Why We ‘Volunteer Travel’ as a Family
Volunteering Together
There is no denying, traveling as a family is a bonding experience. Slow travel is another way to experience the world, allowing each family member to immerse themselves into a new culture. But volunteering as a family together adds a whole other dimension to that experience, with countless rewards and growth opportunities.
On our travels, Miro and I have volunteered with numerous organizations and the experiences have enriched our travels ten-fold. Some of the volunteer experiences we’ve had together include: volunteering at an animal shelter in Belize, a dog and cat hospital in Nicaragua, contributed to a sustainable community in Guatemala and volunteered at a organization for family nutrition, a performance arts school for street children in Nicaragua, and at a children’s library in Ecuador.
All in all our experiences have shaped our travels by providing purpose.
If you are considering volunteering as a family, there are so many resources and opportunities for volunteering abroad on the web and countless communities that will welcome you with open arms. However, in this post, I wanted to share with you some of the benefits you can expect to experience as a result of your volunteering experience.
Benefits of Family Volunteer Travel:
- Volunteering as a family creates a hands-on way to teach and experience compassion, tolerance, flexibility, cross-cultural understanding and global responsibility to every family member.
- Volunteering provides an opportunity to step outside of the pressures produced by mass media messages promoting self-absorption and materialism.
- Volunteering as a family allows each member of the family to experience a world outside their own, and learn about a different culture through the people they are serving.
- Volunteering as a family empowers children to believe they can make a difference in the world by ‘giving’ and ‘doing’.
- Volunteering provides all family members insights into what they are capable of achieving and increases self-esteem.
- Volunteering as a family expands children’s understanding of social issues in the surrounding world.
- Volunteering as a family teaches new life skills.
- Volunteering as a family provides families with meaningful time together to express common values.
- Volunteering as a family creates family bonds through sharing the challenges associated with their volunteering post.
- Volunteering as a family produces shared memories that last a lifetime.
About the Author:
Lainie and her son Miro are living a location independent lifestyle, slow traveling around the globe and living in the present moment. Lainie writes about staying inspired, participating as a global citizen, volunteering, unschooling and natural learning. Guiding their experiences is the empowered choice to experience in the world without fear.
Lainie Liberti – who has written 395 posts on Raising Miro on the Road of Life - Travel Podcast.
Your son is getting the best education there possibly is through volunteering and your travels. Where else can you really understand how other people live, especially that have less money and less opportunities then we do, to fully understand!
[Reply]
ilainie Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Thank you Marina. Not only am I so proud of him now, I look forward to meeting him as an adult. He’s an amazing person!
[Reply]
This is so wonderful! Very few families really consider volunteering during their vacations. It’s so enriching to teach your child the importance of giving and sharing, it is so rewarding to give rather than to receive. I hope you continue have such worthwhile holidays with your son!
[Reply]
ilainie Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:34 pm
Thank you so much Anji! We love living life and love giving. Feels so good!
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Hi Ilainie, this is great to read. We want to do some more volunteering ( so far have done only one morning in a pre-school) in Thailand. We want to work alongside our kids, and see then work alongside us.
Traveling long term is life, not a holiday, and volunteering is a good way of doing work and giving back.
[Reply]
ilainie Reply:
February 6th, 2012 at 9:44 am
Thank you Jill for the comment. It’s such a bonding experience. When I see Miro have a hands on moment that allows his to act as a global citizen, then realize what he’s doing, I always tear up. Such a gift and experiencing the world in service and through your child’s eyes completes my life.
[Reply]
[...] Why We “Volunteer Travel” as a Family by Lainie Liberti, Raising Miro This story explores the many benefits of volunteering with your children during your travels. [...]
[...] the communities we travel to as much as possible. We believe there are some amazing benefits to volunteering as a family. But did you know there’s a whole sector of travel tourism called [...]
[...] My mom and I have even volunteered many times throughout our travels. It really feels good helping someone in need. We’ve assisted children in Ecuador, Nicaragua, Colombia and Peru. We’ve also worked with animals in many other countries. The experience has been rewarding and meaningful. I’d say that’s learning. [...]
[...] and follow our passions. We are kind to others and feel deep purpose when we contribute through volunteering or help others through sharing our [...]
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Miro & Lainie (mother 46 and 13 year old son) share their adventures from the Road of Life, discussing issues of humanity, global citizenship, unschooling, slow travel, family travel, volunteering, travel inspiration & living in the moment as they explore the big beautiful planet, they call home.
Three and half years, 12 countries and many personal changes later, Lainie & Miro continue to slow travel around the globe, living an inspired possession-free-lifestyle, volunteering and learning naturally. They are following their interests on the road, as the planet has been transformed into their classroom. Often you will hear Lainie say “we are blessed to be accidental unschoolers” and has become and an advocate for “life learning” at any age. Lainie & Miro describe their greatest accomplishment as the ability to participate in the world without fear.Connect with Us!
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