Volunteer Vacations

by Bill McMillon

If you’re looking for a way to make a difference while on vacation—simultaneously getting away and using your talents to improve the world—this guide shows you how a short-term volunteer stint can transform your life as much as the people, animals, and ecology you choose to help. This fully updated edition is filled with in-depth information and profiles of 150 select organizations, more than 40 new in this edition, running thousands of quality programs in the United States and around the world.   Inside, you’ll discover ways to     Each listing includes complete contact information with locations, costs, dates, and project details you won’t find anywhere else. It lets you know the work volunteers typically do and any special skills needed and highlights projects specifically tailored for families, seniors, and people with disabilities. Stories from recent volunteers and a host of new photographs help you further imagine your volunteer adventure.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Reference

464 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1987

Reviews

[Sarah]

This is a must-have resource for those who wish to use their vacation time to help others, see the world, and apply their skills and interests to a good cause.

The 11th edition is up-to-date, thorough, and filled with just the right balance of important information and personal narratives.

The trips are presented in alphabetical order and are also indexed by:

• Cost
• Length
• Location
• Season
• Project type
• Family-friendly projects
• Disability-friendly projects
• Senior-friendly projects

The book is, first and foremost, a sourcebook and a starting point. Each listing simply contains each trip’s general contact information, mission statements, funding information, cost, required skills, timelines, and other basic information to kick-start your planning. In addition, though, the authors provide first-person narratives of many of the vacations listed – short essays and pictures in which the reader can get a real feel for both the specific trip and for how a volunteer vacation can be rewarding for everyone involved.

I was especially pleased to see that the book’s authors have an open mind about what kinds of people want to volunteer, what they want to do to help, what resources they have, and where they want to go. This book is not only for idealistic college kids who have whole summers (or years) to give. It’s also not only for those who want to cross oceans or use “primitive bathroom facilities” just in order to give back. The strength and beauty of the book is that it provides opportunities for everyone, from weekend trips hunting down noxious weeds in the mountains of Montana to six-month archeology projects in South Africa – for those of all ages, skill levels, and interests.

The introduction to the book also stresses another important point: volunteer vacations are about both the product and the process. They aren’t all about the labor that you give – it’s also about educating yourself, connecting with others, sharing culture, and yes, simply doing good.

To read more on these and other topics, I recommend reading this interview by one of the book’s authors, Doug Cutchins:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/bethgreen...

[Mo]

This is essentially a phone/contact book for different organizations around the world that offer volunteer opportunities. Finding organizations that don't charge you an arm and a leg for your volunteer work can sometimes be difficult, unless you're volunteering in the States someplace close to where you live. I never found anything that worked for me, check it out from the library instead of buying it.

[Jean Grant]

This is a pleasant introduction, and I'm going on a 3-week volunteer trip with one of the groups they recommend. It's a very "factual" book, but only shows the "good" aspect of volunteering. After reading Paul Theroux's Dark Star Safari and V.S. Naipaul's book on Africa (title escapes me), I wish the editors had a section pointing out what some intelligent naysayers believe.

[Lorna Stuber]

I found this book at a used book store and bought it expecting at least some of it to be out of date since organizations come and go constantly. Still, I got out of it what I wanted. It's well organized and helped me narrow down what to do and what to look for as I seek out international volunteer opportunities. A new edition of the book every year or so would serve people well.

[Nathalia]

There’s a more affordable way to volunteer abroad. These options aren’t it.

Also outdated. Most of the organizations I looked up haven’t survived. I was also wishing there was an excel sheet I could sort since my criteria was under 1000, in a Mediterranean country, and less than two weeks.

[Alison]

This book is a great way to start dreaming, scheming, and planning for my next travel adventure! I'm a grad student at the moment, and am excited to see so many opportunities that are relevant to my studies and career growth. It gives me a sense of having meaningful and exciting options, despite the current frustration of the job market.

The information in this book is very balanced--just enough, but not too much--to give a very realistic, usable snapshot into each of the organizations featured. The indexes in the back are indispensable, and make it easy to search by cost, length of project, location, season, type of work, disability-, senior-, and family-friendly projects.

My favorite part, though, is the excerpts from interviews, reflections, and blog posts from actual project participants that are sprinkled throughout. It's nice to hear the voices of people who actually participated in some of the projects listed.

All in all, this book is definitely a lot easier to navigate than what I'm used to from all of those "college guidebooks" with their endless statistics and obscure information. It's useful, to-the-point, and chock full of ideas!

[Amy]

This is the book to read if you are interested in volunteering somewhere for your vacation. The book is arranged alphabetically by volunteer organization and there's a little something for everyone included.

