If you’re looking for a family vacation that leaves lasting memories long after you’ve returned home, you can’t look past family volunteering abroad. Volunteering abroad is the best way to experience a new country and immerse yourself in a different culture, all while giving back to a community abroad.
PHIVolunteering is proud to provide the most trusted and affordable family volunteer vacations for parents looking to experience meaningful travel with their loved ones. Whether you are interested in construction, conservation, working with children or volunteering with animals, volunteering abroad as a family gives you quality time together while instilling the values of service.

HOW TO PLAN THE BEST FAMILY VOLUNTEER VACATION

1. Set a budget and understand the costs
2. Work out the best time for your family to travel
3. Understand what skills and projects would benefit/interest your family
4. Understand the accommodation options available to you
5. Discover the best family volunteer opportunities
6. Apply online and secure your families spot on the program
7. Talk with our expert team and learn tips from past volunteer families

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO VOLUNTEER ABROAD AS A FAMILY?

Taking the family abroad can be costly – think expensive resorts and over-priced tours, but family volunteering is an affordable way to travel. That’s because you’ll put the focus firmly on spending quality time together, authentic experiences and helping communities in-need.

As with all travel, there are costs involved, so before we set our minds to an exoctic destination thousands of miles away, it is important to set a budget that is attainable for your family. Once you’ve got your budget in mind, you can work with PHIVOLUNTEERING to discover the volunteer package that will suit your family the most. And, with a bit of planning, saving and preparation you can make your meaningful family vacation an affordable reality.

Here are the typical costs associated with a family volunteer vacation:

• Flights
• Visas
• Travel insurance
• Vaccinations
• Volunteer fees (see below for further details)
• In-country transport
• Spending money (additional meals and tour activities etc)

 For those of us who are accustomed to planning trips abroad, the above will be enough to gauge a budget. If you’re completely new to this, keep reading our helpful guide and you’ll come away with a solid base for how to get started.
When you’re doing your trip budgeting keep in mind that each family member will need to pay an individual Registration Fee and Program Fee for your family’s chosen volunteer abroad program. Take a look at our program costs to see our range of affordable programs. If you’re planning to travel with 8 or more family members you can work with our dedicated Groups Team to create a custom family volunteer vacation.

 HOW LONG CAN MY FAMILY VOLUNTEER ABROAD FOR AND WHEN SHOULD WE GO?

The flexibility of our volunteer abroad programs means you can choose to volunteer for anywhere between 1 week and 24 weeks. This allows you to fit a family volunteer vacation into your children’s school breaks or your working year.
There is no right or wrong time to travel for your volunteer vacation, there are just times of the year that will provide you with different experiences. Depending on the destination you select, weather could be a factor, or there could be festivals taking place. Typically, June through to August is a popular time to travel.
Our recommendation is to sit down with your family and brainstorm the types of experiences everyone is looking to gain. This will help guide the ideal time of year for your family to volunteer abroad.

WHICH PROJECTS ARE MOST SUITABLE FOR FAMILY VOLUNTEER TRIPS?

During your volunteer program, children and teenagers under the age of 16 will need to be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times. This means it’s best to choose a project the whole family wants to volunteer on.

We often get asked “will my children just be watching?”. At PHIVOLUNTEERING we believe the whole family should be actively involved in the volunteer experience. That’s why we work with you to select the best volunteer project for you and your family!

For families with young children, our Childcare projects are generally the most suitable volunteer projects, as these allow children to become involved and interact with the other children.

A Conservation project may also be suitable for families with children who enjoy working outdoors and don’t mind getting their hands dirty.

If you have children aged 16 and above, it’s possible for them to take part on their own volunteer project in certain destinations. We recommend you ask your Program Manager whether this is possible and they will be more than happy to match individual family members with the correct projects.

Browse our wide range of volunteer abroad projects to find one that appeals to you and your family, or look at our recommened volunteer programs and find a project option that works.

WHAT ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES THAT ARE VOLUNTEERING?

Depending on the makeup of your family, we recommend that families with children under the age of 15 look at our programs which offer home-stay accommodation, rather than those which offer dormitory-style accommodation.

This provides families with greater privacy and the opportunity to be accommodated together in private rooms. Living in a homestay is a unique experience, as your family can enjoy living alongside a local family, while learning about their culture, cuisine and traditions.

If you are looking for a more social setting and the opportunity to live in a volunteer house alongside other international volunteers, your family can enjoy the comforts of a private room in a range of destination options.

All of our accommodation options have been vetted by PHIVOLUNTEERING staff and routinely checked agaisnt volunteer feedback to bring your family the safest and most comfortable options available.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss the suitability of any of these volunteer abroad programs for your family, as we will be happy to support you with selecting the best destination to meet the unique needs of your family.