Description

International Student Volunteers is a non-profit organization with the best ratings as a student volunteer and adventure travel program in the world. ISV is committed to providing life-changing programs that allow you to make a meaningful difference to a community or environment that needs your help. After your project you can continue your overseas experience with a non-stop, action-packed adventure and cultural tour of your host country.

ISV's standard program is a two-week volunteer project followed by a two-week adventure tour. You can customize your project by adding on additional projects, tours, and excursions. ISV was recently selected as one of the Top 10 volunteer organizations by the US Center for Citizen Diplomacy. The ISV Volunteer and Adventure Travel program is open to everyone, not just students!

Volunteer Projects include:
Elephant conservation, teaching English, monkey rehabilitation, orphanage projects, school/playground/house construction, sea turtle protection, sustainable agriculture, infrastructure building, environmental research and much more!

Tour Activities include:
Three-day whitewater rafting adventure, snorkeling and scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, a week-long yacht cruise in the Adriatic Islands, wildlife safaris, overnight sea-kayaking adventures, glacier trekking and much more.

About ISV:
ISV has a unique model that facilitates a truly extraordinary experience by combining volunteering and adventure travel. You will travel with a group of like-minded participants from around the world with your professional project and tour leaders. The ISV program is a fully organized and professional program that has been working with local communities for many years to offer life-changing volunteer projects that are safe, meaningful, sustainable and, of course, fun!

ISV has been operating our current model of volunteer and adventure travel since 2002. Over 4,500 participants annually sign up to travel with ISV to make a difference around the world. We have a reputation for quality and excellence, as we oversee every aspect of the experience. We have an office in every country we run programs in to ensure participants are well looked after and that projects best fit the needs of the local communities.

Because ISV is a non-profit organization, participants from the USA can raise the cost of their program through tax-deductible donations from their community. ISV offers assistance and ideas to all participants globally regarding fundraising. Because ISV has a strong educational focus, university students are able to apply for academic credit for their participation in the ISV program.

ISV partners with over 100 local host organizations globally that include grass roots community groups, government organizations, non-government organizations, university groups and private initiatives to bring an enormous diversity to the type of projects we offer. Our projects are generally either conservation, community development or a mix of both. ISV works directly with local communities to provide assistance for ongoing sustainable development.

Program Examples:

Australia:
Volunteer Projects:
penguin protection, wetland management, flying fox (bat) research, habitat rehabilitation, eco-trail building.
Adventure Tour:
Sydney harbor cruise, rappelling the Blue Mountains, surfing in Byron Bay, scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, white water rafting, aboriginal culture program, visit a wildlife park.

Thailand:
Volunteer Projects:
elephant conservation, orphanage programs, monkey rehabilitation, teaching English, children's education, coastal environmental management.
Adventure Tour:
explore Bangkok, overnight sea-kayaking adventure, overnight hill tribe treks, Thai massage and cooking classes, temple visits, rock climbing, elephant feeding, reef snorkeling

Costa Rica:
Volunteer Projects:
sea turtle and dolphin conservation, community support, infrastructure building, eco-tourism development, organic farming, monkey and bird research.
Adventure Tour:
three-day whitewater rafting, volcano visit, waterfall rappelling, ocean kayaking, reef snorkeling, horseback riding, eco-lodge stays, jungle canopy zip-line tours.

Spanish language and dance lesson package available.

Ecuador:
Volunteer Projects:
Humpback whale community awareness programs, indigenous community support, school and playground construction, jungle management programs, Andean Spectacled Bear research.
Adventure Tour:
glacier climbing on the Cotopaxi volcano glacier, white water rafting, bridge jumping, mountain biking adventure, whale watching, surf lessons, visit to Otovalo markets.

Spanish language and dance lesson package available.

The Dominican Republic:
Volunteer Projects:
children's education, community sanitation, school building, hospital visits.
Adventure Tour:
canyoning, horseback riding and waterfall jumping, surf lessons, cave exploration, white water rafting, exploring Santo Domingo.

Spanish language and dance lesson package available.

South Africa:
Volunteer Projects:
community restoration, community education, school building, animal conservation, wildlife park maintenance.
Adventure Tour:
surfing at Jeffrey's bay, horseback riding on sand dunes, wildlife safaris and animal spotting, sand-boarding, exploring Cape Town, sea-kayaking alongside fur seals.

