Volunteer service travel, (or service travel or volun-tourism) provides unique travel, work and learning opportunities for individuals, couples, families, corporations, religious congregations and groups of all backgrounds and ages. A "volunteer vacation" is a working vacation where you serve and learn first-hand about a host community and its people. You will meet community activists and gain an insight into the lives, history and culture of the community you visit.
Volunteer Expeditions is an organization that places emphasis on the service and learning components of a volunteer program. It provides an opportunity to build skills and interests to benefit others in a community requesting outside help.
Volunteer Expeditions strives to gain an understanding about the rights and needs of the poor, the dignity of life and the necessity to reach beyond ourselves in giving.
We work with corporations to help provide more meaningful incentives for their employees. Volunteers typically share the traits of flexibility, compassion, and the desire to work with and learn from local people in a host community. Patience, a spirit of adventure, and a sense of humor also go a long way.
We work with families and faith based organizations to help them achieve their spiritual goals of contribution and making a difference.
And the best part? We get to do the same for ourselves. We get to live, breathe, work and experience an environment of love, empathy, giving back, commitment, connections. We get to be with and experience the best part of being human — connecting with others at a level that’s hard to describe.
Much of our recent focus has been on New Orleans. We are helping our neighbors and countrymen get back on their feet after the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. We’ve accomplished great things in this area and are committed to offer more.
We are planning a 9 day Volunteer Expedition to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brazil is widely known for its beauty and diversity in landscape, culture, and ethnicity. However, there is a stark economic divide among its residents, perpetuated by limited affordable housing options and social services, and high unemployment rates. Brazil’s population is centered around its cities and towns, and many residents live in favelas, or “shantytowns,” surrounding the big cities. For many, basic needs such as employment, education, and healthcare are unavailable. As a volunteer, you will work side-by-side in the favelas with local people while you interact with the children and elderly being left alone during the day, or abandoned completely.
Your Volunteer Expedition will include cultural exchanges, tours of the city, exploration of the amazing beaches, gardens, and centers of learning. You will also experience the food, music and rich night life of the city and learn the Samba.
