. Since 1969, the Clearwater has offered environmental education and organized music festivals along the Hudson, while working towards the restoration and protection of the river. Once aboard, volunteers may get a taste of everything from boat maintenance and daily chores to sleeping below decks. Sailing experience is not a requirement, and this is a great way to learn.
Junior Achievement of New York is a non-profit organization that bring volunteers together with students K-12. Jobs include helping to inspire, encourage, and engage kids through in-class and after school activities. These programs are designed to prepare students for their future plans and economic success. The program offers daily and weekend volunteer opportunities.
Central Park Conservancy offers a handful of volunteer opportunities, from picking up trash to pulling weeds and painting rails. Participants ages 18 and older must sign up for volunteer gardening opportunities in advance; space is limited. On Family Days, participation age begins at 4 years old.
United Way of Northern New Jersey strives to bring the basics, education, income and health to everyone. Deliver food to elementary schools or help the program develop agendas and initiatives. It’s a way togain important skills crucial for entering the workforce.
We welcome you to share any other family volunteer vacation opportunities you find in the Comments field below.
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Around the beginning of August of 2011 my parents decided to take a cruise to Mexico. At first I didn't want to go because my classes that I had at high school were College level classes and I didn't want to fall behind in them. It was my senior year, and I wanted to be on top of things. I would think that I would want to go and miss days of school, but this time around I was more focused on my education than anything. I fought really hard to stay in Florida, where I originally lived, so that I could focus on my studies, sadly, I had no choice but to go with them.
Upon arrival on the cruise things were ok. Actually it was more than ok. It was something I never experienced before. It was a mixture of different emotions. When I arrived, we had to go through a metal detector for obvious reasons. I thought I was in the clear, but every time I walked through, it would beep and I would be told to go back. I was sent back at least 10 times until the people behind me started to get mad. After about the 12th time, I finally realized what prevented me from going through. It was my belt. I had to take it off, and I thought it would be no big deal, but the minute I took it off, my pants began to drop. I quickly grabbed it, but then the officers gave me back all of my items that were metal, and without thinking I let go my pants and grabbed for the items, and the expected happened. My pants dropped. Luckily I had on long boxer shorts, but what was on the boxer shorts were even more embarrassing. My boxers had Sponge bob on it. What made it worse was that the little girl behind me saw it and shouted in excitement "Sponge Bob" and ran up to me and hugged my boxers. An outburst of laughter changed the angry crowds mood. Boy, was that embarrassing. After the embarrassing moment, it relieved some tension that I had about not going on the cruise. Even I had to admit that it was pretty funny. Eventually we settled in, got comfortable and cruised right along to Mexico.
Now since I live in Florida, I thought Florida was Hot, I was wrong. The instant I stepped off the boat into the sun, I felt as if the sun it self was cooking my face. The only way to describe or even come close to explain how hot it was is to tell you how I felt. The sun was so bright that my eyes squinted so hard that eventually after the trip I got wrinkles on my forehead from squinting so hard. I never felt a heat wave so strong as to where it made me regret ever stepping off the boat. Try standing a hot sun all day with your head hurting, eyes, and forehead. Any shade that I found was heaven for me; cause walking around in the sun was hell. The sun seriously cooked my face in to look a certain way. When I came back to Florida, everyone said that I looked older and angry. I laughed because I knew exactly why it looked the way it did.
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Nice piece of information! May I reference part of this on my blog if I post a back link to this web page? Thanks.
Glad you found Bethany's story on traveling in Rome helpful. You are welcome to quote from it on your blog, but we ask that you please give your readers the link back to the full story so they can get all the details. Then, please email us through the Contact Us form below so we can see your blog!
thanks Kyle
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You're absolutely right, but for most families, these special occasion restaurants are a once in a lifetime occasion.
And foodie NY families also take advantage of the city's 2 annual Restaurant Weeks. They're usually for a month (I know it's called Week!) in Feb-Mar and in summer of 2011, it's from July 11-24. All lunches charge $24.07 and all dinners cost $35, and in the past, these 2 amazing restaurants and many others of their calibre have participated in Restaurant Week.
So, that's certainly a good time to get the kids dressed up and show them an amazing foodie night on the town. Check out : http://www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek for details. And bon appetit!
Per se and La Bernadin are two of the best restaurants in NYC, possibly the world. But dinner for 2 will cost several hundred dollars at each one. They're not within reach of most families.
Please note this 2011 update to hours and admission prices from The Eric Carle Museum:
Hours
10 am–4 pm Tuesday through Friday
10 am–5 pm Saturday
12 –5 pm Sundays
Closed on Mondays * and Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's Day
* Open Mondays during July and August and MA school vacation weeks.
Admission Prices
Adult admission $9
Youth (under 18), Student, Teacher and Senior Admission $6
Family Admission (2 adults and 2 youth) $22.50
You are too funny! I actually wrote 6 guidebooks about Greece for the Frommer series, so yes, I know it pretty well. Changing fast though! Thanks for your comments. Kyle
Are there any East African cruises which combine with a Tanzania safari – http://www.ziarasafaris.com — or is the horn of Africa deemed to dangerous to pass through en-route for cruise ships?
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How does this impact the amount of national parks slated to be shut down?
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