GROUP VOLUNTEERING PROGRAMS

Undertaking group humanitarian travel is a venture that requires solid organisation in advance to ensure that the experience is unique and rewarding. Not all projects are suitable for groups, as several factors come into play for a successful group project: leadership, safety, expectations and skills, budget, culture, socio-cultural context and availability of the project on the requested dates.

Types of volunteer groups

Freepackers has been sending groups on humanitarian trips for over 10 years, with a personalised itinerary for each group, a dedicated coordinator on site, specific logistics and reliable and competent partners.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of groups that have undertaken humanitarian trips with Freepackers since 2012:

• The Scouts and Guides of France (SGDF) companions
• Groups of young people selected by the Youth Services of French Town Councils in the context of programmes subsidised by the French State
• School trips organised by high schools or international schools
• Sports associations
• Student associations

What is a group volunteer project?

A group volunteer project is a collaborative effort to support a specific cause. Freepackers offers a wide variety of group volunteer projects ranging from humanitarian-focused to environmental and wildlife-centred. In each project, a team of people work to address a need in a community. Group volunteer projects foster a sense of community, teamwork, and help to develop social responsibility among participants.

Best locations for group projects

The group projects we recommend are in Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Cambodia, South Africa, Tanzania, Guatemala, Ecuador or Argentina. These are the projects where we have the largest capacity, the most staff, and most of the activities are suitable for large groups (from 20 participants). Depending on the group’s budget, we can also offer community projects in France, Portugal or Spain.

What our humanitarian group projects include

Each group project includes airport pick-up, return transfers to the nearest airport, an induction session upon arrival, cultural activities (e.g. cooking, dancing or sports activities depending on availability), 24-hour supervision of the group by a dedicated local coordinator, local transport, volunteer workcamps and all on-site activities, full-board accommodation and third-party insurance.

Other activities (excursions, trekking, etc.) can be organised according to the group’s budget. The local teams prepare a personalised programme according to each group’ s needs and requirements

Requirements for participating in a humanitarian group trip

• Minimum age: 14 years
• Language level required: depends on the project
• Criminal record certificate
• Parental consent form for underaged participants
• Travel and repatriation insurance
• Signature of the code of conduct and the Freepackers Charter