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These full and frank independent Volunteering with children holidays reviews are from travellers who have booked directly through responsibletravel.com. They are not edited by us or any of the companies we work with. Find the real story, from real travellers below.
Meeting the people of Laos, especially the Monks and Novices, and seeing the Laotian countryside. It was the most formative experience I have ever had. I would urge any and all people to apply
(more)I think that The Book Bus project is a brilliant, useful and original idea. Kids and teachers were really happy to see us and to receive the books. Delivering school books in a place where they are scarce and expensive make a great difference for the students. (more)The best memory was the last day, probably, when I said goodbye to the children I've been teaching for almost 3 weeks. I could feel how much affection and trust had been given to me, and I really felt very emotional when I left. (more)
Be prepared for it to cost more than you expect. Be prepared for the heat and exhaustion, and have fun! (more)
Living in Madurai was exciting as I really felt like I was living in India and experiencing every day life there and seeing how the locals lived. Also working at the orphanage was a life changing experience and I will remember the lovely kids always! (more)
An amazing experience. Value for money as well as contributing than the usual tourist to this wonderful archipelago. Who knows how much longer we'll be able to visit (they have to do something to control numbers of tourists soon to help preserve the islands). Go while you still can!
(more)It was so good to get the chance to meet so many local people and the most exciting part of the whole thing for me was helping to bring in an orphaned yellow baboon who was being sold on the street, and she was later named after me! (more)I don't know where to begin to say what was the most memorable part... it was all so amazing! (more)
The trip definitely offered what I was looking for - it took me out of my comfort zone while still giving support, it provided ample opportunities for me to get to know myself better, as well as the area, and it sent me home with experiences, emotions and images that will be strongly present in me for some time to come.
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Most memorable? Working with the children and seeing how eager they were to learn. The landscapes and wildlife were stunning. (more)
The most memorable parts of the holiday were the friendliness of the children and other volunteers, club activities with the students, snorkelling and the traditional Malay dinner. (more)You can trust responsibletravel.com reviews because, unlike many other schemes, reviews can ONLY be written by people who we have verified have been on the holidays. In addition, we don't run these holidays ourselves - our only interest is giving you the best independent advice.
If you’re planning a volunteering trip, whether it’s a 3 month volunteer placement in a remote corner of the world or a weekend somewhere closer to home, it’s always good to know what to expect and the best way to do things. Our friends at people & places have helped us to write this guide on responsible volunteering. Responsible volunteers are more likely to be a positive presence, a source of inspiration and empowerment. Poorly prepared volunteers who impose their own agenda and cultural norms, failing to include local people in decisions, can leave behind more problems than they solve, making life even tougher for economically poor people. Let's start at the beginning – you’re already committed to responsible travel and now you want to volunteer, but how can you be sure of being a responsible volunteer?
Read their advice in this volunteering with children article.