New Zealand:
Volunteer Projects:
environment education, island sanctuary preservation, government environmental awareness, trail building, community awareness, revegetation
Adventure Tour:
black water rafting, thermal pool bathing, glacier climbing, jet boating, zorbing, white water rafting.

Eastern Europe:
Volunteer Projects:
children's education, orphanage projects, orphan brown bear conservation, community construction.
Adventure Tour:
week-long yacht cruise on the Adriatic Islands, historic village exploration, rock climbing, hydro-speeding, mountain biking, caving in the Slovenian Alps.

Extra Excursions:
You may also take up exciting extra excursions to enhance your ISV experience at an additional cost. These include:
* Pre-departure Spanish language and dance classes with home stay five Days for Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Ecuador
* Fiji Island holiday: Five days Australian and New Zealand programs
* Peru (Machu Picchu trek) and Galapagos Excursion Ecuador and Costa Rica programs
* Overnight Scuba Dive on the Great Barrier Reef Australia
* Sky Diving Adventures Australia and New Zealand
* Bungy Jumping New Zealand and South Africa

Highlights

* Combine meaningful volunteer projects with exciting adventure travel
* ISV has support offices in every program country we operate in
* Trained staff to guide your project and tour
* Group travel - you will make friends from across the globe and not be alone
* Educational - learn a lot and possibly receive academic credit (if applicable)
* ISV is not a sending agent - we run our own programs with our own trained staff to ensure you have the most amazing experience possible.

Travel Types

• Camping
• Canoeing
• Climbing
• Cooking
• Eco Tours
• Hiking
• Horseback Riding
• Language Immersion
• Nature Tours
• Photography
• Rafting
• Sailing
• Scuba
• Student Tours
• Tours
• Trekking
• Vacation Packages
• Volunteering

Qualifications

No qualifications are necessary; ISV will give you all the training you need. To maximize your experience it is preferable you can speak English fluently. You do not need to speak the language of your host country, as you will have bi-lingual project and tour leaders to guide your experience. Minimum age is 18 years old by the time of departure. This program is open to everyone, not just students.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

Program prices vary. Please see website for details.

Cost Includes:

• Emergency evacuation services
• Excursions
• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Registration fees
• Travel while in host country
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Program Fees Include:

Your program price includes quite a lot:
* All accommodation
* All meals in first two weeks (volunteer project) - delicious local cuisine!
* Approximately half of your meals in the second two weeks (adventure tour)
* All ground transportation in the host country (including all in-country airport transfers)
* ISV Adventure Tour activities (minimum five incredible activities per tour)
* An ISV Project Leader to accompany you on the volunteer project
* An ISV Tour Leader to guide you on the Adventure Tour and make sure you have an amazing time
* All in-country orientations upon arrival in the host country
* All administration and promotion costs
* All pre-departure training, manuals and preparation of participants
* In country offices set up to coordinate projects and programs for participants
* Training of all host organizations
* All materials for projects (for example, bricks, mortar, wood, tools)
* Twenty-four hour support for you during the program through our dedicated office and program staff

The program cost also goes towards the equipment or building materials needed for your projects, your in-country support, your adventure activities, your amazing trained project and tour leaders, AND towards the ongoing sustainability and training of each project. We give you and our projects the support and structure many other volunteer organizations cannot, as we have an office in each country to look after your entire experience and develop lasting relationships with the communities in which we operate.

Cost does not include: passport costs, insurance, international flights, in-country domestic flights (if required), vaccinations, spending money, extra activities on tour (available through Optional Activity Package).

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Despite our name, any person may volunteer with ISV as long as they are over 18 years old. The majority of our participants are 18-30 years old, but we welcome anyone who wishes to join us and make a difference. You do not need any special skills to volunteer with ISV. We just ask that you are willing to give back to your host country; you are willing to learn as much as you can about the people, environment and issues facing your host country, and are ready to make the best friends along your adventure of a lifetime.

Age Range

18+

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel

in Groups

Typically Participants Work

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Typically The Application Process Time is

1 Week

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Job and Internship Network

International Student Volunteers's Mission Statement

To create an environment that combines conservation, community development, education and recreation into the ultimate adventure travel program for anyone who desires to make a difference by volunteering in local communities abroad.

Year Founded

1981