Category Archives: Uncategorized

In a recent post in the Huffington Post, Billy Beltz, an executive at “Volunteer Forever,” documents his recent volunteer abroad experience in Greece, and then delves into the hurdles he faced when fundraising for his trip.

Billy Beltz by noting the wide-ranging positive benefits of volunteering abroad, noting:

• International volunteerism effects positive change in communities that need it most
• Returning volunteers always assert that their experience extends far beyond direct assist to their host community
• International volunteerism promotes the exchange of ideas and improved cultural understandings
• International volunteerism creates global citizens and has, at times, lasting personal transformations

All of these lasting, positive benefits have been documented numerous times by returning volunteers, experts and the impacted community. So, why not increase the number of individuals volunteering abroad? The hurdle lays in the cost of volunteer programs – which are often justifiable because of the work done by these non-profits to allow for a safe, informative and valuable experience.

Thus, Bill Beltz and Steven Weddle, sought to make volunteering abroad more economically feasible – so, they created “Volunteer Forever.” This allows students interested in volunteering abroad to “select overseas placements [after reading] authentic reviews and raise money effectively so they could make their trip a reality.” The overall goal of the online platform is allow individuals to tell their story and interest in volunteering abroad, in order to collect donations for their trips.

In recent years, studies have demonstrated that there is growing number of U.S.
high school graduates who are taking a year off, before enrolling in college. This
trend, traditionally popular in England and other European countries, is giving
U.S. students an opportunity to explore different cultures, communities and gain a
valuable experience.

To help decipher this growing trend and what constitutes a gap year, Valerie
Strauss, a reporter with the Washington Post, documented her conversation with
Laura R. Hosid, an expert on gap years at Vink Educational Placement Services, Inc,
in a recent post.

The conversations begins by first defining the term “gap year,” which has come
to “typically describe a year off between high school and college…[which offers] an
opportunity to travel, explore different interests, and gain experience and maturity
before beginning college.” Ms. Hosid continues by pointing out that “many students
choose to take a gap year because they see it as an opportunity to try something
new and take a break from formal schooling.” This new opportunity allows them to
expand their perspectives, gain new insights and formulate new skills that will help
them in college and throughout their professional careers.

In fact, Ms. Hosid notes that “a gap year can be an excellent opportunity to actively
purse an interest or passion” before pursuing that interest academically. In fact,
a 2011 New York Times article notes that data from Middlebury University’s own
statistics “demonstrated that average G.P.A for Middlebury students who took a
break – 35 people this year – was consistently higher than that of those who did not
[take a gap year].” Other institutions, such as Princeton University and University of
North Carolina, have set-up formal global gap year programs and fellowships.

The conversation also highlighted the different opportunities available to students
throughout their gap year. While most students “choose to spend their gap year in
structured programs volunteering abroad or in the United States,” others “piece
together different options to explore a range of interests.”

For more information or to see the Washington Post blog post:

The Washington Post – 9/21/2012

A Primer on Gap Years

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/a-primer-on-gap-years/2012/09/20/005d2a5c-033f-11e2-91e7-2962c74e7738_blog.html

In response to international partner requests and increased capacity for September-December, CFHI is happy to announce discounted program pricing ($300 off!) for the remainder of 2012.

CFHI is a nonprofit that provides Global Health Education Programs for those interested in health or medicine. To date, CFHI has sent over 7,000 students including pre-meds, nursing, physician assistant, social work, public health students, and more on its programs to 20+ sites throughout Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, India, Mexico, and South Africa. CFHI offers programs every month of the year and over 50% of program fees go back to underserved communities abroad.

FOR MORE INFO:

Through this promotion students can earn $300 off of any 2012 program.

For full details and deadlines see the discount page: http://www.cfhi.org/web/index.php/campaigns/show/id/51.  Or contact: students@cfhi.org       

A recent article published by USA Today-College highlights the importance of truly grasping the value of volunteering abroad, and immersing oneself in a radically different culture.

The article begins by noting that today, many students are not only studying abroad, they are volunteering abroad. College students are using part of their college years to travel to a foreign nation, and become part of that community. Because of the rising number of students volunteering abroad, colleges and universities are hosting information sessions about this topic. The sessions often discuss the different volunteer abroad organizations and the value associated with volunteering abroad. Some of these sessions also note the required planning and challenges that must be addressed before going abroad.

Many college students “choose to volunteer abroad through alternative break programs that promote the idea of substance-free spring and winter breaks.” the volunteer abroad trips, which range from a week to a semester, are organized by different organizations or organizations’ university chapters. Often, the volunteer trips attract students from different colleges, with a wide array of backgrounds. Together, they arrive in a different community and contribute to its development.

The article notes that some students ‘fall in love’ with their volunteer abroad experience, and want to continuously contribute to that community. For example, a former student at University of Maryland, cited in the article, “spent his college years going to Honduras to build homes and schools…after graduation, he traveled back to Honduras for a seven-week volunteer trip and helped with development of an online merchandise store.” These efforts, and others like it, further establish why volunteering abroad should be an essential component of one’s college years.

In fact, the article goes on to say, that “volunteering abroad has become especially popular with students who do not have the time to study abroad for an entire semester.” Thus, the opportunities are there for students to volunteer abroad, immerse themselves in a different culture and community, and gain a wider perspective on the world.

Volunteering abroad is an ever-growing interest among travelers and GoOverseas recently released their 2012 Official Volunteer Abroad Report which summarizes some of the most popular locations potential volunteers search for.

According to the report, young people are looking to take gap years and other available opportunities to volunteer in developing countries; “India came in at number one for the most global monthly search for volunteer opportunities.” Other top countries with low GDPs included South Africa, Thailand and Haiti.

