We know what parenting is like. Ultimately, you want only the best for your child. That includes them taking part in teen volunteering abroad, having incredible experiences, and meeting amazing people from around the world.
But you might also be nervous to let them go on their own, especially if it’s their first time traveling alone. That’s where we come in. Our Teen Programs are carefully curated overseas volunteering trips just for teens, designed with safety, supervision, and self-discovery at their core.
This blog looks at what you and your child will experience in the run-up to and during their adventure, including what we do to make sure they are safe.
“We would like to congratulate Projects Abroad for the most excellent experience you are giving to young people. I will cite my daughter: ‘the best holiday and trip ever in my life.’”
- The Emmerechts Family from Belgium
The essentials: Teen Programs
We know a thing or two about international volunteering for teens. We’ve organised responsible travel trips since 1992, which means we’ve developed a reliable framework for safe and enjoyable travel experiences for teens.
We run dedicated summer volunteer programs just for people aged 15 to 18 every year. These projects are hand-crafted for teens to have an unmatched, intercultural learning experience with safety and support at their core.
These projects are supervised 24/7 by our staff, so they will always have someone available to contact if needed. This gives you and your child peace of mind throughout their trip.
If your child is flying from (or connecting through) the UK or US, they may have the option of a chaperoned flight, supervised by one of our staff. They will accompany your child all the way to (and back from) their destination to minimise stress at the airport.
Another focus of our trips for teens is improving social skills and cultural understanding. Your child will connect with an international community and travel alongside other teens their age, forging lifelong friendships and enhancing their global perspective.
And don’t worry, we’ll make sure that your child is able to communicate with friends and family back home while on their trip.
"The fact that these are tried and tested projects where others have come home healthy and having benefited from the experience is very reassuring and eases one’s worry about the experience."
- Mother of Anna M, Human Rights volunteer in Ghana
Advice and support before they travel
From the moment your child submits their application, our team will be in touch to help them (and you) prepare for their life-changing travel program.
Your child will be assigned a dedicated Destination Expert (DE) who will be their point of contact should they need anything before they fly. Your child’s DE will help answer every question either of you might have, no matter how big or small.
Their DE will also give more information on the travel program they chose, their accommodation, and help connect them with other travelers ahead of their trip.
They will also help your child navigate their personal MyProjectsAbroad page, where all this information (and more) will be written down.
Plus, their DE will provide them with a comprehensive packing list and culture workshop tailored to their destination. They can also provide advice and guidance regarding their flights, travel insurance, visa requirements, and any vaccinations needed.
Our aim is to make sure that you and your child know anything and everything you might need to before their experience.
"Megan is now studying law at university, including human rights. The trip obviously widened her experience generally, as she was learning about human rights, which was very interesting as well as being the real deal, as where is better to learn about human rights than South Africa. She has now been able to bring that experience into her studying environment."
- Mother of Megan B, Law & Human Rights High School Special volunteer in South Africa
Total support from the moment they arrive
The buildupis exciting, but the nerve-wracking bit is letting your child go. Don’t worry, we take every measure to guarantee that they are completely safe while traveling.
First things first, a member of staff will meet them at the airport with a Projects Abroad sign, no matter what time they arrive. Our team will then take your child to their accommodation, give them a thorough induction, and tour their new surroundings.
They will also take your child to buy a reliable eSIM, allowing them to connect to the local phone network and stay in touch with you back home. From then on, our staff will be available 24/7 to answer any questions, address any concerns, or just to chat with!
On most of our volunteer opportunities for teenagers, participants stay with a host family for full cultural immersion. This family will have been carefully vetted based on security, comfort, and friendliness and will also be around to help with anything if needed.
On some conservation programs, they will stay in a partnered guesthouse or hotel. No matter where they stay, we will try to have them share a room alongside at least one volunteer of the same gender and similar age.
We have tried and tested crisis management plans in place to effectively handle any emergencies that might occur around the world. In the unlikely event that your child falls ill while volunteering, a member of staff will take them to the nearest healthcare facility.
Our team will handle all of the transport for your child while they are with us, including taking them back to the airport with plenty of time to make their returning flight.
"We knew from when our middle daughter fell ill in Tanzania and spent a short time in hospital in Arusha that Projects Abroad responded very well and quickly to make sure that she was well looked after. We were also kept informed about how she was doing by Projects Abroad. The communication network seemed to be very organised and practiced."
- Parents of Cecily V, Childcare volunteer in Tanzania
Still looking for more information?
No worries! We want to put you at ease as much as possible, and there are lots of resources on our teen volunteer programs.
Consider looking through our parent FAQs page for more detailed answers to some questions you may have. Alternatively, browse our Teen Programs to see the teen volunteer opportunities we offer, and find out more about how they’re structured.
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