A growing number of Americans are using precious vacation time to do volunteer work across the United States or in developing countries around the world.

“More and more people in all stages of life are thinking of becoming global ‘voluntourists’,” says Bob Benson, director of the Center for Global Volunteer Service at UC-San Diego Extension.  “People are looking to volunteer their time in meaningful ways that make contributions to people in regions other than their own — and younger people are especially eager to make voluntourism part of their lifestyle.”

Volunteer vacations have become such a trend that PBS is launching a series on voluntourism in January, 2010.  Travel expert Claire Newell is hosting the show.

“We want to show not only how (the volunteers) experience helps the people (they’re working with), but also how it changes them,”  Newell said.  “The goal is to show the beauty of each destination, but also the great need for volunteer efforts in each location that will inspire people to become more involved.”

Most volunteers want exotic locales

According to a poll conducted for UC-San Diego Extension in March, approximately two out of three Americans (63 percent) would prefer their volunteer vacation outside of the United States, with Africa topping the list of desired places to help. The top four desired global travel destinations for volunteering are:  Africa, Australia, Europe and South America.

Interested in a volunteer vacation? There are plenty of opportunities - but they’re not free.

Expect to pay for your transportation to and from the work site -  plus a fee for accommodations and other expenses on the job.

The most affordable trips are domestic and offered by organizations such as the American Hiking Society. The group helps build and maintain hiking trails in 30 states. Trips are rated, so that beginners don’t end up on trails that require strenuous hiking.  The group’s motto is “Bring your own camping gear and a willingness to get dirty. We provide the rest.”  Most week-long trips are priced at $275 — which includes society membership.

Global Volunteers

Global Volunteers, a non-profit, non-sectarian organization, is one of the best known volunteer-vacation organizers. It has been coordinating short-term volunteer trips for 25 years - mobilizing more than 2,500 volunteers annually on work projects in more than 100 host communities in 19 countries on five continents.

Volunteers can sign up to teach English in Africa, Asia, Europe or Mexico. They might opt to build a playground on an impoverished Indian reservation or to help medical workers in developing countries.

Make no mistake, those who sign up for these programs should be prepared to work hard. In most cases, time off is scheduled - but these aren’t vacations.

Among Global Volunteer trips offered this summer:

Peru: Working with at risk kids at Puericultorio Perez Aranibar, a large “children’s home” serving 600 children from infancy to age 17. You’ll teach English, work on assigned classroom projects and/or roll up your sleeves to do painting, carpentry, gardening or other maintenance projects at the home.  Volunteers stay in shared rooms at a tourist-class hotel in Lima. The two-week program costs $2,595 per person. Airfare is extra.

Ghana: Work on building a health clinic, teach school or help nurses with outreach to young mothers in the impoverished Akrade area. There’s a special need for medical student volunteers. You’ll share accommodations at a nearby tourist-class hotel. The three-week program costs $2,795; there’s a discount for families. Airfare is extra, but transfers to the work site are included.

Romania: Nurture and care for abandoned or disabled infants and toddlers at the Tutova Clinic in Barlad. Volunteers are needed for feeding, teaching, diapering and providing stimulation. Volunteers also are needed to speak English with students at the local high school.  You’ll stay in double-occupancy rooms at a local guest-house-style hotel. The three-week program costs $2,895 - add about $1,000 if you don’t want to share a room. Airfare is extra.

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity can steer volunteers to its home-building projects throughout the U.S. and aboard through its Global Village program.

Opportunities this summer include:

Kenya: Habitat is building houses in Kenya by using the resources available in local areas, constructing with timber and stabilized mud bricks. Volunteers share double-occupancy rooms in modest guest houses. Cost for the two-week trip is $1,840, including lodging, all meals, transfers to the site, plus medical emergency evacuation insurance and trip cancellation insurance. Airfare is extra.