Overall, top ten most searched countries for volunteer abroad opportunities ranged in location, geography and culture – with no general theme. The only pattern that was observed for 2012 volunteering abroad is disaster relief opportunities. Natural disasters play a significant role on where volunteers decide to dedicate their time and effort. For example, there was a significant rise in the global monthly searches for volunteer opportunities in Haiti, after the 2010 earthquakes, and Japan, after the 2011 earthquakes. After these disasters occur, people are inspired to get involved in the disaster relief process, by providing a wide array of resources and expertise.

The report also notes other correlations among google searching for volunteering abroad opportunities. For example, individuals interested in conservation volunteering tend to volunteer abroad in tropical countries, such as, Australia or Costa Rica. “African and Asian countries with diverse animal and plant populations are also popular volunteer destinations” for conservation volunteers. Additionally, the report breaks down the monthly google searches for volunteering abroad by continent – highlighting important factors and other considerations for each continent. The report also notes that volunteers who wish to stay for longer periods of time tend to focus on projects based on advocacy and policy, which have greater impact, when continued for a long-period of time.

To see the full report visit: http://www.gooverseas.com/volunteer-abroad-report

A recent NPR article, titled “’Globals’ Generation Focuses on Experience” has caused many journalists and bloggers to ponder the true meaning of the American dream – has it really changed for this generation (current 20-something and early 3-something Americans)?

NPR defined the “First Globals” as members of a generation that have “moved beyond suburban homes and traditional nuclear families, and it’s ones that now goes even beyond U.S. borders…it’s a generation just as likely to watch the World Cup as it is the Super Bowl.”

The accuracy of this definition is supported by various studies that clearly show that the percent of the current 20-something and early 30-something Americans who have traveled abroad is greater than any previous generation. In fact, the International Institute of Education notes that more than 270,000 students studied abroad during the 2009-2010 school year, more than three times what it was two decades earlier.

The “First Globals” are focused on volunteering and working abroad, gaining a wide array of experiences, skill sets and a broader perspective on a variety of issues and cultures. Traveling abroad places value on experience, rather than ownership – the tenet of the ‘former’ American dream. Thus, it appears that the new American dream is composed more of being globally minded and the idea of public service, than commitment to the idea of ownership and family structure.

It is also evident that the advent of the Internet, specifically social media, has greatly contributed to the expansion of the idea of global citizenship. With social media, Americans are able to access a wide array of information, gaining a diverse set of knowledge, which further propels their interest to travel, volunteer or work abroad.

The process of volunteering or working abroad is exciting and its continuously expanding – it is the thrill of being able to “learn about other cultures, meet people from different backgrounds, talk to people with different global perspectives.”

So, do you consider yourself part of the “First Globals”? If not, check out our members and spend a couple of weeks traveling abroad – discover what it truly means to be a global citizen.

On June 20^th, world leaders, along with thousands of participants from governments, the private sector and NGO’s, gathered in Rio de Janeiro, for the 20^th Anniversary United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.

The conference, which has come to be known as Rio +20, formalized to help shape how world leaders, organizations and companies can reduce poverty, social equity, and ensure environmental protection. The conference focused on the importance of sustainability, highlighting a future with minimal challenges. Thus, the main themes were green economy, in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, and establishing sustainable institutional frameworks.

The three-day international summit was met with different reactions from the media, and received mixed reviews from a wide array of leaders and prominent journalists. Rio +20 did bring to the forefront the concepts of economic, social and environmental development and the agenda helped millions of people recognize the importance of sustainable development.

Rio +20 was expected to be a fundamental mark in our history, giving that it’s the 20-year anniversary of the first Earth Summit on sustainable development. However, it failed to achieve such high prominence before, during and after the summit. Additionally, world leaders were not able to agree upon the outcome document, which contained several proposals on sustainable development.

The Rio +20 Summit occurred at a time when global development faces numerous challenges, specifically given the numerous economic downturns. Thus, it has given millions of people hope, that with a goal of sustainable development, achieving global prosperity is achievable.

This past couple of weeks I had the opportunity to travel to Morocco and experience volunteering with Cross-Cultural Solutions as well as visit with two other IVPA Members, Projects Abroad and ProWorld. I was impressed with the quality  of the programs and found myself wanting to stay and volunteer more. I’ve highlighted a few of the IVPA Principles and Practices that made an impression on me while in Morocco.

• Wherever possible places volunteers with local and ongoing agencies and projects rather than creating its own. The agencies or projects should be those that allow volunteers to encounter directly the social and developmental issues of the other culture and society.

All of the IVPA member organizations really made an effort to partner with local organizations that had interesting projects and a real need and use for volunteers. IVPA member organizations worked with partners to place volunteers in projects suitable for the short-term nature of the placements. I was impressed with the range and variety of the volunteer placements and the incredible work these organizations are doing. I saw placements that included human rights work to participatory governance, English teaching for refugees and interactive play and activities for at-risk children. I was also impressed that the work volunteers were doing did not replace local Moroccan workers but was supplementary and a support to the work they were doing.

• Housing or home stay should be clean (in accordance with local standards), hygienic, and safe.

It was great to see and experience the variety of housing from group housing to home stays. I was impressed with the CCS housing and staff during my stay, where I stayed with other CCS volunteers. I also was able to visit some of Projects Abroad home-stays.

• Allows and encourages opportunities for volunteers to broaden their experience of the host culture by field trips and experiences beyond the basic obligations of the program.

There is so much to experience and learn about Morocco. For many volunteers it is there first experience in a Muslim country. There are a wealth of opportunities to travel in country and many volunteers took advantage of their free time. At Cross-Cultural Solutions they scheduled during the week classes and cultural opportunities such as cooking, Arabic and cultural discussions.