Sep 01
0

Can You Deduct a Volunteer Trip?

By | Genevieve Brown, IVPA Executive Director, Tips for Volunteering Abroad | No Comments

A question many people ask when they are thinking of volunteering abroad is “Can I deduct my volunteer trip?” And the two most common answers I give are…1. “It depends.” and 2. “Consult a tax professional”.

That being said there are provisions that allow an international volunteers to deduct the costs of volunteering abroad.

Bankrate.com recently posted some of the issues of such a deduction and I thought they summarized the details well.  You can find more here.

In the article they made sure to point out that just as if you were going to deduct a donation of physical goods or money, your time must be given to qualified organization. Also the purpose of the trip must be for charity work not a vacation that means keeping track of how your time is spent. (One day of service and five days spent on the beach probably wouldn’t qualify.)Some other useful tips included keeping receipts and careful track of expenses because you will need to itemize your deductions.

These are useful tips so if you are thinking about deducting the cost of a voluntourism trip or volunteer vacation and make sure to do your research before hand to see if you qualify – answers 1 and 2 still apply.

Aug 24
0

International Volunteers Found in the United States and Abroad

By | Genevieve Brown, IVPA Executive Director | One Comment

We often focus on the idea of Americans or Europeans going abroad to volunteer but international volunteerism is happening all over the world. Take for example the United Nations Volunteer (UNV) program. In 2008, Keyna sent 206 volunteers abroad to volunteer with UNV. Another example is Atlas Service Corps. As an innovative nonprofit based in Washington DC, Atlas Service Corps brings mid-level professionals from developing countries to come to the US and serve for a year as a fellow.

While these two examples focus on skilled volunteers, I enjoyed a recent article in Denver newspaper about young volunteers from U.S. and Germany, Sweden, Egypt, Spain, the Netherlands and the Philippines volunteering together at the Denver Indian Center as part of CISV International project.

We might not hear much about international volunteers coming to the US to volunteer but it is exciting that ideas like cross-cultural understanding, cooperation, and voluntourism can be found in our own back yard.

Aug 14
0

IVPA Member Cross-Cultural Solutions reaches 25,000 Volunteers!

By | IVPA Members | No Comments

A big congratulations to Cross-Cultural Solutions for reaching 25,000 volunteers!

“This month, Cross-Cultural Solutions (CCS) officially reached 25,000 volunteers who have given their service and become involved in global issues first-hand.

In 12 countries around the world, CCS volunteers work side-by-side with local people in orphanages and childcare centers, schools, health clinics and hospitals, homes for the elderly, centers for people with disabilities, and other community organizations.

While reaching 25,000 volunteers is an important milestone in a movement, the impact of this international service is exponential in comparison”… (Read more here)

Aug 07
0

How to Choose a International Volunteer Program

By | Genevieve Brown, IVPA Executive Director | No Comments

It seems like every day there is a new volunteer-sending organization popping up. Growth in the field is great because it means that more and more people have the chance to volunteer abroad. But the sheer number of opportunities to choose from can make it confusing for someone just starting to think about volunteering internationally. Unfortunately there are some organization out there that misrepresent themselves. One of the most common questions for someone looking to volunteer is “How do I know if an organization is legit?”. This is an important question to ask. People don’t want to be a victim of a scam or fraud nor do they want to throw away their money on an experience they feel does not have value.

The first step in having a great experience and truly make and impact in the communities you plan on visiting is to find the right organization. Below are some steps to guide you to the right organization for you.

  1. Know what type of experience you are looking for. Decide the answers to the obvious questions for example:
    • How long do you want to volunteer for?
    • Is there a specific country or region you want to travel to?
    • What type of service or project do you hope to be involved in?
    • Do you want to be with other volunteers or on your own?
    • How much do you plan on spending?
  2. Next, start researching. Just because an organization has a great website does not mean that they are reputable. Talk to the organization and ask questions, lots of them. Some questions to consider:
    • Can I talk to a former volunteer?
    • What does my program fee pay for?
    • Will I be interacting with employees from the sending organization when I am on the ground?
    • Will I receive training before I leave?
    • What is your refund policy?
    • How long has the sending organization been operating?
    • Does the sending organization partner with local NGO’s in-country?
    • If there is an emergency how can my family reach me or vice-versa?

This is just a short list of questions you might consider. You can see more here. The important thing is to make an educated decision that you feel good about, then you can move forward and prepare for a great international experience, volunteering and making a difference.

