Volunteer Abroad Opportunities for Seniors and Retirees

Boomers, seniors, retirees, and over anyone over 50: are you looking for a wonderful vacation that not only will let you explore the world, but also to make a positive impact on the community you visit? Consider a volunteer vacation!

There are so many reasons seniors and retirees should embark on volunteer trips - and some volunteer organizations, like Global Vision International, offer specialty trips for travelers over 50. Other organizations, such as Love Volunteers, offer a wide variety of trips for travelers of all ages and backgrounds. Your experience and knowledge can be incredibly valuable to share with a community organization that’s striving to make a difference for people in need, and by volunteering, you can make a direct impact while also learning about a new culture and enjoying free time to explore your country of choice. From teaching English or life skills to underprivileged girls and women in Laos, to providing legal insight for an NGO that supports disadvantaged communities in India, to administering veterinary care to sick and injured animals in Costa Rica, and so much more, there is no shortage of ways you can combine volunteering with your vacation.

Your volunteer trip doesn’t have to be all work and no play, however: many organizations you’ll travel with as a volunteer provide side trips and activities that allow you to explore a new culture, learn the history of the country you’ll visit, and meet local professionals and artisans. You can take cooking classes and dancing lessons, attend workshops and seminars, go hiking or snorkeling, and a wide array of many other activities to let you immerse yourself in a wonderful new location and fully enjoy your trip overseas.

Read on to learn more about some of the many over 50 volunteer abroad opportunities perfect for older travelers!

GLOBAL VISION INTERNATIONAL (GVI)

Global Vision International (GVI) offers many different volunteer abroad opportunities for travelers of all ages, including those over 50. With more than 150 different volunteer programs in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Australasia, GVI offers impactful opportunities in a wide variety of project areas. So far, more than 24,000 travelers have signed up with GVI on projects ranging from conservation, to teaching, to construction and beyond.

Women’s Empowerment in Laos

Based in Luang Prabang - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - this program invites you to contribute to sustainable women’s empowerment initiatives locally. From English teaching, to life skills workshops, and beyond, you can make a difference in women trying to improve their quality of life and the future of their family and community. Along the way, you will immerse yourself in Lao culture and learn about its history, food, religion, and language, and you will even be able to enjoy a weekend break along the Mekong River. Optional side trips include a visit to the Pak Ou Caves, which hold thousands of Buddha images, a tour of weaving villages, and much more.

Healthcare Volunteer Program in Thailand

If your background is in healthcare or medicine - or if you have an interest in these initiatives - you’re invited to volunteer with GVI in Thailand, where you can work with a local community to improve their health and hygiene through education. Based in Phang Nga, this program invites you to volunteer with children, as well as some adults who are physically or mentally disabled, through a variety of activities such as arts and crafts, exercise, basic English teaching, and health and hygiene education in schools, care centers, and community centers. During your free time, you will have lots of opportunity to visit beaches, parks, and caves, and even take optional side trips to Khao Sok National Park, Phuket Island, and much more.

Health Volunteer Program in Mexico

Another excellent healthcare program through GVI that’s perfect for seniors and retirees takes place in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, where you will volunteer alongside Integral Care Center to support children and young people with special needs. As a volunteer, you will play a role in empowering children and others in need by providing different types of therapies, such as aqua and physical therapy, as well as equine therapy. You also will be able to help with basic to advanced education, as well as teaching basic life skills that will allow youth to perform day-to-day activities. During your free time, you will be able to go snorkeling, visit Mayan archaeological sites, and more.

Community Development Expedition in Fiji

One more wonderful volunteer opportunity you can sign up for right now brings you to Fiji, where you will be able to enjoy a tropical island getaway while also lending a hand to a local community development initiative. On this program, you’ll have five areas of focus: WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), health and nutrition, income generation, education enrichment and empowerment, and environmental management and protection. If you want to empower people to build healthy lifestyles through sustainable development, this is a great way to do it. GVI’s Fiji expedition also has the option for side trips, where you can visit world class dive sites, see dolphins, and even relax at an island resort.

