Volunteering is one of the ways we can help others, whether it is at home or while traveling. The new phrase, "Voluntourism," has been shared here on Wandering Educators (Planeterra, the Volunteer Traveler, etc.), among other places. Jane Stanfield has written the penultimate guide to a Volunteer Vacation, entitled Mapping Your Volunteer Vacation. It's a workbook that has won the USA Book News Best Books Award Winner, as well as the Indie Excellent Book Awards Finalist.

The book is a great way to plan a volunteer vacation, and includes the following chapters:

12-6 months before you leave (why, what, where, who when, how much?)

8-6 months before you leave (health, passport/visa, transportation, preparing to be away from home)

3-1 month(s) before you leave (lodging, researching your vacatino and local culture)

1 month-1 week before you go (deciding what to pack, money, while you are away, returning home)

It's time to go! (trip expense summary, reservations summary, support a team contact list, day before I leave checklist)

Special trips (extended trips, family or group trips, a trip without a volunteer placement agency)

Resources (volunteer agencies I used, additional volunteer agency websites, travel-related websites, reading suggestions, glossary, time zones map)

Other sections include a How to use this book, forwards and afterwords, and a pull out attachment on Charting your Course.

One thing that I most got out of reading this book is that volunteer vacations require a great deal of planning - but that it doesn't have to be difficult! I've never seen a more comprehensive guide, packed with such excellent information. We were lucky enough to sit down and chat with Jane about the book, her own volunteering experiences, top tips, and more. Here's what she had to say...

WE: Please tell us about your book, Mapping Your Volunteer Vacation...

JS: Mapping Your Volunteer Vacation is a workbook to assist the novice international volunteer or international traveler find, plan, prepare, go on and return from a trip.  It allows a person to work through a sequence of steps that will help them find a volunteer trip that fits their interest, time, budget and heart.  Once a volunteer project is found and selected, the next steps are basic travel logistics.  After that, the traveler is asked to look at the vacation aspect of the trip.  Then, the volunteer considers what is needed during the trip and how to make sure that their house and life remains on track while they are away.  There are charts, questions to answer, and exercises to home in on a specific trip.  Three icons assist with not-to-be-missed tips, specific things to research, and personal stories to illustrate key points.  There is also a special section on family/group trips, extended trips and planning a trip by yourself.

The book was designed to lie flat so that it is easy to take notes and complete exercises. There is also pocket in the front to store notes or clippings during your research phase.

WE: Why did you decide to write this book?

JS: When I sat down to write I had been speaking and teaching classes for 15 months.  I thought I was going to write about my volunteer experiences or as I like to call it, my version of Eat, Pray Love.  What came out were the first six chapters of Mapping Your Volunteer Vacation.  When I saw what I had written, I realized that I was answering the most commonly asked questions I received during my speaking and teaching. 
 
The final section offers a bibliography, resources and websites to research. It is meant to be just the tip of the iceberg of what is available on a volunteer vacation.  Because an actual trip depends on the answers to the various exercises, there was no way I could come up with an exact list of programs that would fit every traveler.  Besides, there are already so many good books with comprehensive information and analysis of various volunteer placements, I did not want to rehash what was already available in print and on the web.

Recently when I did a Google search on the words “volunteer vacations”, 342,000 links awaited my attention. I know how paralyzing and mind-numbing it can be to begin this research. Once my book was completed, I realized I had written the book that I needed when I was planning my yearlong volunteer vacation. I wrote Mapping Your Volunteer Vacation because I wanted to help others cut down on their research time so that they could go into the world and volunteer more quickly. 

WE: What have your own volunteer experiences been like?

JS: I don't have enough superlatives in my vocabulary to adequately explain how wonderful my international volunteer projects were and how they changed my life.  From lullabying children in Peru and Romania, cuddling orphan wildlife in Australia and South Africa, to speaking and teaching English in Spain and the Cook Islands, archaeology in Thailand and medieval reconstruction in France, I am not the same person that left on the trip.

I met some of the most giving people in the world, and was given as much, but generally even more than I gave.  I now have friends in many cities and countries around the world who I correspond with and that I plan to visit when I am in their neighborhood. One thing that I had not expected to enjoy was being a citizen ambassador for my country. I talked to many people, both locals and other international volunteers, about my country and loved finding out about theirs.

