Every Share Helps!

Interested in a family vacation this year, but not sure where to go? Try a volunteer trip—not only can your whole family play a part, but you’ll also have an authentic (and safe!) in-country experience not often provided by resorts.

Benefits of Volunteering with Your Family

Volunteering as a family benefits you and the community whose project you’ll work with. A different kind of vacation, volunteer travel can make for an exciting and one-of-a-kind family experience.

Many volunteer organizations that organize family programs have built-in time for you to explore the area—and often provide guided tours and presentations as part of the package. While you and your family will volunteer with a community project throughout the trip, you also can introduce your children to life in another culture different from their own.

Volunteering for a good cause can bring you together, and your children will learn from an early age that they can make a difference in the lives of others. They might even make friends with other children on the project, or with local youth in the area.

Considerations Before Volunteering

Before jumping into a family volunteer trip, there are some important points to consider.

Volunteer service projects are important community building initiatives, and take a lot of planning and hard work to complete. While the volunteer organization may welcome family and friends, it’s very important to remember that everyone is expected to contribute to the overall project goal as best as they can.

Sometimes, projects can take an unexpected turn; the type of work might change depending on a pressing need, or there may be more downtime than you expected. This can be stressful, and depending on how you deal with new challenges as a group will make or break your trip.

And finally, volunteer organizations often have minimum age requirements. This is because of the substantial work that must be completed for the project; if your child is very young and needs constant, or near-constant, supervision, it might detract from the project regardless of how good your intentions are.

Family Volunteer Trip Ideas

Aldeas de Paz

While Aldeas de Paz have many volunteer opportunities to choose from in Venezuela, they recommend that families in particular might enjoy the Youth, Care, and Community project. With a focus on childcare and community development, this program is well suited for group interested in learning about Venezuelan culture and meeting local community members and families. Activities can include teaching English and art, working in a cultural center, engaging with children in a pediatric care center, and more. Read more about Aldeas de Paz here.

Global Citizens Network

GCN’s Tumbatu, Ecuador trip combines a family friendly atmosphere with volunteer work on community park and recreational area development. Past activities have included development of a “sports multi-use recreation field, concrete bleachers, and central park.” Aside from volunteering, families may go horseback riding and rafting, and are encouraged to explore the nearby ecological reserve. For more information about Global Citizens Network, click here.

Global Volunteers

Global Volunteers offers several family programs; for example, their Poland projects welcome children as young as six years old. Volunteers may help with English education, caring for and tutoring children in an after-school program, and working with and educating adults with mental or physical disabilities. On weekends, families are encouraged to attend local cultural events and festivals, or even to visit larger cities in Poland. More information about Global Volunteers is available here.

GVI

GVI’s Elephant Care and Wild Release Program invites your family to work in Thailand. Volunteers care for elephants rescued from street or circus performance, with the goal of releasing the animals back into the wild. During this trip, you'll stay with host families, allowing for cross-cultural understanding and and the chance to engage with the local community. Learn more about GVI here.

Images courtesy of Omar Franco and Steve Knight.