Program Details: Service-Learning

Global Leadership Adventures has a unique philosophy that sets apart from other organizations offering international community service trips for teenagers.

We believe the best way to experience a culture is through direct engagement and interaction with the local people.  Community service is one vehicle for such interaction.  Our community service projects vary from country to country.  We believe that local people are the experts, as they – not Americans or other outsiders – know best what volunteer activities are the most beneficial for their community.  We partner with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community-based organizations (CBOs) and try to assist by serving as a catalyst to accomplish their goals.

Often international volunteerism looks very different from domestic volunteerism.  There are more factors when taking a group of people to work in another country for a short period of time. In some countries, manual labor might be appropriate, in other countries it could be perceived as taking a job away from a local laborer.  The appropriate role of a foreign volunteer is a sensitive area that we give a great deal of consideration to.

GLA engages in activities ranging from teaching language skills, to cooperatively building or restoring an educational, medical or community center, to distributing food together with local soup kitchens, orphanages and on the streets to aid the poor.  Often people in the most impoverished townships, favelas, barrios, slums and ghettos tell us that simply our presence, friendship and solidarity made a difference.  This is especially true when one considers that the wealthier classes and government seem to have completely abandoned these communities.