Volunteer with Buddhist Novice Monks in Laos

For a unique and meaningful opportunity with GVI, travel to Laos to volunteer to teach practical and conversational English to Buddhist novice monks and to other local students. Each week, Monday through Friday, you will plan and teach English lessons or help local teachers to carry out their lessons, all of which will help your students to find future employment opportunities, build bright futures for themselves, and become even more productive members of their communities. During your free time, you are invited to explore the Kuang Si waterfall, take a boat ride on the famous Mekong River to the Pak Ou Caves to see thousands of Buddha images, or even visit the Royal Palace Museum. If you would like to travel beyond Laos, you are a short trip from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand as well. This program starts from two weeks at $1,900, and you are invited to stay longer.

MAXIMO NIVEL

Founded in 2003, Maximo Nivel offers many different programs in Latin America for travelers who want to volunteer, intern abroad, teach abroad, learn Spanish, and more. More than 25,000 travelers have signed up with Maximo Nivel, which offers affordable placements in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru starting from just $595 for one week abroad. For seniors and retirees, Maximo Nivel can be an excellent option for solo travel, to learn Spanish abroad, or even to vacation with your spouse or family.

Learn Spanish in Latin America

If you’ve always wanted to become fluent in Spanish, now is your chance: through Maximo Nivel’s Spanish language immersion programs in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru, you can take courses customized to your learning requirements. Group classes range from 2 to 8 participants, allowing for a great balance between engagement and personalized attention. You also can choose to take private classes while visiting Central or South America, where you can learn at your own pace and choose how intensive your instruction is - whether you would like to take a full day of classes every day, or even just one hour of tutoring while exploring the area and immersing yourself in the culture, Maximo Nivel is an excellent way to learn a new language while spending time abroad.

Volunteer Programs in Latin America

Maximo Nivel offers several different volunteer programs that can let you use your skills and knowledge - or pick up new skills while exploring Costa Rica, Guatemala, or Peru. Programs include:

1. Working with children

2. Teaching English

3. Conservation and the environment

4. Construction

5. Animal care

6. Eco-agriculture

7. Medical/healthcare

8. Working with indigenous communities

No matter your background or age, Maximo Nivel has wonderful opportunities to make a difference in communities in need. And if you’re traveling with a group or with your spouse or family, Maximo Nivel can arrange meaningful and engaging trips as well.

INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER HQ (IVHQ)

Another impactful volunteer opportunity to consider is International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ). Since its founding in 2007, IVHQ has placed more than 68,000 volunteers around the world on 150 projects from childcare, to community building, to medical care, and everything in between. With programs in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific, IVHQ has so much opportunity for travelers who want to make a difference and pursue adventure, whether you’re traveling on your own or with a group, or for a week or several months.

NGO Support Programs

Perfect for senior travelers, IVHQ’s NGO support volunteer programs offer the opportunity to help build capacity and support for local businesses, nonprofits, and community groups. A few tasks you might be able to take on as a volunteer include general administration, grant writing, research, marketing, fundraising, IT support, website development and teaching English. Right now, IVHQ offers NGO support placements in Cambodia, Ecuador, Italy, New Zealand, Romania, and Spain. This is a wonderful way to assist local community-based organizations that are understaffed or underfunded, but that can make an excellent impact with volunteers like you.

Medical and Health Programs

Through IVHQ’s medical and healthcare volunteer programs, you will have the chance to work alongside local professionals in hospitals, clinics, and community centers to provide medical and healthcare, support, and education within the community. For 9 years, IVHQ has provided medical placements not only for students who want to learn more about their future work, but also for medical mission teams comprised of professionals who’d like to put their hard-earned skills to use with grateful communities in need. Areas of specialty include physiotherapy, pharmacy, speech therapy, HIV/AIDS support, midwifery and pediatrics, and much more. Right now, IVHQ is offering medical and healthcare placements in Argentina, Bali, Costa Rica, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Nepal, Peru, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zambia.

