Gap Year For Grown Ups

Voluntourism is on the rise, with thousands of travellers heading to far-flung destinations every year in search of adventure with a hint of altruism. But make no mistake – this isn’t just a fad for the youth of today. While it’s true that volunteering is a popular choice with university-aged youngsters, it also so happens that an increasing amount of older adults are taking a ‘gap year for grown-ups’!

If you’re a parent to a twenty-something child, odds are you’ll be familiar with those small pangs of jealousy as you wave goodbye to your offspring, wishing it were you who were boarding that plane. Even if you don’t have kids of your own, the narrative around ‘adventure-travel’ can sometimes exclude those above the age of 30 – but here at The Great Projects, we feel as if our older volunteers are some of the most valuable of all.

We’ve welcomed 70-somethings to aid with orangutan conservation in Borneo; we’ve witnessed divers above the age of 60 contribute impressive amounts of help in Raja Ampat. Big cats, gorillas and sharks are no match for ‘grown ups’ with nerves of steel – and, at heart, our volunteers have always been big softies, eager to aid conservation. Age doesn’t matter when it comes to a volunteering adventure, nor does experience – all that we ask is that you’ve got the willingness to get involved!