Volunteer Tourism |
Friday Mar 05 2010
Looking for a way to immerse yourself in a different culture AND make a difference? Consider a volunteer vacation. Opportunities exist for people of all ages to use their skills and abilities in a variety of situations. Some organizations specialize in one particular type of volunteer work (such as Habitat for Humanity), while others like Global Volunteers and Global Citizens for Change offer a wide range of experiences teaching, managing, communicating and working with specific age groups. Projects vary widely from building homes and providing education and medical assistance to helping farmers in a Third World country upgrade their techniques.
When it comes to choosing what you'd like to do and where you'd like to go, consider:
- What strengths you want to use
- What languages you speak
- What your budget is and what the costs will be (travel, accommodation, equipment, meals, expenses)
- Whether fundraising is a possibility (getting corporate support or government grants)
- Which culture you would like to immerse yourself in
- What environments you're comfortable living in
- The timing of your visit (don't get involved in disaster relief unless you have training and experience)
- Safety and security in the area (including emergency plans should you need to be evacuated for any reason)
- Your health
- Travel requirements (innoculations, travel documents, limitations on foreigners)
- The reputation of the organization you are going to be volunteering with (beware of scams and make sure you will get training and preparation before you leave)
Written by eldering at Fearless Aging
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