Travel For Teens: Community Service Travel Programs

Name: Travel For Teens: Community Service Travel Programs
Brand: Travel For Teens
SKU: 60039
Rating: 5 (20 reviews)

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Location

Multiple Locations +14

United States of America
Costa Rica
Peru
China
Japan
South Korea
Thailand
Australia
New Zealand
Fiji
Tanzania
South Africa
Italy
Ecuador

Program Categories

Adventure Travel Cultural Immersion Service Learning Volunteer Abroad

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Last Updated: Dec 19, 2023

Last Reviewed: Nov 04, 2023

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46 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Meaningful Community Service is an important component of many of our programs. There is no better way to fully immerse yourself in another culture than to lend a helping hand to the local community! On our service trips, you will not only discover the heart and essence of each community and country, but you will learn more about yourself in the process. TFT teen community service programs offer between 10-80 hours of community service hours in 18 different countries. From working with sea turtles in Greece to working with local children in Indonesia, and everything in between, we have a service project for everyone!

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Program Reviews

5.00 Rating

based on 20 reviews

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Rating Spread High School

5 rating 100%
4 rating 0%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Growth 4.85
Support 4.95
Fun 4.85
Housing 4.7
Safety 4.95

Good for Adventure travelers, Under 18, Students

Showing 17 - 20 of 20 reviews

I went on Ultimate Hawaii last summer and it was the best three weeks of my life ever! I made so many friends that I still talk to and even meet up with from time to time to this day. We did so many amazing and different things. One of my favorite things was swimming with the Manta rays and snorkeling with sea turtles. I have so many memories from this trip that I will never forget. My councilors and my CIT were super cool and always managed to keep things in order. Also, it was amazing how many great photos they were able to get of us, they had so many amazing candid shots that I love to look back on! This trip gives you the full Hawaiian experience and shows you the different personalities of every island.

I loved my trip with Travel for Teens! I went on the Australia and New Zealand Service Trip last summer and had a blast. I feel like I learned a lot about myself and the world through this experience, going into the trip I was super nervous, it was my first time ever traveling alone and it was my first time out of the United States. Once I met up with my TFT group I knew I would be fine and enjoyed the rest of the trip. How many people can say they held a koala and pet wallabies let alone climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge and seen the Opera House?! Loved every second of my trip with TFT and would highly recommend both traveling with TFT and the Australia and New Zealand service trip!

What would you improve about this program?

I did not particularly enjoy the organization we worked with for the service project and I felt that some of the housing could have been better, especially the New Zealand housing. I felt a little unsafe in New Zealand due to the neighboring lodge with ours.

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I went on the Peru Service and Adventure trip last summer not knowing what to expect, and I came out of it with such a great love and appreciation for traveling and learning about different cultures. Starting from the moment we all met in the airport the TFT staff and other students were all so open and welcoming, and within a couple days I felt as though I was traveling with family. The itinerary is also so diverse and interesting that I was amazed at how much I was able to learn and take in each day! Working with other people to help the community is also something I really enjoy, and I was so glad that there was such a variety of work we were able to do (building stoves and sanding tables was never something I thought I'd be able to do within one week!). I was also able to practice my Spanish through talking to students at a school and markets in town squares, but don't worry if you don't speak spanish! My friends and I still used a ton of english to communicate! I'm so glad I am able to go on the Thailand service and adventure trip next summer to learn about and work with more people whose culture is so different from mine! I also can't wait to meet new people on my TFT trip that will become lifelong friends. No matter who you are or where you're from, TFT will bring you in and you'll become family! Thanks for an amazing trip!

Travel For Teens changed the way I look at traveling. Last summer, I stepped out of my comfort zone to travel to Peru for 19 days with a group of complete strangers. Let me just say, that was the best decision I could have made for myself. Just minutes after meeting my travel companions, we no longer felt like strangers. I could not have asked for a better group of people and counselors to travel with, and as for the trip itself, it was the experience of a lifetime. I never felt like a tourist, and every day there was something completely new for us to see. We visited towns and communities that I never would have known about if I was by myself. Additionally, the volunteer 'work' never felt like work, and it was so rewarding to see the reactions of the people we were helping. I got to improve on my Spanish by bargaining with merchants, but having knowledge of Spanish was definitely not necessary. I would give this trip a 10/10 and recommend this it to anyone who asks about this or any other TFT program.I am excited to go to Scandinavia with Travel For Teens in the upcoming summer, and can't wait to see what else TFT has in store for me.

