Do you want to grow with a once-in-a-lifetime experience while also making a difference? When you volunteer abroad with a group of like-minded people, you can achieve incredible things and build lasting friendships.
Organizing a service learning trip is endlessly rewarding, but it can be daunting. Fortunately, at ILI Travel, we have visited almost 40 countries and territories, and our team has worked with numerous groups to build successful service learning trips. Let us guide you through planning your trip.
The Initial Planning
First, ask yourself these questions:
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- Where will your group volunteer? At ILI Travel, we currently organize trips to the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
- When are you planning to travel?
- Who might be interested in this trip?
- How large would you like your group to be? We require a minimum of 12 people for our trips, but we also offer the opportunity to combine groups.
- What deadlines do you need to meet to make this trip happen?
We will work closely with you throughout this process. Contact us at any time, and will help you to successfully overcome any challenges that you might face.
Find the Right Volunteer Abroad Organization
Next, research different volunteer abroad organizations to determine if they are truly helping the communities that they serve. After all, you don’t want to end up like the volunteer group who built a school in the Dominican Republic only for it to sit empty!
At ILI Travel, we work with local nonprofits to ensure that we are always meeting local needs. Our trips are designed around the concept of economic, educational, and environmental sustainability. We create local jobs in the countries we serve and pay Fair Trade wages. We aim to make a lasting impact on struggling communities.
Start Fundraising
Some groups do no fundraising at all, while others keep the responsibility on the individuals. If you want to fundraise for your group, here are some great ideas for your group:
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- Talk to friends, family, and coworkers
- Host a fundraising party or sale
- Use a crowdfunding website
- Ask for funds in lieu of birthday and holiday gifts
- Remember! It’s for a good cause!
Get Ready to Travel
At this stage, the trip is definitely happening, so you need to get ready. First, make sure that your passport and vaccines are up-to-date. Do some research on the country you’re visiting so that you know what to expect. Start packing, and get ready for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Are you excited to start organizing a service learning trip for your school, place of worship, or other group? Give us a call today at 866-881-1249.