My 17 yo son's community service trip to Africa was cancelled. Need a solid backup. Any ideas?

[Anonymous]

My 17 yo son's Community Service Trip to Africa was Cancelled. . He is looking for a back up trip, but I need to make sure that it is an organized safe trip with a very reputable outfit. Any ideas?

[Anonymous]

Does he need the hours for graduation or is just looking for an experience?

[Anonymous]

This is a joke, right? At all the college information tours we attended this spring, the admissions counselors said to skip the foreign trips and do something you care about at home.

[Anonymous]

What an idiotic response. The OP is clearly asking for an alternative trip. If you have nothing intelligent to offer, can it.

[Anonymous]

ditto.

[Anonymous]

try not to pick something that's super racist next time! "service trips" often hurt the local economy/infrastructure in order to pad kid's college resumes, and help enforce the whole white savior complex.

[Anonymous]

Hahaha. Forum war. OP here. My son was very excited about the trip and would like to find one that is similar to help his fellow man, imagine that.

[Anonymous]

Look at Overland, OP. But it is wise to keep in mind (given his age you may be thinking about college admissions) that it will probably not help college admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hahaha. Forum war. OP here. My son was very excited about the trip and would like to find one that is similar to help his fellow man, imagine that.

http://www.whydev.org/five-rules-for-volunteering-overseas/


http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/feb/13/beware-voluntourists-doing-good

[Anonymous]

The white tourist's burden: http://alj.am/1iCv4zS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 17 yo son's Community Service Trip to Africa was Cancelled. . He is looking for a back up trip, but I need to make sure that it is an organized safe trip with a very reputable outfit. Any ideas?

OP why don't you give your son's interests, and people can suggest organized/safe/reputable options? "Community service" is pretty broad, don't you think?

[Anonymous]

Nat Geo runs community service trips.

http://ngstudentexpeditions.com/destinations/

[Anonymous]

Rustic Pathways


http://www.rusticpathways.com

[Anonymous]

Ivy interviewer here. Foreign volunteer trips just signal wealthy parents.
We are most impressed with projects that kids organize themselves, wherever they may take place.


I'm also an economist. Developing countries don't need more unskilled labor. However, if the wealthy kids bring construction supplies with them, those are needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hahaha. Forum war. OP here. My son was very excited about the trip and would like to find one that is similar to help his fellow man, imagine that.

So donate the cost of the program to charity and let him spend his summer volunteering with school kids in DC.