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Voluntourism is becoming much more popular these days, especially among families. Turning the typical family vacation into a family volunteer vacation can have benefits that go well beyond your typical two week stay. When you plan a family volunteer trip, the social impact on your family begins well before you arrive. By choosing a volunteer experience in line with the ages of your children, you can begin to expose them to a lifetime of helping others. Also, by including them as much as possible in the planning stages, you will begin to develop anticipation for the trip in them – often many months in advance. In this way, they will become much more invested, not only in the trip, but also in the opportunity to help others.

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For the parents, family volunteer trips give them the chance to be good role models. It allows them to demonstrate how unselfishly doing good for others can be rewarding. It also allows them to expose their children two facets of cultures that typically aren’t seen on an ordinary vacation. By getting away from the tourist traps and out into the local culture, you have the opportunity to create memories for your children that may last a lifetime. Also, by getting them started as volunteers at a young age, you can begin to prepare them for a lifetime of doing good for others. Many resorts and nonprofit organizations have developed packages specifically designed to appeal to families. Especially popular with children are trips that involve helping animals.

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One popular option is sea turtle projects. Not only do the animals fascinate children, but the projects are normally in warm climates with plenty of sun, surf and sand.

For your next family vacation, why not plan a voluntourism vacation? Once you’ve tried it, your family may not want to take any other type of vacation.

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