Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the materialism of the holidays? If so, you’re not alone. Amidst the endless advertisements and shopping trips, it can sometimes seem like we’ve forgotten the true meaning of the season. There is, however, reason to believe that the spirit of giving is still alive and well in the United … Continued
Welcome to our next Discover Corps profile! This time, we’re introducing you to the man himself: Andrew Motiwalla. He’s our fearless leader here at Discover Corps, constantly inspiring us with his adventurous spirit and passion for service. In this profile, he’ll tell you all about his experience with the Peace Corps, which had a profound … Continued
The holiday season is here! Which means decorations, desserts, family get-togethers… and presents. If you’re stumped on what to get your family this year — or are simply sick of spending money on toys that go unused — we’ve got an awesome gift idea: a volunteer vacation. Take your husband and kids on a trip, … Continued
You’ve probably heard of a “volunteer vacation” before. And you might have wondered if they really do any good. After all, what impact can an unskilled person have on a week or two during their holidays? What does some couple from suburban America know about community development?
This video highlights many of the challenges of international volunteerism. It boils down to what is your intention and what is the intention of the organization you’re traveling with. For Discover Corps, we are quite clear that our travelers are not going to be “development experts” in a week or two.
Recall the days when you were a child, questioning everything around you and developing your sense of self. “Those were the days” many people like to say. But imagine if you had the opportunity to travel with your family to a far-flung corner of the world, coming face to face with the local communities. How … Continued
In our last post, we discussed the key points to take into consideration when planning a volunteer vacation. These include the long term development plan of projects, the stakeholders involved and ongoing involvement of the local communities. The debate over voluntourism continues. The primary question that is typically raised remains a simple one- how much … Continued
Recently, the radio program “Here And Now” on NPR ran this thought-provoking story about voluntourism. In it, they described the debate that has encircled volunteer travel ever since it started – how to balance the experience provided by the travel company with the well-being of the community. Discover Corps doesn’t think it’s a balancing act … Continued