If you’re reading this article, chances are you’ve already decided to spend your summer doing service. Now the decision is which company to choose to ensure that you have the best possible trip. Here are some things to consider when looking into teen volunteer summer programs.

How much service do you want to do? If the answer is 100% service, all the time, or, if the answer is very little service, mostly travel, either way VISIONS is not the program for you. VISIONS participants spend roughly 55% of their time accomplishing service work. The rest of your time is a rich mix of socializing with and learning from your hosts, traveling the region going to places tourists rarely go, having adventure treks and sightseeing excursions, and bonding with fellow VISIONS participants and your leaders.

What kind of living accommodations can you expect? If you prefer to live exclusively with a host family or if you’d rather stay in a modern hotel or apartment, VISIONS is not a fit either way.Because VISIONS has long-standing relationships and strong partnerships with the communities that we return to year after year, our groups live together in the heart of the community in a public building (school, community center, church hall, etc.). Local people drop by, often for dinner or another activity, and children appear out of nowhere to play games and befriend you. While VISIONS participants live together as one unit in clean, simple spaces, they have continuous opportunities to mingle and create bonds with their hosts.Some VISIONS programs plan dinner stays or day stays, meaning participants return each week to the same family’s home for dinner or for lunch and an afternoon.

How big would you like your group to be? VISIONS volunteer groups consist of 18 to 25 high school age students. Each group is co-ed and well-balanced between males and females.The staff-to-student ratio is 1:4, 1:5 at the very most. If you’re looking to test your independent wings by going without a friend, VISIONS is perfect for you. While we welcome two friends participating together, we do not knowingly allow three or more friends in the same program. The team spirit that high school students create who mostly don’t know each other before the program begins, is a powerful dynamic, proven successful time and time again on VISIONS programs.

We believe, and two decades of feedback from participants and parents, that we organize and run the very best volunteer overseas programs for teens available. Of course, VISIONS programs are unique and specific. It’s important to take the time to do your research, speak to our references, and ensure that VISIONS Service Adventures is right for you.