Volunteering holidays for the whole family

Taking the family on a volunteering holiday can be a life changing experience for both adults and children and it’s a unique chance to learn about different cultures at a grassroots level.

Hands Up Holidays (handsupholidays.com), the operator who believes that travel can make a positive difference, offers a number of holidays that are suitable for the entire family that combine seeing the main sights of a country with a meaningful volunteering experience.

Hands Up Holidays recommends that environmental projects, teaching, or repair and maintenance work in orphanages or schools where visiting children can benefit from interaction with local children, are the most suitable volunteering holidays for families.

The tour operator features holidays in a number of destinations around the world, both close to home and further afield that are perfect for families looking to give something back as well as discover new and exciting destinations.

Suggested destinations where the trip dates fit with half terms holidays include Morocco, Serbia and Thailand, but the operator also recommends long haul destinations such as Australia, New Zealand, India, Kenya and Ecuador and the Galapagos that could be taken during the longer summer break.

Volunteer projects include: helping to construct new rooms at a remote school in a non-tourist part of Morocco where visiting children can interact with the local school children; helping the clean up of a town in Serbia where the local river burst its banks in 2005 and caused much damage to houses and roads; and helping at an orphanage set up in Thailand following the 2004 Tsunami, freeing up more time the permanent workers can spend caring for orphaned children.

As well as spending a few days volunteering at the projects families will be able to explore the country and see many of the highlights. This experience is enriched by the time spent interacting with the local people and getting a unique first hand understanding of the culture and traditions of the country they are visiting.

WHAT THESE TRIPS HAVE IN COMMON:

- Helping local communities
- Enriching and rewarding experience for parents and children
- Itineraries created on either a bespoke basis or undertaken on set departure dates
- Volunteering activities are bookended by the holiday experience

SUMMARY OF SUGGESTED DESTINATIONS, RECOMMENDED LENGTH OF STAY & PRICE:

MOROCCO – Helping construct rooms at a school. Marrakech, Atlas Mountains, Talamanzou, Essaouira. 9 days. £1,450

SERBIA – Repairs and renovations in Jasa Tomic. Belgrade, Novi Sad, Jasa Tomic. 8 days. £1,000

THAILAND – Helping at an orphanage. Bangkok, Ayutthaya, River Kwai, Khao Lak. 9 days. £1,400

AUSTRALIA – Conservation of sea turtles. Cairns, Great Barrier Reef. 14 days. £3,000

INDIA – Planting mangroves or maintaining a dyke. Calcutta and the Sunderbans. 11 days. £775

NEW ZEALAND – Environmental conservation. South Island – Queenstown, Doubtful Sound and Mt Aspiring. 14 days. £1,800

KENYA – Coastal environmental conservation. Tsavo East, Amboseli, Masai Mara. 16 days. £1,600

ECUADOR & THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS – Helping local fishermen clean up beaches. Quito, Otavalo, Riobamba. 15 days. £2,400

All prices are per person and include domestic transfers, accommodation and most meals but exclude international flights.

For further information on these trips or any of the other featured destinations worldwide visit Handsupholidays.com.