VolunTourism
VolunTourism is the concept of combining destination travel with volunteer service for a more interactive and enriching experience for both the traveler and the receiving community. Also known as volunteer vacations, ethical holidays, travel philanthropy, or long-distance volunteering, VolunTourism is traveling with a purpose. VolunTouring is not a new idea, but has gained popularity as many travel companies are now offering volunteer options in travel packages and the media has increased coverage of the concept. VolunTourism is aligned with sustainable tourism or Geotourism (tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place - its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents).
VolunTourism in America / Take Pride in America
Public lands make up over one-third of this great country, including public parks, forests, waterways, grasslands, wildlife refuges, cultural and historic sites, local playgrounds, and other recreation areas. America boasts beautiful destinations from sea to shining sea. Take Pride in America is a partnership program authorized by Congress to promote the appreciation and stewardship of public lands. Building on the momentum of VolunTourism, Take Pride offers many resources for the VolunTourist, including assistance in identifying possible volunteer vacations, grant funding opportunities for volunteer vacations, open participation in our VolunTour Across America, and national recognition for outstanding VolunTourists.
Take Pride VolunTourism Opportunities and Resources
There are countless ways to engage in VolunTourism on public lands, from season-long activities at a destination where you can share your skills and experience and leave a legacy to more short-term projects where you can make an immediate impact. Examples: Share your artistic skills as an artist-in-residence at a park, sharpen your public speaking skills as an interpretative host at a lighthouse, use your management skills as a campground host at a reservoir, apply your research skills to monitor sea turtle nesting patterns at a wildlife refuge, or simply muster some energy for invigorating trail maintenance at a forest.
* Note - It is important to recognize the level of complexity for the volunteer manager to support you while you make the volunteer portion of your vacation both meaningful and mutually beneficial. Most service projects require an application process and formal volunteer training. As you begin your planning, keep in mind that it requires both time and patience on your part.
Take Pride offers an online volunteer search engine that features robust volunteer opportunities on local, state, and federal public lands through partnerships with many organizations including Volunteer.Gov/Gov and federal land management agencies (Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Geological Survey).
Take Pride volunteers can apply for Travelocity's Change Ambassador Grant (Travelocity provides funding for at least two grants of up to $5,000 each, every quarter, for the most compelling and meaningful volunteer vacation proposals).
Take Pride partners with Toyota for a "VolunTour Across America" which is a service/media blitz in which Take Pride staff ride cross country in a Toyota hybrid participating in public lands volunteer projects. Change agents can contact Take Pride staff to become an event partner.
The America the Beautiful pass is now available, at no charge, as a reward to volunteers who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to service on federal public lands, and as an incentive for a new generation of stewards.
Take Pride, together with USA Freedom Corps, the Hands On Network and Points of Light Institute, and the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, offers presidential and secretarial volunteer awards for all Americans who reach certain volunteer hour thresholds. Take Pride also hosts an annual national awards ceremony which recognizes the most compelling volunteer activities in a variety of categories.
Take Pride VolunTourism Testimonials:
Stay tuned for updates...
Additional VolunTourism Resources:
In conjunction with the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), a federal agency, offered first-ever federal data on VolunTourism (July 2008). (http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov/assets/resources/Long-Distance_Volunteering.pdf)
Part of the Research, Conservation, and Exploration division of National Geographic Mission Programs, the Center for Sustainable Destinations (CSD) is dedicated to protecting all the world's distinctive places through wisely managed tourism and enlightened destination stewardship. CSD apples a geotourism strategy for achieving goals.
A ground-breaking agreement embracing geotourism and promoting public-private collaboration on VolunTourism.
A leading portal for educating, engaging, and empower current and future voluntourists. VolunTourism.Org is a one-stop shop featuring robust informational resources.
Founded in 1977, Energize, Inc. is an international training, consulting, and publishing firm specializing in volunteerism. Founder Susan Ellis has published on the topic of VolunTourism.
Founded in 2002, Sustainable Travel International (STI) is a nonprofit organization that promotes responsible travel and ecotourism, supports sustainable development, and helps travelers and travel providers protect the cultures and environments they visit.
An established ecotourism association with members in over 90 countries, TIES promotes principles of ecotourism and responsible travel with the goal of uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel.
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