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GENERAL NOTICE FOR ALL PROGRAMS
Safety and security are big concerns for most people traveling to developing countries (or to the friends and families of the volunteers who are traveling). What will be your risk? While there is no way to eliminate all risk, Globe Aware does as much as they can to reduce any dangers. Trained volunteer coordinators live and work side by side with the volunteers at all times, other than any free time where volunteers choose to spend how they like.
Bodily Harm
In almost all Globe Aware program locations, the potential for violent bodily harm (rape, mugging, etc) is significantly less than that encountered in large American cities. We generally travel in groups with our fellow volunteers and coordinator.
Project Safety
We have four criteria in selecting appropriate work activities, and the very 1st concerns safety. We do no projects, for example, on high ladders or handling heavy duty machinery or equipment. We handle no bodily fluids. We do not work in countries at war. We avoid program locations with significant risk for major illness outbreaks, such as Ebola or typhoid. If at any time a volunteer feels that he or she is not comfortable with any given activity, he or she may freely abstain.
Illness and Injury
Most of our projects are relatively low on the manual labor scale, and are chosen with a high degree of safety in mind. However anyone can twist an ankle anywhere in the world, particularly in places with cobblestone streets. Likewise anyone can catch a cold or get sick to their stomachs. Therefore, Globe Aware's program fee covers mandatory medical insurance/evacuation insurance. This insurance requires NO medical deductible to be met. In the event of any illness or injury, the volunteer coordinator accompanies the affected volunteer to the closest trusted medical facility, and stays in communication with headquarters and the volunteer's emergency contact regarding the situation. The most common physical ailment on our programs in altitude sickness at our Cusco program in Peru, which can be mitigated by drinking water and taking it easy the 1st few days.
Possessions
In many of our program locations, the local population is far less materially advantaged that that of our volunteers. Yet theft while at work site or at accommodations is incredibly rare. However when volunteers spend free time in crowded places, like markets, possessions such as fancy cameras or watches should be kept out of site to minimize the chance of being pick pocketed. There is a higher rate of petty theft in many of our program locations than what our volunteers are usually accustomed to in their home setting. Hence it is a good idea to leave designer clothing and bags at home.
Food and Water
All water is either bottled or boiled. All food is prepared fresh from locally purchased sources. Community hosts have been well instructed in preparing food with delicate stomachs in mind. We communicate any dietary restrictions or allergies to the cooks.
Women Traveling Alone
Because our programs are typically small groups, volunteers never are fully alone. The coordinator and fellow volunteers, along with the locals you are there to help, are your companions. However, there are cultural differences to note. The principle factor to be aware of as a woman traveling alone is that you may attract unwanted attention in certain areas of Latin America (in the form of catcalls and the like) if you dress in short skirts or really short shorts, or wear spaghetti straps. Likewise, you may be seen as disrespectful in you have uncovered shoulders, knees, or the heels of your feet as you enter a Buddhist temple.
Any travel comes with certain risks, and travel with Globe Aware is no different. Of course all reasonable precautions will be made to prevent any dangers. Travel to different countries mean that conditions will vary - - sometimes quite significantly - - from those in the United States. These reasons are some of the primary reasons volunteers are drawn to Globe Aware adventures, but can also be the basis for possible risks. For example, the condition of roads, infrastructure (such as phone lines, water lines, etc) and hygiene conditions, are likely to differ from, and often be considered inferior to, those found in the volunteers' home. In addition, Globe Aware cannot be held responsible for forces of God, war, public transportation, level of medical service, availability of medical treatment and medical personnel, political stability, and the like.
The volunteers should also be aware that environmental conditions may provide certain challenges to some. For example, higher altitudes in some locales may mean volunteers with difficulty breathing may find it even more difficult in new climes. For those with sensitivity to dryness, certain climates may be uncomfortable.
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Globe Aware coordinates, organizes and leads volunteer vacations, service vacations, working holidays and service trips to two Peru locations (Andes & Cusco/Machu Picchu), Costa Rica, Thailand, Cuba, Nepal, Brazil, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, India, Jamaica, Romania, Ghana, Mexico, and China .
Click here for a list of programs, dates and costs.
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What is a Volunteer Vacation and Service Vacation?
Globe Aware trips are professionally planned and lead. You do not need special skills or the ability to speak a foreign language. Globe Aware employees lay the ground work prior to your arrival; accompany you during your volunteer vacation, and assist with transfers and departures.
- Globe Aware's volunteer vacations are appropriate for solo travelers, multigenerational family travel, corporate or custom groups.
- Immerse yourself in a new culture.
- Meet new people in remarkable, interesting countries.
- Experience a life-changing adventure. Help communities by working on meaningful projects. Click here for dates and costs.
Globe Aware Volunteer Vacations - Signup Now
"Globe Aware has been a leader in... shorter volunteer vacations" - USA Today
Click here to view a trailer from a documentary on one of Globe Aware's programs.