I have a better understanding of myself, where I fit in my country and the world, and I feel closer and more in touch with the international community. I truly appreciate all the advantages and benefits that I have living in the US, and after my national and international volunteer experiences, I want to do it all again and give back even more.

I understand, perhaps on a deeper level than ever before, why travel is so important. To see something for myself instead of just taking someone else’s word for it was more exciting and enriching than I had anticipated. That is why I started my business, Where Is She Heading.  Now I speak, teach, consult and hopefully inspire others to find ways to travel and volunteer across the globe.

WE: What are your top tips for having a great volunteer abroad experience?

JS: The two questions I always ask my clients are "Why are you volunteering?" and "What do you want to do as a volunteer?"  I find when you are clear on why you are volunteering, it is easier to find an agency or project that compliments your goals.  For example, do you want to share what you already do at home, or experience something totally out of the ordinary?

I find to have a successful volunteer vacation, it is important to be enthused about the project where you will volunteer.  Things don't always go as planned when you volunteer.  But if you are excited about the project, unexpected things may be only a minor irritation instead of a major problem.

Expect your volunteer experience to be a two-way street.  Some volunteers believe that they will be doing all the giving.  When you can approach the project expecting to receive as much as you give, you will be amazed at what you learn, about the culture, the world and yourself.

Be prepared to slow down.  Many cultures do not have a "Western" concept of time and expectation on what will be accomplished in a day or week.  Often personal conversations and connecting with the local people are more highly valued than finishing a specific project. Part of your volunteer experience is to learn about the culture, so be ready to slow down and connect.

Be prepared to leave your personal agenda behind. Sure, there are things you would like to accomplish, but at times, they may need to take a backseat to the priorities of the local coordinators. The most valuable volunteer is one who can approach the project manager on a daily basis and mean it when they say,  "What do you need me to do that will help you today?"

WE: What do you suggest for families who would like to volunteer?

JS: I suggest that any family begin by volunteering at home to get a feel for the work and what it is like to be with each other in a learning/serving environment.  While most agencies will accept an individual volunteer at the age of 18, more agencies are now incorporating trips for families and even teens under 18 unaccompanied by parents.

Consider the answers to the earlier questions and find a program where everyone in your group can look forward to the experience.

If you are searching for short-term projects that fit a spring break or two-week summer vacation, focus on programs that are close to your time zone.  For example, if you live in North America and only have two weeks, look for projects in the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central or South America. That way, while you may still have a long flight, you won't have as much jet lag to deal with.

WE: How can volunteering overseas enhance the intercultural experience?

JS: When you go into the project having done research on the local culture, you may find it is easier to integrate and quickly become an active member of the team.  By doing some due diligence reading, you may be less likely to inadvertently put a foot in your mouth when in the foreign community. 

While you may have picked a volunteer project based on the country or culture you want to experience, depending on the volunteer sending agency, you may also find that your co-volunteers are from different countries.  Agencies based in the foreign country may pull volunteers from multiple nations and this can be an added bonus.

Returned volunteer have said that their best international volunteer experiences were when the local community not only worked along side the volunteers, but also picked and managed the project.  It is easier to understand the need for the project when you can connect with a local person. They can tell you the specifics on why they consider the project valuable. These projects also tend to have greater longevity and commitment from the community to make sure it remains self-sustaining when it is finished and the volunteers are gone.

WE: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

JS: International volunteering can be life changing whether you are six or 80.  No matter your training or skills, volunteer projects can be found to utilize your strengths and enthusiasm.  Most don’t require special skills or even command of the local language, although it is polite to know and use at least the basics of the language. If special skills or language are required, that will be clearly stated.  Not every volunteer project is physical and requires a high level of fitness. There are many ways that you can help.  If money is an issue, start locally or within your area and begin saving for that exotic international trip.  Get out there. Hold the world in your heart as you volunteer. But be warned!  Volunteer Vacations can be addicting.

Travel in Safety.

WE: Thanks so very much, Jane. Your book is an incredible resource!

For more information, please see:

Where Is She Heading