Students are at a pivotal time in their lives where the experiences they have will play a key role in how they develop as an adult. Working on a service projectwhilst traveling overseason a study tourcan be transformative for students giving them the tools they need as they transition into adulthood. 

Here are some benefits of overseas volunteering forstudents.

It’s a Life-Changing Experience

A volunteering experience takes a student out of their comfort zone and brings them into contact with new cultures and new people. It gives them a whole new outlook on life. It will make them more independent and more open-minded. The lessons they learn will carry on to make them the people they become as they grow older.  

Provides Hands-on Education

Travelling completely immerses students in an interactive experience. Everything they learn, including cultural education, life lessons, skills and more, will be learned through doing. This type of learning is more likely to stick with them throughout their lives.

Enhances Educational Experience

Students learn a lot in a classroom, but nothing really compares to the type of hands-on experience they get when volunteering overseas. Students learn about different cultures, different languages, and they learn more about the world in general.

Encourages Growth

When students go abroad, they experience the kind of intellectual and emotional growth that allows them to develop independence and responsibility. These are valuable traits for adulthood.

Guides Career Decisions

High school students are at an age when they are considering their career paths. Volunteering overseas can make them aware of possibilities they may never even have thought of. For instance, if they help younger children while volunteering, they may decide to pursue a teaching career. Learning about different cultures may also inspire them to become a language specialist, a historian or a social worker.

Helps Build Meaningful Connections

Students will meet many people in their lives, but nothing will quite compare to the connections they make with those that they share their overseas experiences with. They will encounter unique situations that take them out of their comfort zone, and they will need to depend on those around them. Working together on a project which is all about giving back to those less fortunate, provides a foundation for a very special bond. 

A Chance to Learn About Different Cultures

When students travel overseas, they will learn about the culture of the country they are visiting. The education they get from experiencing the culture hands-on will be much more comprehensive than anything they can learn from a book.

Help Change the World

When a student volunteers, it means they are giving up their time to help someone else. It is important for students to feel they can make a difference, to understand the importance of working together to help others. It helps to form a generation that is more thoughtful and considerate of others.