Voluntourism Can be Expensive, but Valuable Experience for U.S. Students on a Gap Year

Submitted by Paul on Tue, 07/29/2008 - 22:38

I just read an article Change the World-on Dad's Time, by Judith Timson, of the Toronto Globe and Mail. The article takes a humorous poke at the upper-middle class appeal of the voluntourism industry, yet rightly points out the positive personal impact international volunteering can have in the lives of students.

Volunteering overseas during a gap year, a semester, or summer break can be expensive, but I think the benefits of such experiences in the lives of young Americans are worth the investment. Opening up the mind of an 18 or 20 year old to the difficult and sometimes dire conditions that people live in around the world, and providing the opportunity to make a difference, cannot be measured so easily in dollars and cents. I agree with the author of the article when she says, "But there's another side to it. These trips, organized by student volunteer agencies across North America and in Europe, are filled with the potential to not only offer helping hands in needy communities, but to change a young person's direction in life."

Students can do things such as: teach conversational English; work with at-risk children; work on environmental projects; repair and build homes, provide healthcare in rural areas. A host of volunteer tourism organizations offering a variety of packages, even for the budget minded, are ready to take you! Have a look at Cross-Cultural Solutions, Earthwatch Institute and Global Crossroads to name just a few listed in our database of Gap Year Options. Another organization geared to the needs of U.S. students worth checking out, is International Student Volunteers based in Yorba Linda, CA.

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