Ethical volunteer vacations combine purposeful service with cultural travel – to the ultimate benefit of local children and families. Global Volunteers meets 10 of 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in structuring programs respecting and assisting local people who invite our volunteers into their communities. Our philosophy of service requires serving where we’ve been invited, working […]
Poland Volunteer Gary talks about his experience Teaching English in Poland: We are now well into our second of three weeks volunteering for Global Volunteers teaching English in Poland. I am at the elementary and middle school at Strzala outside of Siedlce. A work rhythm is now established and we are used to not having many people […]
by Peru Country Manager Daniel Salazar When we think of the benefits of education, we can probably quickly mention the development of intellectual abilities, freedom of thought, and the increase in productivity. So education is valuable in itself (for the sake of knowledge), but also for the benefits it produces (it makes a person freer […]
On the International Day of Peace, 2016, Peru Country Manager Daniel Salazar interviewed retired pharmacist and 7-time volunteer Gary Gullikson in service in Poland. Gary said while he regularly prays for peace, he yearns to turn his prayer into more practical actions. That’s what led him to his first Global Volunteers Poland service program in […]
Reflections by Emily, an India Global Volunteer, on the cumulative positive volunteer impact on students in Chennai. Before I made the decision to come to Chennai, India, I debated with myself over what my true volunteer impact would be in such a short period of time. I didn’t know if my time and effort volunteering […]
Some 35 percent of our 32, 000 alumni volunteers have served on previous programs. Lori is a particularly loyal Poland volunteer, and over her 30-plus service programs, she’s formed relationships with several of the same students year after year. Her reflections as a Global Volunteer alumnus are excerpted from the team journal. I’m fortunate to have met so many great […]
First-time Global Volunteer Ken Higgins was excited to teach children in Poland after his wife served on a Ghana Global Volunteers program in 2012. “I wanted to be able to help others in some fashion and experience a different culture. Based on Debbie’s recommendation of Global Volunteers, it seemed like a good organization to attain these goals, ” he said. […]
A journal by Norina, a Poland Global Volunteer. I’ve served on the Global Volunteers summer camp teaching program in Poland several times. I’ll continue to volunteer at Reymontowka, in a lovely pastoral setting in Siedlce, east of Warsaw, and at Zakopane, in the beautiful Tatra mountains south of Kraków. While the food and accommodations at both sites are […]
Long-time Poland alumni report that learning about the Polish people – Polish customs, dance, music, as well as their hopes and dreams is the highlight of volunteering in Poland. This testimonial from Lori, a 30-time (!) Poland Global Volunteer exemplifies how the Polish people enrich the lives of all who come to know them. Several years […]
St. Lucia Volunteer Erin C. discovers teaching children in a St. Lucia classroom requires patience – and a measure of “blind faith.” Short-term volunteers teach children ages 10 to 17 at the Anse la Raye Primary School. We woke to the sound of rain on the tin roofs today. I laid in bed listening to the torrential downpour, […]