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Tax-deductible vacations
Globe Aware is an American and Canadian-registered non-profit charitable organization. All volunteer vacation program costs, including (for American citizens) the cost of airfare, are tax-deductible. Globe Aware is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt charity and tax receipts are provided to all volunteer vacation participants.
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The deadline for the 2011 GO! Volunteer Abroad scholarship application is September 15th, 2011. The award for each GO! Volunteer Abroad scholarship is $1,000.
- Volunteer abroad scholarships are awarded each academic year. The award for each scholarship is $1,000.
- GO! Overseas will judge entries based on the following criteria: Creativity of writing sample, displayed analytical thinking, and passion for volunteering.
- The GO! Volunteer Abroad Scholarship is open to participants in volunteer programs in the upcoming year. Recipients must be successfully accepted into a volunteer abroad program. The sole purpose of this award is to assist in the funding of participation in a volunteer abroad program.
- Outstanding scholarship submissions will be posted on the GO! Overseas website. All recipients will be required to participate in a pre-departure and post-return interview.
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By Nicole Davis
Ever feel as though we’re running out of time to save the environment? Try taking a vacation to solve the problem. In the span of one week you can make a significant change. Volunteer vacationing has become a style of travel so popular, it now has a nickname, voluntourism. We’ve cherry-picked trips that allow green vouluntourists to work in fabulous countries like Peru or Thailand. You’ll be so captivated by your surrounding you’ll hardly notice you’re working.
(Note: Prices don’t include airfare)
Bring Cleaner Energy to a Peruvian Village
Even if you can get away only for a week, you still have enough time to do good in an exotic locale. Kimberly Haley-Coleman understands the average do-gooder’s time constraints, which is why she created Globe Aware in 2000. Instead of two or three weeks of international work, her non-profit offers week-long vacations that include unique projects and side trips in seven fantastic destinations.
In Peru, for instance, volunteers stay in a facility in Cusco where they teach children English and computer literacy. Or they can travel to rural Andean villages, which often lack electricity and running water, to build adobe stoves for cooking – a huge environmental – and health saver since they use only a fraction of the energy of traditional wood fires. This also eliminates carcinogenic smoke exposure, which can be the equivalent of smoking three packs a day.
Like every Globe Aware trip, the extracurricular activities are just as eye opening: Volunteers can visit Machu-Picchu and other ancient sites, as well as explore the cobble-stoned, streets of colonial Cusco.
The non-profit offers other eco-minded vacations too. Like the trip to Laos, where volunteers build wheelchairs from recycled parts for locals victimized by landmines; and a Costa Rican restoration project in a national forest reserve.
Duration: one week
Cost: $1050 to $1390 including accommodations and meals
Contact: www.globeaware.org
Before You Go
Before signing up to volunteer halfway around the world, its worth investigating your potential job, the job’s organizer, and your financial concerns. David Clemmons, industry expert and director of volunteerism.org, offers a few pointers.
- Volunteer with an established organization (like the ones we’ve suggested). If yours offers fewer than 20 trips a year, or serves fewer than 200 volunteers a year, you may find yourself a victim of its inexperience.
- Determine if you have the right skill set. If you’re not a numbers person, you probably don’t want to collect data for a field research team – even if you’re in the Caribbean.
- Ask about the intensity of labor. Will you be spending a full day under the African sun doing backbreaking work? Or will you get afternoons off?
- Speak to former volunteers about their experiences. If your organization can’t produce one, there’s probably a reason.
- Make sure to ask what the other volunteers are like – are they mostly retired? College students? Church groups? – to find a group you’ll be most comfortable with.
- And finally, because you will be donating your time to a charitable cause, it’s possible you can write-off your entire vacation. But before booking that first-class flight, ask your accountant if its tax-deductible.
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By Nicole Davis
Ever feel as though we’re running out of time to save the environment? Try taking a vacation to solve the problem. In the span of one week you can make a significant change. Volunteer vacationing has become a style of travel so popular, it now has a nickname, voluntourism. We’ve cherry-picked trips that allow green vouluntourists to work in fabulous countries like Peru or Thailand. You’ll be so captivated by your surrounding you’ll hardly notice you’re working.
(Note: Prices don’t include airfare)
Bring Cleaner Energy to a Peruvian Village
Even if you can get away only for a week, you still have enough time to do good in an exotic locale. Kimberly Haley-Coleman understands the average do-gooder’s time constraints, which is why she created Globe Aware in 2000. Instead of two or three weeks of international work, her non-profit offers week-long vacations that include unique projects and side trips in seven fantastic destinations.
In Peru, for instance, volunteers stay in a facility in Cusco where they teach children English and computer literacy. Or they can travel to rural Andean villages, which often lack electricity and running water, to build adobe stoves for cooking – a huge environmental – and health saver since they use only a fraction of the energy of traditional wood fires. This also eliminates carcinogenic smoke exposure, which can be the equivalent of smoking three packs a day.