LOVE VOLUNTEERS

With more than 20,000 travelers placed on service trips and internships abroad since 2009 (and 4,000 in just the past year!), Love Volunteers is one of the fastest growing international volunteer organizations in the world. With volunteer trips starting from $199 for one week overseas, a few of Love Volunteers' popular locations include:

• Nepal

• Peru

• South Africa

• Kenya

• Ecuador

• Costa Rica

• Thailand

• Bali

• Zambia

• Tanzania

Love Volunteers has placements in 34 countries worldwide, with more than 120 different projects.

Elephant Village in Thailand

Based in Surin - the elephant capital of Thailand - this volunteer trip gives you the opportunity to care for elephants that have been abused and neglected. Years ago, elephants were used as beasts of burden for logging work - a practice that was outlawed in the 1980s. Later, to help pay for their care, mahouts began bringing elephants into the cities to perform for tourists. Outside of their natural habitats, these elephants suffer from abuse and neglect - fortunately, you can make a difference by volunteering with an initiative that brings the elephants back into nature, cares for them and rehabilitates them, and even provides livelihood support for their mahouts.

Education Support in Nepal

In the slums of Kathmandu, some of Nepal’s poorest children suffer from a lack of quality education - something vitally important to breaking the cycle of poverty. As a volunteer, you can help these children by working with schools in need of manpower and resources - a few ways that you can be a part of the change including assisting teachers with their lessons, teaching conversational English to the students, and even teaching important life skills and the importance of good hygiene for long-term health.

HIV/AIDS Support in Kenya

If you have at least four weeks to give, and if you have background and education in medicine, Love Volunteers has an amazing program to support those suffering from or impacted by HIV/AIDS in Kenya. You will start with a two-week HIV/AIDS support course, after which you will help those living with the disease through medical care and other services, such as providing food or other support. You also will educate local adults and children about HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and provide much-needed care to children who have been orphaned due to the disease.

Great Barrier Turtle Conservation

Based in Cairns, Australia, this program invites you to the Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, which provides care and rehabilitation for turtles suffering from disease as well as injuries caused by boats and polluted waters. A few ways that you can help include prepping food and feeding the turtles, cleaning and maintaining their tanks, scrubbing algae off of the turtles’ backs, transporting and releasing the turtles, assisting with monitoring and research in the reef, and much more.

PROJECTS ABROAD

For over 20 years, Projects Abroad has offered volunteer programs throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, the South Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean. As one of the world’s largest volunteer travel organizations, Projects Abroad sends more than 10,000 volunteers on high-quality programs each year, ranging from archaeology, to teaching, to child care, to medical assistance, and much more. Projects Abroad offers many different volunteer programs perfect for older travelers, particularly skilled placements in areas such as medical care, journalism, or NGO support.

Group Trips for Volunteers Over 50

For one to two weeks, you’re invited to take part in a group trip through Projects Abroad specifically designed for travelers over age 50. These programs will give you the chance to work alongside like-minded people, explore a new community, and have the most impact possible on your host community while you’re abroad. Right now, Projects Abroad is offering several different group projects for older travelers, including:

Conservation and community development in Ecuador: Volunteer for environmental protection and teach English to students in the Galapagos Islands

Shark conservation in Fiji: Assist with ongoing shark research being conducted by renowned scientists in this beautiful island nation

Teaching in Peru: Teach conversational English to students in Cusco, allowing them the chance to further their education and career opportunities

Care and Community in Nepal: Volunteer in a school or community center to support children through running educational activities and helping with outreach and renovation work

VOLUNTEERING SOLUTIONS

Another excellent volunteer organization to consider for senior volunteer opportunities overseas is Volunteering Solutions, or VolSol. Founded in 2007, Volunteering Solutions has placed thousands of travelers on more than 120 meaningful projects in 19 countries all over the world. Affordably-priced, Volunteering Solutions also offers travel insurance for only $12 per week.

