If you Google the words “Volunteer Vacations,” you’ll find tens of thousands of references. Over the past decade, the concept of a vacation that’s centered on volunteering has gained in popularity. As more people seek out ways to make a difference in the world, opportunities to combine travel and volunteer work have increased. A new term has even been coined for the phenomena: “voluntourism.”
According to the Travel Industry Associations of America, more than 55 million Americans have taken some form of volunteer vacation. The most popular volunteer vacations are to third world nations, where the impact of volunteer work is most visible. Many voluntourists are eager for the chance to travel to exotic locations and immerse themselves in local culture. A popular program for international volunteering is Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village Program, which sends volunteers to 40 countries around the globe. This type of volunteering isn’t cheap — a 2-week Global Village trip costs on average $2000 for room, board and fees. Airfare costs are not included and are paid by the volunteer.
For voluntourists who can’t afford to travel to a remote location, there are also opportunities closer to home. For example, the Washington Trails Association hosts week-long work parties in the backcountry of Washington State. For a minimal fee of $150, volunteers are provided with food and camping accommodations in exchange for a few hours of trail clearing and camp chores each day. This program consistently has a waiting list for participants.
There are a plethora of websites with information about opportunities for volunteering while on vacation. The travel website CheapTickets.com has a search facility which helps volunteers find vacations in the U.S. through United Way. For international volunteering, TransitionsAbroad.com has a directory of global volunteer programs, along with articles about different programs and reports from participants.
I recently returned from my own form of volunteer vacation. For the past six years I’ve spent a week each summer at Boy Scout summer camp. This year I was on Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California, sharing responsibility for a group of 40 boys ages 11 – 17 with 3 other adults. We were with about 600 other Scouts and adults at Camp Emerald Bay.
The Boy Scout program promotes activities that challenge youth, encourage personal responsibility and foster increased self-esteem. A week of summer camp is definitely a working vacation for adult leaders, since many boys are on their own for the first time and in need of support. We kayaked in the ocean, snorkeled, hiked, and slept on a remote beach. Individual boys completed challenges like the mile swim and spending the night in a shelter they built themselves.
I highly recommend volunteer vacations. Whether you travel around the globe or staying closer to home, you’ll benefit from the happiness that comes from giving to others.
Check out this earlier post about the benefits of volunteering.
