"Volunteering
abroad as a family is a wonderful way to bond and make the time you
spend together on vacation more worthwhile," says Alejandra Estrada
Guzman, a Program Advisor for Projects Abroad in the United States. "The
experience has benefits for everyone involved: adults use their skills
and experience to help others while traveling and many parents
appreciate having the opportunity to teach their children about
different cultures and the power of one person helping another."
When
arranging a volunteer program for a family, Projects Abroad always
takes personal situations into consideration and will do their best to
match a family to the placement that suits them most. Parents can bring
their children (as long as they are older than 4 years) and the
organization can arrange placements for extended family members,
couples, and friends to volunteer and live together.
Last
summer, the a family from the UK – parents John and Caroline and their
children Ollie (14), Fleur (13), Cosmo (11), and Gus (8) – traveled to
Sri Lanka to volunteer at an orphanage. "Much to my surprise I enjoyed
our three weeks at the Vajira Sri Children's Development Center more
than any other family vacation I have ever been on," said John. "There
were some very hard moments for each of us individually, but these were
short lived and we really did learn to help each other through."
Projects
Abroad also welcomes families who have special circumstances. Recently,
former volunteer Suzanne shared her experience of volunteering at a
kindergarten in Sri Lanka two years ago with her son Thomas, who has
Autism and Cerebral Palsy. "Every single aspect of his condition was
taken into consideration, including his behavior, his likes and
dislikes, and his diet. I am so grateful to Projects Abroad for matching
us with this placement," she said. "Thomas is now 12 and he often
speaks very fondly of his time in Sri Lanka, and would love to return
one day."
The
organization offers projects in various fields that are available
throughout the year and families can join at any time. No previous
experience is needed. All families need is a commitment to helping the
communities where they are working. For more information, please visit
www.projects-abroad.org/volunteer-projects/volunteering-abroad-for-families.
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