Information included for each entry is:

Name of volunteer group; contact information including email address & website; project type, e.g. historic preservation, natural conservation, education, etc.; mission statement of the organization; year the organization was founded; funding sources; a description of the work they do; a description of project location(s); a timeline; cost (if there is any); how to get started and finally, needed skills and specific populations, e.g. this is the section that will tell you if you can participate if you are under 18 or disabled.

Sprinkled throughout are brief essays that serve as testimonials by past participants.

A very interesting and enriching piece of literature.

[Arminzerella]

If you don't vacation well (can't sit still, don't want to be a tourist), you might want to consider doing something productive/meaningful with the time you have off. Volunteer Vacations offers listings/descriptions/information for many organizations that provide service opportunities for people of all ages and circumstances. There's bound to be something in this volume that will fit into your time schedule, budget, and desired geographic area.

This is probably not something you want to read all in one sitting. I picked it up and skimmed through it a few times, stopping to read about some of the organizations and opportunities available, but I think I'd give it more serious consideration if I were actively planning some time off.

[Laser Cat]

For what it is, this book isn't bad. It's a reference book that lists all of the various opportunities to travel and volunteer at the same time. I went through the book in s few hours and marked off the various organisations that I was interested in. Even though the index was very helpful, I thought this book could have been organised a little better. For example, some of the organisations were so broad in the type of work that they did, that they covered everything from ecology to teaching English. (Where I would have preferred each organisation to be separated by interest (conservation, teaching English, community building etc etc) Overall, this is a decent reference book and a good place to start.

[Kyle Kurtzal]

This book has a great hook, and is great at getting you excited and making you dream about being a good person, however it's functionality is depressingly low. Many of these "opportunities" are just a page with a name of a business giant and a general description of what they do. There's no real direction given as to how to approach said business. Many other "opportunities" have very high costs involved. I have to wonder if it would be better for me to spend $5,000 flying myself to Africa to help pound nails, or if I should just donate the money. I flipped every page and found nothing I could really use.

[Readersaurus]

Very interesting. I definitely learned what I hoped to learn via this book. It would be greatly improved by other editions being organized some way other than alphabetically by organization name (world region, type of volunteer work, ages of volunteers accepted, etc.). There is an index that covers some of those thing, but it would have been more useful having that information up front. There are many, many ways that people can use their vacation time to help the world.

[Stephanie]

another one of those books that makes me question why I don't go more places. Then I go to the beach or to Big Basin and realize "oh, yeah, when I lived in SoCal I used to leap at the chance to go away, but now I live HERE"

If i DID take vacations, I'd love to do something like these, likely the trailbuilding kind...

[Laura Baker]

This book is a pretty good research for anyone interested in volunteering abroad. It gives short descriptions of every imaginable program - only problem is they don't have enough room to go in to depth. If nothing else, it'll give you some ideas. You'll just have to do the rest of the research yourself.

[Holly]

Good reference to a variety of vacations that provide participants with volunteer opportunities. As with any travel guide though, information can become outdated as organizations close and political situations change overseas. Regardless, I found a number of options through enduring organizations (such as the Sierra Club) and government sponsored efforts that looked feasible for me and my family.

[Sara]

This book isn't really "amazing," but it is certainly indispensable for anyone interested in voluntourism. Although, paper is entirely the wrong format. Needs to be a website so you can sort and filter.

[Carina]

A lot of good ideas and many, many different companies to choose from to help others in need in a way that lets you really get to know the culture, country and people. It was well detailed on the companies, expectations and what they offer.

[Lily]

Lists all the basics about a lot of volunteer programs around the world. A good start for those looking to volunteer abroad, but you will need more information.

[Happy Reader]

It was informative and useful since it only lists organizations that were vetted by the authors. Unfortunately for me, I did not find a project that I plan to undertake.

[Denice]

A gift from my daughter, Jessica! I found an organization that provides medical care in Peru through this book...and it was my "volunteer vaction" last fall! Looking forward to finding my next one.

[Trish Steen]

Don't buy! You can find everything online!

[Arapahoe Libraries]

Have fun while making a difference on vacation

[Jen]

Looks like it's better to wait until the kids are in high school. The information in this book was organized so poorly and is probably outdated quickly.

[Joyce]

I got some good ideas from this book although you can get the most recent opportunities online, I imagine.

[M]

I found a few trips here that I am interested in and may pursue.

[Diana]

Some very interesting volunteer vacations many of which are suitable for seniors. A great way to travel at reasonable rates, view other cultures, and be of some use.

[Bookish]

Lacing up my hiking boots now!

[Constance]

Will save comments till actual participation in a program of which all seem inaccessible and costly.

[Amy]

I used this book mainly for research, so cannot claim to have read it word-for-word, but as a guide it's been very helpful.

[Anna]

Great resource for volunteers. Some info is out of date, but there are plenty of options depending on time, budget, and interests.

[Elyssa]

A useful guide to learning about the many volunteer vacation options.