We always strive to provide secure, comfortable lodging in all partner communities; a bonus is sometimes, the building where we stay also is culturally and historically significant to the area. Such is the case in Castelvetrano, Sicily, where volunteers are lodged in two guesthouses nestled in the historic city center; the Palazzo al Carmine and […]
Samantha Pinakoulaki is Global Volunteers Greece Country Manager, having joined the team in 2005. As country manager, she manages all aspects of the service program in Greece including the logistics, project assignments, and cross-cultural experiences, making sure that all volunteers have a safe and meaningful experience. When Sam is not busy leading teams, she works in […]
College is a time when young people are told that they are supposed to find themselves or a deeper purpose in life. For many Gen Z, it can be a harrowing task to discover the “real world, ” especially when the real world isn’t much more than campus and home. But what if you volunteered […]
Peru, a land of staggering beauty and rich history, has captured the hearts of travelers for centuries. Nestled in South America, this enchanting country is a treasure trove of diverse landscapes, from the lush Amazon rainforest to the towering peaks of the Andes Mountains. But Peru is much more than just stunning scenery; it’s a […]
“A Dream Volunteer Vacation.” Retired College Professor Lori Wedeking has served yearly in Poland since 2002 – on a total of 34 programs teaching conversational English. She says she’s drawn by the children, of course, but lists “so many other reasons” that make Poland a dream volunteer vacation. She shares her top four reasons for […]
Summer in Montana is bliss. The temperatures are warm, but not too warm. The air lacks humidity, so the warmth feels pleasant and not oppressive. The Big Sky State lives up to its nickname, with many days of beautiful blue skies. These elements, along with the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, make the Montana service […]
Dr. Hannah Nguyen returned from Tanzania driven to inspire colleagues to contribute their skills to rural villagers through Global Volunteers’ Reaching Children’s Potential (RCP) Program. Some of the following is excerpted from her story in the professional newsletter of the Southern California Child Adolescent Psychiatry Association. Read on to learn how you can advance the […]
In 2022, Loyola Blakefield, a Catholic, Jesuit college preparatory school in Baltimore County, Maryland, chose Global Volunteers for their first service-learning program on the Blackfeet Reservation of Montana. Recognizing an alignment between our our Philosophy of Service and the school’s mission, based on the spirit of Ignatius Loyola, the pioneer team set out “to serve […]
Nursing students from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University in Minnesota contributed immensely to Global Volunteers’ First Reaching Children’s Potential (RCP) Program in Peru. The Peru RCP Program, a replica of Global Volunteers’ Tanzania RCP Program, officially launched in the summer of 2022. Global Volunteers’ staff and community leaders laid the groundwork […]
In this interview Tenley Zinkey, a Former Fendi Executive, explains what motivated her to become a Volunteer Team Leader, and shares her experience and lessons from leading her first team in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. By Mindy Lull When Tenley Zinke returned from her first service program on the Blackfeet Reservation in 2019, she […]