For many, college breaks offer the perfect time to travel — and GIVE Volunteers is making it easier for students to combine their passion for adventure with meaningful volunteer work.
GIVE Volunteers is an international organization dedicated to sustainable community development.
Carly Feil, Community Engagement Manager at GIVE, described the organization as an international initiative focused on sustainable development at the community level.
Through GIVE, volunteers from around the world engage in projects that align with the needs of local communities, ensuring that each project is both wanted and beneficial. This is achieved by working closely with community leaders and conducting thorough planning to ensure that the projects bring positive change.
GIVE organizes three types of projects: English education, eco-friendly infrastructure, and environment and wildlife conservation.
The projects surrounding English education take volunteers to real schools to work as teaching assistants for English as a second language. The presence of a native English speaker enhances learning and encourages students to set realistic educational goals.
The eco-friendly infrastructure initiatives focus on building essential structures such as schools, homes for displaced families, agricultural learning centers, and freshwater systems. Volunteers also help create permaculture plots and suspension bridges: projects that empower communities with the resources they need to thrive.
Environment and wildlife conservation projects are centered around natural capital and preserving wildlife. The work that volunteers do partners with conservation organizations to take steps towards captive elephant welfare, sea turtle conservation, reforestation initiatives and wildlife rescue. Each of these types of projects allows volunteers to contribute in a way that aligns with their interests and passions while addressing the needs of the communities they serve.
GIVE Volunteers offers projects across the globe, with locations in places like Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Thailand, Laos, and the American Pacific Northwest. Trips typically last between 1 and 7 weeks and follow a structured daily schedule: a local breakfast, morning volunteer work, lunch within the community, and adventure or exploration time for the rest of the day.
There is always a GIVE guide with volunteers on these trips, so even during time to explore, there should be no issues with navigation, finding entertainment, or getting lost. Spending true time in the community is what makes GIVE Volunteers different from other travel organizations.
"We don’t do tourist trips," Feil said. "We are all about authentic cultural experiences that can change your worldview.”
The adventures and explorations that volunteers get to experience include snorkeling, going to night markets, viewing the wildlife, local tours, cave exploration, ziplining, and many other local offerings.
Feil has seen every aspect of the organization firsthand. She started as a volunteer, became a guide, and is now the Community Engagement Manager at GIVE. She, along with two other organizers, continues to work as a guide to maintain a personal connection with the volunteers and to ensure the organization is meeting its goals.
All three of these team members attest that going on a trip with GIVE is life changing. Feil reflected on how her experience with GIVE shaped her future.
“I found GIVE in my freshman year [of college] and took action with them sophomore year," Feil said. "The trip changed my whole perspective and my career ideas. I was majoring in Psychology, which was very broad, but I then learned I wanted to be a part of something internationally.”
Many volunteers find that their experience with GIVE not only enriches their understanding of the world but also fosters lifelong friendships with fellow volunteers and community members.
For students looking to gain more than just an adventure, GIVE offers opportunities to earn academic credit for their volunteer work. By enrolling in the eco-tourism course, students can participate in pre-trip projects as well as community dialogues, and reflective journaling during their trip. Upon returning, they complete a final project to share their experiences and insights.
GIVE’s trips are designed to be rewarding, affordable, and accessible. The trip cost covers room and board, all meals, activities, and guide services. While flights are not included, GIVE’s partner travel agencies help volunteers find the best airfare deals. The customer service team ensures volunteers are fully prepared, with all necessary paperwork and travel arrangements in place before departure.
Whether you’re looking to make a meaningful impact on a global scale, gain new perspectives, or simply embark on an unforgettable adventure, GIVE Volunteers offers a unique opportunity for college students to do it all.
So, if you're considering joining a GIVE trip, visit givevolunteers.org, or schedule a call with one of the directors at https://calendly.com/givevolunteers/call-with-give-hq.
