| Voluntary work in Africa can provide tremendous | | | | expect them to be going somewhere that is safe! |
| challenge and excitement. There's not only the | | | | The truth is that no reputable volunteer organization |
| chance to do real good for people less fortunate | | | | would ever put their charges in harms way. In fact |
| than ourselves, there's the opportunity to experience | | | | quite the opposite. Most go to great lengths to |
| different cultures, to travel through a fascinating | | | | ensure volunteer safety at all times, from collecting |
| country and to enjoy some exhilarating leisure time | | | | them at the airport to ensuring secure |
| with white water rafting, bungee-jumping at Victoria | | | | accommodation and having trained staff advise them |
| Falls and Elephant safaris to name just a few. It really | | | | of safe practice in all areas. A good volunteer |
| does change people's lives. | | | | organization isn't at present going to go into places |
| Volunteering in Africa is open to people of all ages | | | | like Eritrea or Djibouti, but with the right support |
| but it is particularly popular with young people and | | | | countries like Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, |
| gap year students in particular - which is where we | | | | Kenya and Zambia are no more dangerous than |
| come to the parent problem. In fact it's not a | | | | California or Buckinghamshire. |
| problem at all but an area of real and understandable | | | | People doing voluntary work in Africa aren't wrapped |
| concern. | | | | in cotton wool but their security and safety is |
| People in their late teens and early twenties are | | | | paramount. The responsible organizations working |
| attracted by many aspects of doing voluntary work | | | | there couldn't allow it to be any other way. There |
| in Africa, whether that's helping with lions at | | | | are always rotten apples in every bunch and it's |
| renowned conservation areas like Antelope Park, | | | | always the bad ones that hit the headlines. |
| teaching orphans in Zanzibar or working as medical | | | | Fortunately it's a tiny majority and the rest offer |
| assistants in Cape Town. There is also - not | | | | young people a fabulous opportunity for excitement |
| surprisingly - the adventure aspect. Africa is | | | | and the remarkable satisfaction you get from making |
| somewhere that offers adventure like perhaps | | | | a real difference to other people's lives. Concern is |
| nowhere else on earth! | | | | perfectly reasonable and you should never be afraid |
| It's also, sadly, a region of some instability and some | | | | to ask your chosen volunteer group the most difficult |
| areas have ongoing violence which we see regularly | | | | questions you can think of. Their responses will either |
| on our TV screens. This is what troubles parents. | | | | give you confidence in their ability... or you can find |
| Let's face it, many parents pick up at least some | | | | someone else. |
| part of the tab for their child's trip so obviously they | | | | |