Like every Globe Aware trip, the extracurricular activities are just as eye opening: Volunteers can visit Machu-Picchu and other ancient sites, as well as explore the cobble-stoned, streets of colonial Cusco.
The non-profit offers other eco-minded vacations too. Like the trip to Laos, where volunteers build wheelchairs from recycled parts for locals victimized by landmines; and a Costa Rican restoration project in a national forest reserve.
Duration: one week
Cost: $1050 to $1390 including accommodations and meals
Contact: www.globeaware.org
Before You Go
Before signing up to volunteer halfway around the world, its worth investigating your potential job, the job’s organizer, and your financial concerns. David Clemmons, industry expert and director of volunteerism.org, offers a few pointers.
- Volunteer with an established organization (like the ones we’ve suggested). If yours offers fewer than 20 trips a year, or serves fewer than 200 volunteers a year, you may find yourself a victim of its inexperience.
- Determine if you have the right skill set. If you’re not a numbers person, you probably don’t want to collect data for a field research team – even if you’re in the Caribbean.
- Ask about the intensity of labor. Will you be spending a full day under the African sun doing backbreaking work? Or will you get afternoons off?
- Speak to former volunteers about their experiences. If your organization can’t produce one, there’s probably a reason.
- Make sure to ask what the other volunteers are like – are they mostly retired? College students? Church groups? – to find a group you’ll be most comfortable with.
- And finally, because you will be donating your time to a charitable cause, it’s possible you can write-off your entire vacation. But before booking that first-class flight, ask your accountant if its tax-deductible.
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Press Releases and News
Everything You Need to be a Better Journalist
By Al Tompkins
April 1, 2007
Vacation Volunteerism
USA Today found that a small but growing number of Americans are coupling their desire to help others with their desire to travel. In fact, the new phrase "voluntourism" has been born.
Surveys conducted recently by Orbitz, Travelocity and the Travel Industry Association of America confirm that consumers are becoming more interested in vacations with a volunteerism aspect, also known as "voluntourism."
Opportunities that once existed largely with nonprofit activist groups are being adopted by a wide range of travel agencies and tour operators, too. Sally Brown, who heads the Indianapolis not-for-profit group Ambassadors for Children, said the number of travel organizations of various kinds that offer voluntourism trips has probably doubled in the past three years.
Here is a sample of what you can do to help:
Globe Aware, a nonprofit organization, currently offers volunteer vacations in Peru, Costa Rica, Thailand, Cuba, Nepal, Brazil, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. These short-term (one week) adventures in service focus on cultural-awareness and sustainability, and are often compared to a "mini peace corps." All program costs, including the cost of airfare, are tax-deductible. [...]
You need no special skills nor do you need to speak any foreign language. Immerse yourself in a new culture. Enjoy befriending people in new and interesting countries and experience the reward of helping them on meaningful community projects.
Click here to view a trailer from a documentary on one of Globe Aware's programs.
Travelocity's annual forecast poll found that 11 percent of respondents plan to volunteer during their vacations in 2007 -- up from 6 percent in 2006. From community outreach such as building homes and schools to environment-related projects, people are simply looking for ways to give back and get more involved in important causes.
Travelocity has created a grant program as part of its Travel For Good initiative aimed at travelers yearning for a richer and more meaningful travel experience and is calling for entries from deserving volunteers. With a growing optimism among people that they can have a positive impact through travel, Travelocity is helping with the launch of the grant program.
Under the Travel For Good initiative, first launched in August 2006, Travelocity began a program called Change Ambassadors to help bring the idea of "voluntourism" to a broader, mainstream audience. Key components of the Change Ambassadors program are consumer and employee grants that will be awarded to people who wish to help others through volunteering, but do not have the financial means to take a volunteer vacation. Travelocity will award two $5,000 grants per quarter to customers and one $5,000 grant per quarter to employees.
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Voluntourism
K. Jill Rigby - Contributing Travel Editor
Getting tired of the same old tourist locales? Longing to travel to an exotic place? Interested in doing something meaningful like painting a new community centre in rural China or helping maintain the habitat of one of the world's rarest land birds, the Kakerori, in the Cook Islands? With so many organizations now catering to those who want to travel and do good, choosing a suitable destination and activity is as easy as flying to Cancun. You’ll have to pick up the airfare and some organizations have nominal program fees (food, lodging, work site transportation, program materials and administrative costs) but it’s all tax deductible. One of the highest-profile non-profits, Globe Aware, offers programs in Peru, Costa Rica, Thailand, Cuba, Nepal, Brazil, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Jamaica, and Romania. Like a mini peace corps, the one-week adventures are geared towards promoting cultural-awareness and sustainability. But if it’s the thought of working with orphans that tugs at your heartstrings, you may want to consider Child Haven. Bonnie and Fred Cappuccino, who adopted and brought up 19 boys and girls from 11 countries along with their two biological children, operate out of Maxville, Ontario. Seven orphanages are spread through Nepal, Tibet, India and Bangladesh.
