Volunteer holidays abroad for my 17 year old son and friends - any ideas?

[rootytoot]

Just wondered if anyone has any recommendations for a trustworthy charity/organisation running supervised volunteer holidays abroad. My 17 year old son and two friends are planning to go this July for 3 weeks - Soapbox Trust has been recommended, and the cost per person for a 3 week trip to Africa is around £1700. The boys would do building work in the mornings and help youngsters with their English/play football etc in the afternoon.

Although Soapbox sounds good, it's expensive and will need a lot of fundraising... so really just wanted some other ideas to explore.

Hope you can help, thank you!

Marking place - sounds like a good idea for 2012 for my ds.

Have you looked into World Challenge? Some of the kids at ds's school are doing that, but I think it's quite expensive.

I think they are all really expensive, not sure you will find one for much less than that, TBH.

I think the student room website has a gap year forum that might include some relevant info.
www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=88

thanks for that.. looking into Amanzi Travel also which I came across, v. helpful company and will take 17 yr olds on a couple of their projects, all of which sound fantastic. It is expensive, and they'll have to fundraising in large part. See link[http://www.amanzitravel.co.uk/index.asp here]]

Amzani sounds really interesting. I think DS would be interested in the medical project, and it would be a good thing to have on his CV if he applies to med school

Whereabouts in Africa? Having spent some time there a few years back with a friend who works for Oxfam, when DS1 (also 17) wanted to go to Uganda a few months back (charity type school trip) I flatly refused. I am reasonably well travelled but found it the scariest place ever. I hated the feeling that you could die on the side of the street and nobody would give a damn because life was so cheap. DS1 went to Cambodia instead and had a fantastic time visiting really remote villages, distributing food and helping out in an orphanage, the kids who went to Uganda were basically in a compound for their whole trip with armed security guards all round. Yes, they built a classroom which was very worthy work but as a life experience it was pretty limited.

You could look into other organisation like Kaya - www.KayaVolunteer.com who send volutneers from 16 to 60 on volunteer trips around the world. If you are looking into volunteer trips, Africa does tend to be a little more expensive as you have to take into consideration a higher cost of the airport transfers (project locations tend to be a little more remote) and the cost of living is a little higher for the volunteers as they are usually placed in special volunteer housing, which are secure houses or apartments for all of the volunteers to live in. If you wanted to get your costs down a little, have a look at Kaya's projects in Bolivia and the Philippines, where the volunteers get to stay with local homestay families and get a real taste of the local cultures as well as learning a little of the language!

I hope that helps and good luck!

i know it's not a volunteer thing but when he's 18 maybe doing camp america would be good. flights paid for and a little wage while he's there. i loved it when i did it and it was a great experience

thanks responsibletravel and sunnydelight. Currently considering community sports coaching project nr Capetown via amanzi travel, and soapbox trust project which is christian mission project near a place called Iringi in Tanzania - our preference Capetown, but DS has to decide. Will take a look at Kaya Volunteer, many thanks for that. And camp america recommendation for when he's older too, helpful, thank you!

This is something less 'project' based as it is helping out on organic farms but can be done in UK or Europe so works out much cheaper: www.wwoof.org