Humanitarian trips for youth around the world

Humanitarian projects for youth!

Community projects as part of humanitarian youth trips are naturally adapted to teenagers. Activities mainly revolve around workshops in schools or cultural centres (sports, arts, educational workshops, etc.) or renovating infrastructure, small gardening jobs, painting, etc. in teams. We will always try to mix groups of international students and local students so that the cooperative work is long term and involves cultural exchange.

Youth humanitarian trips with Freepackers

Which humanitarian trip for young people?

Even though all Freepackers projects are educational, our offer suits every profile and every taste: youth and under-18 humanitarian trips with a strong social commitment, scientific expeditions, Year 11 (seconde) work placements, and language and sports stays, all guaranteeing a rewarding international experience with real impact.

Be careful, however, to tell the difference between summer camps, which are designed and supervised specifically for children and teenagers, and independent youth projects, which are humanitarian programmes accepting young people from the age of 16. The latter have a less strict framework, which lets young volunteers get more involved in the missions.

It is never too early to take part in a youth humanitarian trip and take an interest in social or environmental causes. Using the school holidays to discover a country, explore the world and set off on a first volunteering trip has become common. Freepackers offers projects for secondary school students and teenagers in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe.

If you would like to go as a group, contact us to find out about group trips for under-18s.

How does a youth humanitarian trip work?

When you arrive at the airport, you will be met by our local team and transferred to the hostel. Once you reach the project site, the local teams will help you settle in and introduce you to the rest of the group.

On the day you arrive, you will attend an orientation session explaining the organisation's work, with a presentation on the country's culture and history and the context of the project. On some projects, you will take part in a guided tour of the surroundings the same day, and receive information on health and safety measures.

The aims of this day are to discover the site, learn about the tasks and activities you will be carrying out and, above all, understand the meaning and the results of your actions.

Over the following days, depending on the project, you will be trained on the various tools and materials you will use. Depending on the project, you will also have language lessons if needed. On marine conservation projects, volunteers also take a PADI course to obtain their scuba diving certification. Finally, the volunteer teams are trained before the humanitarian trip begins.

The tasks are adapted to each project and to the needs of local communities. Schedules depend on the activity, but days generally last between 4 and 6 hours, and weekends are always free.

What tasks do young people carry out on a humanitarian trip?

The young person's role depends on the volunteering project they have joined, but here is a non-exhaustive list of the tasks they may be asked to do:

• Taking part in teaching projects for disadvantaged children
• Assisting local staff in their work at animal shelters
• Taking part in beach clean-ups organised by local NGOs and associations
• Building and renovating schools and other public buildings (painting, small jobs)

Make the most of weekends and free time to visit and learn more about the culture! Some projects organise a week of excursions and adventure to show you the different sides of the country. Trips to must-see places, surf lessons, beaches, hiking, nights under the stars, national park visits, mountain treks: the options are endless!

A debrief is held with the group on the experience and what it has brought you. Then comes the transfer to the airport, and everyone heads home with a head full of memories, rich learning and the potential to become a future ambassador for sustainable development projects.

Included in a humanitarian trip for minors, with the €200 minor supplement

• Experienced staff and specific supervision for minors
• All local transport with a local guide or project coordinator
• Shared, secure accommodation supervised by a local coordinator, with an evening curfew and single-sex rooms

Many measures are in place to give young people comfort and a pleasant setting.

The benefits of a humanitarian trip for young people

Volunteering around the world is a wonderful opportunity to grow, to act and to share values of international solidarity.

Taking part in our projects from your teenage years will allow you to:

• Enjoy rewarding exchanges with local communities
• Have the chance to practise a language in a foreign country
• Open up to new principles and ways of thinking, whatever your age
• Develop a range of skills that are essential for your studies
• Act in line with your values to give meaning to your humanitarian trip
• Do your Year 11 (seconde) work placement on one of our projects

Conditions for taking part in a youth humanitarian trip

• Language level required: depending on the project
• Parental authorisation form
• Travel and repatriation insurance

Participants must be available for at least 2 weeks. They must show real motivation to take part in an international work camp, an ability to adapt to a new environment and respectful behaviour towards the host organisation.

If you have any questions about the conditions of the trip, do not hesitate to contact our team.

All our partner NGOs are certified by the national and international authorities of the countries where they work. The contact details of the project leaders will be sent to the parents or legal guardians of minors going on a youth humanitarian trip.