Under 18 volunteering in Thailand
Are you looking for an adventurous trip with a purpose, or on a gap year or career break? If you want to make a difference in some of the world’s most important conservation areas - and in community projects - then volunteer trips are for you! Volunteers tend to have a sense of adventure, and come from a range of different backgrounds and from all over the world.
Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'.
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
We are dedicated to responsible tourism. All of the projects that we support directly benefit the environment, the local community, or both. All projects are carefully chosen to offer our volunteers sustainable and responsible travel, with specific attention being paid to their involvement in the sustainability of all their practices / project goals.
All of our projects issue the participants with clear guidelines on responsible tourism and ecotourism, all specific to the particular environment / region. These cover a number of issues, ranging from waste disposal in remote areas, recycling materials and buying from local businesses, to not exploiting the area’s wildlife or harming the environment.
Our programs often work to rectify damage done to the environment by humans. By encouraging everyone to engage with climate change, we work towards the sustainable development of the environment and the future of our planet. On all of our programs around the world we aim to keep our impact to a minimum and many of our activities directly affect the environment, for example:
Across Latin America and Africa we are working with communities to replace and sustainably manage forests in areas where there is a high demand for wood as fuel. In Kenya we have trained community members in alternative methods of charcoal production which are sustainable, generate income and protect the forest. In Latin America we build and provide simple energy efficient stoves to poor communities which reduces firewood consumption by as much as 70% and dramatically improves living standards.
Community
By helping to do basic renovation such as painting, minor repairs, picking up litter, landscaping, volunteers will have the opportunity to help create a useful place for the local Ao Luk community to come together in a central location. The schools and community centres are typically located in a central location where much of the community lives and works. With a bit of work these buildings can evolve into a dynamic community centres providing an inspiring place for the community to seek knowledge and education, make added income from teaching classes and selling goods, and create a warm environment for the community to share their love of language, arts and music.
Together with our local partners we support sustainable human development by promoting volunteering and rural and responsible tourism in Ao Luk. The organisation tries to benefit both society and the volunteers. The efforts of our volunteers represent a vital contribution to the community, as by helping on the projects, the volunteers share their energy and time with the people, and as a result, experience Thai culture first-hand. Volunteering on this project, not only gives you an opportunity to give something back to society, but also to experience a new culture by working alongside local community members.
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