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Volunteer work is a great way for young people to travel cheaply while doing some good. Ideally, students will choose to visit a part of the world that fascinates them, and a type of volunteer work that coincides with their interests and potential life work.
Some volunteers seek opportunities through their church, school, or local organizations, while others search through sites such as GoOverseas.com. This travel abroad site offers students the chance to read about hundreds of programs, ask questions of travelers who have been there, and then apply to programs of interest. Of course this can’t all be done in a day, but it’s never too early to think about next summer…..and the summer after that!
The choice of locations is vast. Students can choose from over 100 countries, from those with which they are likely familiar (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland) to those that may not be on their radar (Benin, Cameroon, Malawi, Myanmar, Vanatu).
The opportunities are almost limitless. Volunteer programs are offered in a wide variety of fields including: elephant, primate or sea turtle conservation, orphan, elderly or disabled care, computer literacy, refugee or disaster relief, women’s rights, reforestation, veterinary service, education, agriculture, business, teaching, tourism, and so many more. In reality, it would be difficult for a student not to find an area of interest!
Although there are volunteer opportunities abroad at any time of year, there are many that exclusively run during the summer. For example, students can live in beautiful Tenerife, Spain and work with the island’s threatened whale and dolphin populations. Or, students can choose to live with host families outside of Zambia, Africa and teach local students, work with orphans, help out at hospitals, or participate in construction projects.
Volunteers seeking a chance to see the wildlife, beaches, historical sites and mountain in the Andes, Peru can work in the heart of the Amazon on a rainforest conservation program.
With all of the opportunities available in every part of the world, students who are bored in the summer really have to wonder why!
Susan Alaimo is the founder and director of SAT Smart in Hillsborough that has been offering PSAT, SAT, and ACT preparation courses, as well as private tutoring by IVY-League educated instructors, for more than 20 years. Visit www.SATsmart.com
