Latest Research - Volunteering Overseas Is Good For You

Feb. 4, 2010 - PRLog -- Results of an independent two year study into the personal impact of volunteering overseas have far reaching implications for voluntourism, the largest growth area in youth travel and responsible tourism.

Volunteers from a variety of countries, including the UK and USA, booked their experience with AVIVA, a Cape Town based organisation that specialises in coordinating wildlife and community volunteer projects in South Africa.

Researcher Zoë Alexander commented, “The international volunteering experience significantly benefits AVIVA volunteers.  Once they return home, they are calmer, happier and more positive, more assertive, adventurous and confident, and certainly more in touch with their feelings than they were before their trip.”

According to AVIVA Director Ed Scott, many volunteers sign up for projects without thinking about what they will gain personally from the experience, but there is no doubt that self-growth, new-found confidence and new friends can be ranked amongst the many benefits that volunteers take home.

“When volunteering at organizations such as the SANCCOB rehabilitation centre in Cape Town,’ says Ed, “volunteers have the added benefit of working hands-on with African penguins and a rare chance to do meaningful work towards saving a species in danger of extinction.”

One volunteer remarked “My confidence has grown dramatically and I take up every single opportunity now”, while another summed up her experience by saying “I proved to myself what I am capable of, going to another country to do something worthwhile.”

Another AVIVA volunteer from Ireland recently stated that “Volunteering abroad has definitely been the best time of my life. Living and working abroad has helped me develop personally and professionally. I know I have become a more confident and caring person and finally know what career I want to go into.”

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Based in Cape Town and founded in 2002, AVIVA supports sustainable community, wildlife and conservation projects while providing international volunteers with a life changing experience in South Africa.

Amongst the projects available, volunteers can choose to work with lions on an African game reserve, assist care workers at a world famous children’s home in Cape Town, teach disadvantaged youngsters to surf, help rehabilitate African penguins, or track and monitor endangered wildlife including black rhino, wild dog, leopard & cheetah.

To ensure volunteers are contributing their time to a worthwhile and rewarding cause, AVIVA work with grass roots projects that have evolved to meet real needs.

Since 2002, AVIVA volunteers from 56 countries have contributed over 500,000 hours of voluntary service to projects in need in South Africa.