Portugal: You’ll fly into Porto and be transferred to Braga for work. The homes that Habitat is building here are made of traditional Portuguese materials: bricks, red roof tiles, shutters on the windows and ceramic tiles inside the houses. Volunteers may work on new construction or repairs and renovations. You’ll share a double-occupancy room at a simple nearby hotel. Cost for the 10-day trip is $1,700, including accommodations and meals, plus insurance. Airfare to Portugal is extra.

Thailand: During two weeks near Phuket, volunteers can expect to move dirt and concrete blocks, dig septic tanks, bend rebar, mix  and pour concrete.  (No previous construction skill or experience is required.) You’ll share a double-occupancy room at a local hotel or guest house. The cost is $1,650 per person, including lodging, meals and insurance. Airfare is extra.

Commerical organizers

Several for-profit travel companies are in the business of arranging volunteer vacations.  Since 1996,  i-to-i has arranged work trips on five continents for about 20,000 volunteers.

“If the idea of giving back puts a charge back into your battery,  i-to-i  is a company with a subtitle promising ‘life-changing travel’,” said Dori Peterson of ProTravel, an international travel agency which opened a San Diego office in November.

“There are plenty of companies catering to those looking for a more meaningful way to travel,” Peterson said. “But i-to-i puts the energy and focus back into community work at the ground level.”

The company offers one-week to year-long programs:

South Africa: Work on a lion project interacting with cubs.  Participants perform parenting duties alongside experts who are grateful for extra hands to help with the  care and feeding of lion cubs, including rare white lions. You’ll sleep in shared “semi-luxury” tents. The trip includes a safari, visit to a craft market and a free day in Pretoria - where you’ll stay in shared hostel accommodations.  Cost is $1,795 per person for 14 days.  Airfare is extra, but transfers to the project are included.

Costa Rica: This one’s great for nature-loving night owls - anyone fascinated by seeing leatherback turtles beach themselves for nesting in the wee hours.  You’ll be protecting turtle eggs from poachers and predators, gathering data and helping with general maintenance of the project. The operation moves with the migration, so participants may be sleeping in a hut,  a tent, a dorm or a home. Cost is $986 for one week; two weeks costs $346 more. Airfare is extra, but meals are included.

Ecuador: An animal rescue sanctuary located two hours north of Guayquil needs lots of help. You’ll work with monkeys, crocodiles, macaws and other local species. Duties include feeding, cleaning and cuddling.   You’ll also help  identify plant species.  You’ll share a room with other project volunteers. Two weeks there costs $1,168, including most meals. Airfare is extra.

“The minimum age allowed on most trips is 18 years,” Peterson said. “The list of opportunities for energetic volunteers goes on and on.”

If you go:

If you’ve already planned your summer vacation but would like to find a volunteer project to work on while you’re there, VolunteerMatch.org ^[4] can link you to thousands of nonprofits across the country that need help.

Learn about American Hiking Society trips at AmericanHiking.org ^[5].

Get details on Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village trips at www.habitat.org/gv ^[6].

Find Global Volunteers at globalvolunteers.org ^[7]

Learn more about “i to I” at  i-to-i.com ^[8].  To book a trip, contact Dori Peterson at  dori.peterson@protravelinc.com ^[9]; phone (619) 677-3454.

More site-seeing recommended by Claire Newell:

VolunTourism.org ^[10]
Comprehensive information on voluntourism. Includes articles, research forums, a blog and podcasts.

GoDifferently.com ^[11]
Like a travel agency for ethical holidays. Experienced staff puts together packages for volunteering adventures, doing the work for you.

AmbassadorsForChildren.com ^[12]
A group that puts together volunteering packages serving children around the world through short-term humanitarian service trips and sustainable programs.

GlobeAware.org ^[13]
A nonprofit that offers safe volunteer vacations all over the world for individual travelers, families, and corporate or custom groups.

HandsUpHolidays.com ^[14]
Offers voluntourism trip packages or individual projects. Site details teaching and reading partner programs for kids, IT/administrative/marketing and medical/physiotherapy trips for skilled voluntourism.