Choosing The Right Volunteer Summer Program

So you’ve decided that you are going to spend this summer volunteering abroad. You are ready and committed to taking the time to become fully immersed in helping a community less privileged than your own. What a great decision! Now it’s time to figure out which of the available programs is right for you and your personality. There are many choices available in the teen summer service industry and it’s important to consider several factors before you choose the one that is best suited for you.

1. What is your personal service goal while performing teen community service abroad?

There are many different kinds of teen summer service programs available and each one is set up completely differently. Some are completely service oriented with little to no time for extracurricular activities. Others are less service oriented and more focused on creating memories for the volunteers. VISIONS offers a balance between the two. We are a service based organization, which means that service encompasses a majority, 55-60%, of the summer program. The other time will be spent on guide-led adventures throughout the region you are serving.

2. What kind of living situation are you expecting in your service community?

Arriving in a new community, especially if it is located abroad, can be a daunting experience. Some teens will jump at the opportunity to do a homestay and spend most of their free time with a local family. Others are better suited to spend their teen volunteer summer program at a hotel in a large city close to their service community. VISIONS volunteers live fully immersed in the community they are serving while staying as a group at a local school, community center, or hostel. We believe it allows our volunteers to be part of the community while facilitating lasting bonds between the teens in the service group.

3. Is reputation and safety a priority?

VISIONS offers every potential volunteer a list of references consisting of past participants and parents. Teens and their families are encouraged to call these references and discuss their experiences with Visions. Each service group is very well organized and the staff to student ratio is 1 to 4 or 5. This is among the best ratio in the industry.

4. Are you interested in doing more than construction projects?

Many teen volunteer opportunities are construction based projects only. Teens spend each day working on a construction project within a community. Visions is also construction based but also offers many other projects to teens. While in their service community, teens are encouraged to take on other projects such as sustainable development, environmental and agricultural work, and volunteering with children and the elderly.

Visions encourages every teen and their family to really take the time to consider what they want out of a teen volunteer summer program. If your goals and expectations sound similar to ours, please give us a call today.