Teach English in Zanzibar

One of the many different volunteer opportunities you can sign up for right now with VolSol invites you to teach English at a nursery school, primary school, or secondary school in Zanzibar. Schools in this region often lack basic infrastructure and have trouble developing a solid curriculum for their students, so there is quite a lot that you can accomplish as a volunteer. If you are an educator by profession, you can truly make a difference in these classrooms by teaching basic subjects such as English (including vocabulary, pronunciation, and other skills) and math. A few of your tasks will include preparing lesson plans, helping teachers conduct lessons, assisting with general work such as reception and translation, preparing tests, and implementing new teaching methods. Outside of volunteering, you’ll have time to sample Tanzanian cuisine, explore marketplaces, visit the World Heritage Site of Stone Town, and learn about Swahili culture.

Volunteer for Conservation in Australia

If you have always wanted to visit Australia, now is your chance: Volunteering Solutions offers trips to several different locations of your choice - including Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Hobart, and beyond - to assist with wildlife and environmental conservation efforts. As a volunteer, you can help with conservation and preservation work, assist with maintenance activities, learn about Australia’s plants and wildlife, and gather information about genus and nomenclature of the plant and animal cycle. You can expect to work Monday through Friday each week, with weekends off to explore. After finishing your volunteer project, head to the Great Barrier Reef and try out some of the world-class snorkeling and scuba diving - or just relax on the beach and enjoy the rest of your trip.

CROSS-CULTURAL SOLUTIONS

For more than 20 years, Cross-Cultural Solutions has offered international volunteer programs in nine different countries throughout Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. A world leader in the field of international volunteering, Cross-Cultural Solutions’ programs focus on child development, girls’ and women’s empowerment, and global health. To date, more than 35,000 volunteers have traveled with this organization, which offers year-round presence in their host communities, a full-time team of local expert staff to support volunteers, and among the highest standards of safety and well-being in the volunteer travel industry.

Volunteer in Ghana

Travel to the Volta region of Ghana with Cross-Cultural Solutions, where you can make an impact in child development, global health, and girls’ and women’s empowerment. 29% of the country’s citizens live below the poverty line, and on average, girls receive two years’-fewer schooling than boys. As a child development volunteer, you will have the opportunity to work with a community group or childcare center to provide support to single mothers through teaching, conducting early education programming, and more. If you choose to focus on global health, you can participate in outreach, education, and care, and take part in malaria prevention campaigns, vision screening, and much more. And as a volunteer on the girls’ and women’s empowerment program, you will play a part in helping Ghanaian women achieve financial independence. Outside of volunteering, you can learn to speak ewe, learn to dye batik cloths, visit the city of Accra, and much more.

Volunteer in Dharamsala, India

Visit India’s “Village in the Sky”, Dharamsala, where you will be able to take part in children’s development and global health programs. Inequality throughout India takes a major toll on those living in poverty in particular - not to mention those afflicted by HIV/AIDS, those who are migrants, those from rural or tribal populations, and even women and children nationwide. In the highlands of Dharamsala, home to the Dalai Lama and thousands of Tibetan refugees, you will have the chance to help people in need while immersing yourself in a vibrant culture. As a child development volunteer, you can help out in a community center to provide childcare for single mothers, teach English, and give extra attention to children who otherwise may not receive the support they need. If global health is more aligned with your interests, this program gives you the chance to provide much-needed support to low-income children and adults through vision screening, oral health campaigns, and promotion of good hygiene practices in schools.

READY TO TRAVEL?

These were just a few of the many different amazing volunteer abroad opportunities available to travelers over 50 - whether you would like to teach, care for children, or put your years of experience and carefully honed skills to use for a community abroad, you’re sure to find an engaging and worthwhile trip. If you’d like to learn more about volunteer programs open to seniors and retirees, please click here to start searching for the perfect opportunity.

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