‘Volunteer Vacations’: Sources of Information

BRIDGES (Building Responsible International Dialogue Through Grassroots Exchange):

Fellowship program that helps minority-group members and low-income people participate in

volunteer programs abroad. Contact: 333 Valencia Street, Suite 101, San Francisco 94103; (510) 763-9206; (415) 431-4204 after August 14; fax (415) 431-5953; fellowship@lafetra.org; http://www.lafetra.org/fellows/index.html

Break Away: Helps college students find community-service opportunities during vacation periods. Contact: 2121 West Pensacola Street, Suite E-543, Tallahassee, Fla. 32304; (850) 644-0986; fax (850) 644-1435; breakaway@alternativebreaks.com; http://www.alternativebreaks.com

CEDAM International (Conservation, Education, Diving, and Marine Research): Conducts scientist-led marine-conservation and marine-research expeditions. Contact: One Fox Road, Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. 10520; (914) 271-5365; fax (914) 271-4723; cedamint@aol.com; http://www.cedam.org

Global Service Corps: Sends volunteers to work on international-development projects. Contact: 300 Broadway, Suite 28, San Francisco 94133; (415) 788-3666, ext. 128; fax (415) 788-7324; gsc@earthisland.org; http://www.globalservicecorps.org

Habitat for Humanity International: Sends volunteers to build houses overseas. Contact: Global Village Program, 121 Habitat Street, Americus, Ga. 31709; (800) 422-4828, ext. 2549; fax (912) 924-6541; gv@habitat.org; http://www.habitat.org/gv

Health Volunteers Overseas: Sends medical professionals on one-month assignments to 22 countries to train other medical personnel. Contact: c/o Washington Station, P.O. Box 65156, Washington 20035; (202) 296-0928; fax (202) 296-8018; info@hvousa.org; http://www.hvousa.org

International Volunteer Program Association: A membership association of non-profit groups that run international volunteer programs. Contact: 1221 Preservation Park Way, No. 100, Oakland, Calif. 94612-1216; (510) 763-9206; fax (510) 763-9290; ivpa@volunteerinternational.org; http://www.volunteerinternational.org.

Mobility International: Advises international volunteer and exchange programs on how to be more accessible to people with disabilities and runs a referral service. Contact: P.O. Box 10767, Eugene, Ore. 97401; (541) 343-1284 (voice and TDD); fax (541) 343-6812; info@miusa.org; http://www.miusa.org

Student Conservation Association: Arranges for students to participate in environmental conservation projects. Contact: Conservation Work Crew Program, P.O. Box 550, Charlestown, N.H. 03603; (603) 543-1700; fax (603) 543-1828; cwc-program@sca-inc.org; http://www.sca-inc.org

Books and Videotapes

The Back Door Guide to Short Term Job Adventures: Internships, Extraordinary Experiences, Seasonal Jobs, Volunteering, Work Abroad, by Michael Landes; Publisher: Ten Speed Press, P.O. Box 7123, Berkeley. Calif., 94707; (510) 559-1600 or (800) 841-2665; fax (510) 524-4588; order@tenspeed.com; http://www.tenspeed.com; 328 pages; $19.95; I.S.B.N. 1-580081-47-9.

Building Bridges: A Manual on Including People with Disabilities in International Exchange Programs, edited by Julie Ann Cheshire. Publisher: Mobility International USA, P.O. Box 10767, Eugene, Ore 97400 ; voice/TDD(541) 343-1284; fax (541) 343-6812; info@miusa.org; http://www.miusa.org; 184 pages; $20; I.S.B.N. 1-880034-36-0.

Fodor’s Great American Learning Vacations, edited by Caroline Haberfeld with Glen Berger and Matthew Lore; Publisher: Fodor’s Travel Publications, a division of Random House Press; 280 Park Avenue, New York 10017; (800) 533-6478; fax (212) 572-2248; editors@fodors.com; http://www.fodors.com; 336 pages; $17; I.S.B.N. 0-67903-224-X.

The International Directory of Voluntary Work, by Louise Whetter and Victoria Pybus; Publisher: Vacation Work Publications, distributed by Peterson’s, P.O. Box 67005, Lawrenceville N.J. 08648; (800) 338-3282 (fax) (609) 896-4531; custsvc@petersons.com; http://www.petersons.com; 280 pages; $15.95; I.S.B.N. 1-85458-237-2.

Volunteer Vacations: Short-Term Adventures That Will Benefit You and Others, by Bill McMillon, Publisher: Chicago Review Press, c/o Independent Publishers Group, 814 North Franklin Street, Chicago 60610; (312) 337-0747 or (800) 888-4741; fax (312) 337-5985; fronsek@ipgbook.com; http://www.ipgbook.com; 391 pages; $16.95; I.S.B.N. 1-55652-363-7.

A World of Options: A Guide to International Exchange, Community Service and Travel for Persons with Disabilities, edited by Christa Bucks; Publisher: Mobility International USA, P.O. Box 10767, Eugene, Ore. 97400; voice/TDD (541) 343-1284; fax (541) 343-6812; info@miusa.org; http://www.miusa.org; 658 pages; $35; I.S.B.N. 1-880034-24-7. Mobility International also offers a video, “All Abroad,” on volunteer programs available for $49.

Web sites

About.com “Volunteer Vacations” page:
http://adventuretravel.about.com/travel/adventuretravel/msub41.htm

Action Without Border’s “Organizations Promoting Global Volunteering” section:
http://www.idealist.org/travel.html

Elderhostel
General Information on service vacations: http://www.elderhostel.org/PROGOPT/#serv
List of programs: http://www.elderhostel.org/catalog/specialfa.html

Guide to Volunteering Outdoors in Parks and Wilderness Areas:
http://www.serviceleader.org/advice/outdoors.html

Transitions Abroad magazine’s list of volunteer vacations:
http://www.transitionsabroad.com

Volunteer America’s Volunteer “Vacations” page:
http://www.volunteeramerica.net/volunteervacations.htm