More and more people today are looking for new ways to travel. A survey done by the Hudson Institute found that U.S. volunteers pursued worldwide international volunteering valued at $3.5 billion in 2007. Clearly more and more people are volunteering. The question is why.
There can be one or many reasons why a traveler takes a volunteer vacation. No matter the answer — to learn a language, taste foreign food, experience a different culture, teach, live abroad, do good, try a new career, visit a new country, share a current skill, give back, try something new, or feel like an ambassador — travelers are lining up to leave home to help in the world and enjoy a vacation on a deeper level.
Ask people why they volunteer and the first answer usually involves wanting to give back. When people share themselves and volunteer, they usually end up feeling good. After all, why does anyone sign up to work without the expectation of pay or reward? True dedication to the cause or the work, spurs people around the world into giving hundreds of thousands of hours of volunteer work annually. Other reasons to volunteer may include:
Voiunteer To Share a Skill or Try Something New
There are opportunities for the traveler with special skills or talents to pass them on. One of the most recognized is Doctors without Borders, but sharing a special skill also applies to teachers, business people and scientists. Conversely, some volunteers specifically choose projects that have nothing to do with their career in order to learn something new.
Looking for a Deeper Cultural Experience
For many volunteer travelers, traditional vacations have become unfulfilling and they search for ways to have a greater connection with local people, such as home stays. They are done with the multiple city vacations and prefer to spend time in a single location. Volunteer vacations nicely answer both these preferences for a meaningful vacation.
Looking for Inexpensive Travel
During the current global economic situation, avid travelers continue to look for ways to travel as economically as possible. Volunteer vacations do not always involve large price tags. Projects that are close to home can be very economical. The traveler who is willing to make the arrangements without an umbrella agency may also find savings.
Want to Travel and Receive a Tax Deduction
Volunteer vacations found through an agency based in country of residence may have the benefit to the traveler of tax deductions at the completion of the trip. Consult with a good tax advisor to obtain the list of typical trip expenses that may be eligible for a deduction. For a U.S. volunteer, the placement agency must be a registered U.S. non-profit and the volunteer must work 40 hours per week for some of the expenses to be eligible for a tax deduction.
Volunteers Learn About Themselves
Ask any returned volunteer about a recent volunteer vacation and the conversation will likely turn to what was personally gained from the experience. Even service work within the country of residence can impact a person’s outlook and experience of the world.
While the reasons listed above are very different, most volunteers return from the vacation saying that the experience was fun. After all, isn’t that why people both take a vacation or work as a volunteer?
The time spent personally answering the why question can be critical to the success of the volunteer experience. Finding the answer generally lessens the time it takes to find a placement that fits the time allowed, budget available and personal goal for the volunteer vacation.
Jane Stanfield - I found my goal in life in 2004 when I came across several articles and a class on volunteer vacations. I had been an active local ...
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