Explore our favorite teaching tools.
Like our service projects, this list is continuously evolving. If you don't see your favorite books or websites, we welcome your suggestions in the comment section below.
How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas by Joseph Collins, Stefano DeZerega and Zahara Heckscher (Penguin Books, 2002). Everything you need to know about being an international volunteer, including organizational profiles, how to volunteer without an organized program and how to pay for it. An index lists the organizations that accept families.
Volunteer Vacations: Short-Term Adventures That Will Benefit You and Othersby Bill McMillon (Chicago Review Press, 2009). A comprehensive guide to volunteer vacationing. Most of the 275 opportunities McMillon discusses are not suitable for younger children, but he has scores of possibilities for families with teenagers.
Volunteer Vacations Across America: Immersion Travel USA by Sheryl Kayne (Countryman Press, 2009). This book lists over 200 volunteer programs across the country for people of all ages as well as groups.
Action Without Borders: Organizations Promoting Volunteering
www.idealist.org
This site lists dozens of organizations that sponsor volunteer vacations abroad with links to their Web sites. Take a tour and see what opportunities exist. You’ll need to be selective, because these are not specifically for families.
Goabroad.com
www.goabroad.com
You’ll find all you need to know about volunteering, working or studying abroad. You can search for volunteer opportunities by country.
International Volunteer Programs Association
www.volunteerinternational.org
This site provides comprehensive information for anyone interested in volunteering abroad.
Peacework
www.peacework.org
This organization generally arranges volunteer trips for pre-established groups, but it also has openings for individual volunteers or families within these groups.
Service Leader: Guide to Volunteering Outdoors in Parks and Wilderness Areas
http://www.serviceleader.org/volunteers/parks
This site provides links to volunteer opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. If this is your family’s passion, you’ll want to discover the possibilities.
Global Volunteers http://www.globalvolunteers.org/ Aimed at students, families, couples, individuals, and others, find volunteer opportunities from around the world.
Me To We http://www.metowe.com/ Me To We offers volunteer trips for youths, schools, university students, families, and corporate organizations.
