What is Group Volunteering? Why is it Important?
You may of heard about a friend’s summer vacation, how she travelled to Cambodia to volunteer for a few weeks. She had an amazing experience and made lots of friends from around the world. You admire her, she has exciting stories of travelling and humanitarian volunteering and, while you would love to do something like that you worry you will be lonely and would like a friend or maybe even a group to travel and volunteer with.
Well lucky for you Globalteer has over 22 volunteer abroad projects in 9 different countries. They are ideal for both individuals or those who want a group volunteering experience. We work with local organizations and individuals to foster an environment where our volunteers learn a lot about a place and are able to contribute to a developing community.
So, what exactly is ‘group volunteering’, how does it work and why is it important? These are fantastic questions and at Globalteer we strive to make the commitment so that each and every one of our volunteers know why it is important to help out around the world. Group volunteering is usually organized through a school (high school, university), cultural club or a company, however it can also be organized by a group of friends or classmates who want to see the world and make a positive contribution to community projects.
Group volunteering is a great way for work colleagues to strengthen their team building skills and professional relationships which will make for a more rewarding work environment. At Globalteer we have had a corporate group from Singapore come join us in Cambodia and work together on our clean-water project. They not only fostered their work relationships, some meeting for the first time with other departments they had only emailed before, but they were also able to participate in sustainable development in a rural area in Cambodia.
If you are an educator or maybe head of a student run organization at your school, group volunteering can be a great way to also foster a dynamic team of an under 18 school group and build student relationships as well as provide students with confidence, leadership growth and teamwork. University students and groups also benefit from these skills and gain experience that can be used on a CV. These skills are so valuable in the workforce and in higher levels of education. When students volunteer overseas in a developing country they are able to learn first-hand how other people live and what they can do to make a difference in a local community.
At Globalteer we also strive to implement a cultural immersion aspect to our volunteer programmes. We believe it is so important for young people to learn about other cultures and communities through service learning, while they are overseas volunteering and helping to make a difference. We offer a variety of programmes that are perfect for young students and university groups to engage in cultural exchange opportunities. At the animal sanctuaries, students will get the chance to learn about an animal’s habitat, how to care for the animal and why it is important to protect our environment. At our community projects students and volunteers interact with children and women who are at a societal disadvantage. Through these programmes, we provide a safe environment to learn new skills and participate in learning and activities. At our clean water project volunteers get to learn just how clean water systems are implemented and why ours are a sustainable resource for the communities they benefit.
Regardless if you are part of a corporate company or a student group there is a programme for everyone. If you want to learn more about the environment or animal care please come join us at a conservation project! If you enjoy helping a community learn a skill or providing a service that allows children to have fun and safe activities to foster their growth we have lots of programmes around the world.
Why you should become an international volunteer with Globalteer?
At Globalteer we offer flexible volunteer opportunities. Thinking of coming for Spring Break or maybe a few weeks in the summer? We offer customized volunteer group trips to fit your goals and schedule. Most of our past group volunteers have stayed between 1-3 weeks and so there is no limit for you to help make a difference. We also accomodate all types of groups from university groups to youth groups to families.
In addition, we have three offices around the world, Cambodia, Colombia and Peru. It is important to have an office close to the location you are volunteering so you can always be sure to reach one of our staff members in case you need to. Whether you are volunteering in Southeast Asia or Latin America we have offices in your time zone where the staff are easily accessible to you should you need to contact us.
We also offer the chance to become a group leader or a Globalteer Ambassador, both of which offer perks when you come volunteer with us. As a group leader, if you are able to get a group of ten or more people to volunteer together you may be eligible for a free or discounted placement at some of our projects. We also encourage you to apply for our Ambassador Programme, which offers additional incentives for the number of volunteers you can get to join us or your group! When you volunteer with Globalteer or become an ambassador you also become one of our Charity Champions! We have four levels of champions that are achieved through different tasks like volunteering, fundraising, and recruiting volunteers.
So, talk to your friends, peers, students and colleagues and try and get a group together. When we strive to make a positive impact in the world, all of us gain something and that is why we encourage you to volunteer with Globalteer as we bring sustainable and responsible volunteering to all corners of the world.
Find out more about group volunteering with Globalteer and start the journey of a lifetime!