BeachCorps vacations cost hundreds less than comparable volunteer vacations, allow you to choose your own lodging, and connect you to real nonprofits that weren’t invented to please a tourist.
There are some great existing volunteer vacations out there, along with some bad voluntourism. Some existing volunteer vacations give you wonderful people-to-people engagement and learning opportunities. The problem is that because they try to do everything, including creating the cause, they often cost a LOT. A typical volunteer vacation in the Dominican Republic for about 8 days will cost about $2200-$3000. If you take a 7-8 day BeachCorps trip to the Dominican Republic and volunteer 3 days, you should end up spending less while also having time to relax in some wonderful beach lodging.
In addition, with BeachCorps you will be volunteering for a nonprofit that has a long-term plan for results based on empowering local leaders to promote sustainable development. No other volunteer vacation on the planet combines a fun beach vacation with the best local nonprofits. You may only be a little grain of sand in their plan, but we promise to show you the results over time in you helping to build something big and beautiful. BeachCorps volunteers are people who want to feel smart about helping effectively; learn and share with others; and feel good about making a small difference. BeachCorps solves the problem of much voluntourism because we put the focus on the cause and local heroes, not “hero” volunteers.
BeachCorps trips solve the five “pain points” identified in a study by Booking.com showing the reasons why more people don’t travel sustainably: high cost; lack of information; lack of time; unappealing destinations; lack of luxury and comfort.
Your BeachCorps excursion includes:
- Pre-trip departure information about the economy, culture, society and development issues of the Dominican Republic and an overview of the cause that you are supporting.
- Answers to your questions about your trip and the cause you are supporting.
- Transportation to and from the hotel to the volunteer work with a highly rated excursion company. Our principal company is Runners Adventures, which has excellent Trip Advisor ratings.
- All lunches and water during volunteer days.
- Support from BeachCorps in creating excellent photo and video memories of the trip that can be shared via social media, including an edited video of the trip.
- Follow up notices of the results of your project and long-term results of the nonprofit you supported.
- A flexible cancellation policy.