Do Good and See the World: How to Plan a Volunteer Tourism Trip

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Want to see the world? Do you also want to help people or communities in need? As it turns out, you can do both.

Every year, more than 1.6 million Americans engage in volunteer tourism. Volunteering abroad has numerous benefits for both you and the people you serve.

Let’s get into the top planning tips you need to know.

What Is Volunteer Tourism?

Volunteer tourism refers to providing service work to communities throughout the world. Essentially, it means volunteering your time while traveling.

Of course, the premise of volunteering naturally changes the definition of a stereotypical “vacation.” Instead of lounging around or sightseeing, you’ll be helping others and improving local communities.

Why Volunteer Abroad?

Are you always scoping out cheap flights? Planning out itineraries for places you haven’t even booked? If you’ve got insatiable wanderlust, you know that it’s difficult to stay in one spot too long. 

Volunteering abroad allows you to experience the world uniquely. As a volunteer, you can experience a culture that most casual tourists typically miss. 

During your adventure, you will have to employ a variety of skills. These skills may range from:

  • Interpersonal and communication skills
  • Critical thinking
  • Teaching
  • Coordination and teamwork with others
  • Manual labor

Most of these skills are transferable to your everyday life. In other words, you’ll be strengthening your professional skill set. This can be an invaluable asset in the workplace.

Whether you’re in school or entering the workplace, volunteering abroad looks great on resumes. It shows a sense of courage, and it highlights your values.

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Finally, you’ll get to meet people from all works of life. Many tourists meet lifelong friends during their experiences. After all, you are all there for the same reason: to help do good in the world!

Volunteer Abroad Programs

There are numerous fantastic programs available to consider for your volunteer tourism trip.

Before you begin your search, you need to define your goals. Do you want to improve your language skills or help rescue animals? Do you want to help physically create something (like a house)?

It’s natural that you want to contribute positively to a particular cause. However, you should also reflect on what else is driving you to seek this opportunity out.

Do you have any dealbreakers? Any places that you have no interest in seeing?

Finally, you need to assess your budget realistically. Travel can be expensive, and volunteer tourism isn’t necessarily an exception. Set your budget before you begin looking into particular programs. 

Consider where your money is going. Some organizations charge several hundred or thousands of dollars to participate. Ask for annual spending reports to determine what they will do with your funds. 

Lastly, you can consider checking out online reviews or asking friends or family who has traveled in the past. You want an upstanding organization, like Volunteer World, that has glowing reviews.

Grants and Scholarships

Can’t afford traditional volunteer abroad programs? That doesn’t mean you have to miss out altogether.

Numerous organizations provide free or low-cost service opportunities throughout the world.

For example, International Volunteer HQ, provides affordable volunteer placements abroad. They currently offer all-expense-paid teaching scholarships that cover a two-week, sponsored volunteer project.

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Love Volunteers provides projects starting at $199 per week, and Plan My Gap Year offers trips starting at just $225 per week. 

Travelocity, one of the most well-known travel industries in the world, hosts their Travel for Good program. This program permits travelers to partner with Travelocity partners to serve abroad.

The organization, Build Abroad, offers a scholarship for a one-week stay at one of their five locations. This organization focuses on ethically responsible project building.

Additionally, if you are in high school or college, your counselor may have information about travel abroad opportunities.

Volunteering Solo

You can choose to volunteer on your own terms. This strategy tends to be the cheapest method, but it also requires the most planning.

You’ll be responsible for all travel essentials including:

  • Accommodations and lodging 
  • Transportation
  • Food 
  • Health and travel insurance

You’ll also be responsible for vetting your own place to volunteer. If you’re a relatively seasoned traveler, this may not seem too challenging. If you’re familiar with the area, you may already know which kind of work you want to do.

After Your Trip

You may experience mixed emotions when coming back from your trip. On the one hand, you may feel energized and proud of what you’ve accomplished. However, you also may feel sad and let down about having to come home.

First, you need to unpack your mind. This even comes before unpacking your suitcase (although you should also do that promptly as well). 

You owe it to yourself to reflect on the work that you accomplished. What challenges did you overcome? What struggles did you unexpectedly face? What did you gain from this experience? 

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Finally, don’t forget that volunteering doesn’t end just because your trip is over. Your hometown needs your support as well. Now that you know how good service work feels, take the time to extend yourself to your own neighborhood.

Get involved with local organizations. Find community events. Stay connected with charitable campaigns. 

Volunteering can profoundly change you as a person. Use your momentum and energy to inspire you to keep doing amazing things in the world.

Final Thoughts

Volunteer tourism can be an incredible way to make a difference in the world. It can also be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you!

Are you interested in learning more about the latest in travel trends? We have you covered. Check out our guide today.