Family volunteering is definitely growing, with 2019 seeing our largest number of family bookings ever. Families from Canada, the USA, UK, Europe and Australia joined our projects across Southern Africa and without exception, were 100% glad they took the plunge into volunteering!
Volunteering is a unique way for families to do something different, explore a country more in-depth, meet and work alongside local communities and experience daily life in Africa. When you volunteer with your family together, you will all learn new skills, reconnect with each other and with nature and disconnect from busy schedules and screens. You will appreciate a simpler way of life, dedicated to helping wildlife or communities.
It is never too early to expose your children to new cultures and experiences, or to enable them to see their place in the world.
What you can expect when you volunteer with your family:
- Learn about wildlife and conservation from highly qualified guides and instructors, experienced in inspiring and engaging adults and children alike;
- Work on useful and meaningful community projects, including farming, education, horticulture and crafts;
- Learn new skills together and complete shared tasks;
- Get a unique immersion into new cultures and traditions;
- Gain new perspectives and connect to nature and each other.
All this is a safe, natural environment, with 27/7 support and guidance from in-country staff and partners.
Five reasons to volunteer with your family:
1. It’s safe and organised, without being a package holiday
Our family volunteer projects are run by experienced staff, all trained in first aid, and, for those dealing with animals, all the appropriate wildlife and guide training. We understand that safety is your top priority, and ensure that our programmes are continuously updating their health and safety, security and first aid policies, and that everything is always done with your family’s safety in mind. We pride ourselves in running organised itineraries which are engaging, structured, but most of all, fun! You’ll always know where you’ll be sleeping, that there is suitable food and drinking water freely available and that you will be supervised throughout the whole trip.
2. Gain a deeper understanding of wildlife compared to a safari holiday – learn as well as look
Many families want to combine a safari type holiday with volunteer work, and introduce their children to Africa’s iconic wildlife. There are very few child-friendly wildlife programmes in Southern Africa, but we are proud to be able to offer some excellent choices, which combine safaris, cultural exchange, community work and interaction with animals of all different sizes. You will have time to spend with the animals, learning about each individual, it’s history and character, as well as species-specific conservation threats.
3. Experience new cultures and work alongside communities
Getting stuck in with the local community, helping in the school, learning about and experiencing African home life and helping with feeding and education projects are all great ways to volunteer together as a family. You will all work together with local people, and become part of the community for a short time. Children can get involved pretty much every step of the way, and working in the community makes an enormous impact.
3. Contribute to meaningful projects
For those who want their children to learn about their place in the world, volunteering is an eye-opening experience. You will work together on projects where you can all contribute and see the results of your hard work. You can rest assured that on our projects, you and your family will make a genuine contribution.
5. Learn new skills and work together as a family
Volunteering encourages children to learn by doing, and enables them to learn and do alongside their parents, something which often cannot be done at home. It will teach them to adapt to different environments, to problem-solve and learn from their own unique observations. A family volunteer vacation makes the world your classroom.
Don’t just take our word for it, read some of our family volunteer testimonials:
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