Jul 23
0

Top Travel Destinations for Volunteering Abroad

By | Tips for Volunteering Abroad | No Comments

More and more Americans from all ages and backgrounds are interested in volunteering internationally. In fact, in a recent poll done by UC San Diego, 40% of the 1,400 adults surveyed indicated that they were willing to spend a few weeks volunteering abroad.  The top 5 destinations included:

  1. Africa
  2. East Asia
  3. South America
  4. (tie) Mexico
  5. (tie) Western Europe

For the full article click here

Jul 16
0

Volunteer Abroad Through IVPA’s Member Programs

By | Genevieve Brown, IVPA Executive Director, Tips for Volunteering Abroad | No Comments

Looking to go abroad this year and plan on incorporating service into you travels? IVPA Members offer programs in over 65 countries around the world.  From island nations in the South Pacific to the plains of Africa there are limitless possibilities to serve.

As potential volunteers begin their search for the right program many wonder “how do I know if an organization is legit?”. IVPA members have been vetted and commit to upholding 35 important best practices in the field of international volunteering.

Check out IVPA members and their programs at Volunteerinternational.org. You can also search programs here by country, length or stay and/or type of service. Make the goal now to explore, make connections and do some good.

Jul 07
0

Voluntourism in the News

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

IVPA and some of IVPA’s members were recently mentioned in a Wall Street Journal article on voluntourism. The article features some options about volunteering internationally and what to look out for when choosing an organization. Though the concept traveling abroad is not new the media has really picked up on voluntourism and has started to feature more articles using the term. It is great to see media interest in international volunteering and volutourism and hopefully the coverage will continue. 

Jun 24
1

The Impact of Volunteering Abroad

By | Genevieve Brown, IVPA Executive Director, Research | No Comments

Approximately a month ago the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis and the Global Economy and Development at Brookings released the interim results of their study on the impact of international volunteering. This portion of the study specifically looks at the perceived impact of international volunteering on the volunteer.

They found that the volunteers reported an increase in International Awareness, Intercultural Relations and International Career Intentions and that this increase was statistically significant when contrasted with the comparison group.

Brookings and the Center for Social Development continue to produce some of the highest quality research on international volunteering. I can’t wait to see read their next report.

Jun 17
0

Find Your Own Story

By | IVPA Members, Volunteer Stories | No Comments

To date over fifteen hundred trip participants have intentionally immersed themselves in the daily lives of Global Citizens Network’s community partners to support collaboration on development projects, as well as –see with fresh eyes, learn something new,  and simply be in solidarity with humankind.

(Building a multi-use sports court)

While the summer testimonies coming in from individual encounters already range from “the most meaningful experience of my life” to  “not just a volunteer trip  but two weeks that helped me discover myself”  one thing is universal and true across the board…..everyone has a story to tell.

My story is simple.  For two weeks last summer I lived with awe, humility and a sense of interconnectedness while leading a team of volunteers in Ecuador.  I was quickly reminded that our common humanity encompasses many of the same hopes, dreams, struggles and suffering that tie us to one another.  At the same time, if we truly listen, that humanity also challenges us to recognize and appreciate differences as we move together towards a more globally minded society.

Linda Stuart (center)

While the GCN’s team and the afro-Ecuadorian community of Tumabtu worked together to align our plans for the week, we were faced with many barriers, roadblocks and frustrations.   GCN’s commitment to the communities’ empowerment was renewed in our presence through constant dialogue and our team’s new way of thinking that put people first and enabled all voices to be heard.  We all had a chance to grow up a bit.    Now what I do next is just as important as I what I did while I was there.  I am mindful of my obligation and grateful for the camaraderie.

So, what’s your story?  Everyone has one and I invite you to share yours with the IVPA.   Will you return this summer renewed or are you looking for the sequel, a time to reconnect with good friends? ….2010 offers hundreds of different opportunities to immerse in other cultures around the world.

Interested in contacting a return trip participant for first-hand info about certain places?  Let us know.  We’d be happy to hear from you.

GCN trip to Tumbatu, Ecuador – Spaces still available August 12-22, 2010.

By Linda Stuart, GCN Director

For more information visist:  http://www.globalcitizens.org/where-we-go/afro-ecuadorian-people-tumbatu or contact GCN Regional Coordinator for Latin America – Laura Kurland at laura@globalcitizens.org.

Jun 09
1

The Latest Research on International Volunteerism in the United States

By | Genevieve Brown, IVPA Executive Director, Research | No Comments

The Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis recently released a research brief as part of their ongoing research on international volunteering in the United States.

This brief gives a great summary and some actual figures about international volunteering trends in the U.S. Some of the highlights include the following findings:

  • Over one million individuals reported volunteering internationally in 2008.
  • The majority of international volunteers served with a faith-based organization.
  • The most common activities of volunteers included general labor (33%), mentoring youth (29%), providing counseling or medical care (23%), and tutoring or teaching (22%).