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

At first, I really wanted to study abroad and, while looking for those kind of programs, I stumbled upon Travel For Teens and never looked back. My original plan was to study in Australia for a year and so, when looking for a program with TFT that suited these requirements, I chose the service trip to Australia and New Zealand.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

While I got ready for the trip, TFT helped throughout the entire process. As a first time traveler, I had a huge amount of questions that TFT answered with as much detail as they could. They helped organize my flight to meet with the rest of the group and also the flight home. A few months before departure, I was able to contact and get to know the people that I was gonna spend three weeks with.

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What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

An advice that I would give for traveling with TFT is to enjoy it. Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and meet new and amazing people, to explore the place you are traveling to, and to keep in touch with the people that you meet. When choosing what place to travel too, there is no wrong answer because, when traveling with TFT, even the most boring place will be the best place.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

An average day with TFT is an amazing day, even if you have to wake up before the sun is out. An average day consists of a quick breakfast and then off to do something exciting like visiting the place where Lord of the Rings was filmed, paragliding over Queenstown, New Zealand, scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, holding a koala, or climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Sydney, Australia. For lunch, there is an amazing variety of places to choose from and after off to another exciting adventure. Never a dull moment.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear was leaving home, but from the moment I met up with the group, I didn't even think about it. I did miss my family and my own bed and room, but with so many things to do, my mind was distracted from that fear. Another thing that I was worried about was meeting new people. I am very shy, but traveling with so many amazing people you're bound to get out of your shell

What was the hardest part of your trip?

For me, and probably many other people starting out as travelers, the most difficult thing was packing. I tend to overpack for even two day trips with a suitcase that is meant for a few weeks. An advice that I would give about this is pack as little as you can. TFT provides a pack list specifically made for each program and I would definitely recommend sticking to it.

Lily Marks

2017 Alum

Kaiti Caul

2016 Alum

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Juliana Weathers

Program

Travel For Teens: Community Service Travel Programs

Job Title

International Logistics Coordinator

Juliana is originally from Media, Pennsylvania, and has lived in several cities throughout the country. She graduated with a degree in international studies and Spanish from Arcadia University, where she studied abroad in Chile/Peru, South Africa, Dominica and Italy. She loves hiking, horseback-riding, anything involving an adrenaline rush, and one-way plane tickets to new places.

What is your favorite travel memory?

My favorite travel memory is the two weeks weeks I spent in Indonesia while visiting a friend for a wedding. It's an extremely underrated country. I went in with no expectations. The people there were, by far, the nicest people I have ever encountered. The landscape was breathtaking, I clicked a volcano, went horseback-riding, scuba diving, swam in waterfalls, and so much more. I highly recommend visiting there!

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I have grown in a lot of positive ways since working for this company! I've always had a passion for wanting to help other people travel, but this company opened my eyes to just how differently each person travels. My horizons have been expanded just by talking to families each day and hearing their perspectives and opinions.

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What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

The best story I've heard from a return student is from a girl who traveled to Peru. She was initially very shy and didn't have many friends, but that trip helped her to break out of her shell. She became more outgoing and learned a lot about herself. I actually spoke with her the other day and she is ten times more confident and happier now than when I first met her. I love seeing that transformation in our travelers!

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

If I could go on any program that our company offers, I would go to Southeast Asia or Tanzania. I personally love being outdoors in warm weather, and experiencing more remote areas of the world. Both of those trips have amazing cultural immersion experiences, as well as many interesting optional excursions (such as white water rafting) that you can add on.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

I am proudest of my team because we whole-heartedly support one another. If someone is out sick or is going on vacation, we not only cover them and take care of their work, but we also genuinely miss them while they are gone. We are like an extended family. Coming to work each day and being genuinely excited to see your coworkers is a great feeling!

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I believe a company that is invested in caring about its employees' happiness, health, and personal/professional growth is a major factor in being successful. Travel for Teens values each of their employees so much. Everyone who works here truly loves their job and has a passion for travel. I think that translates over to us taking great care of our travelers.

About Travel For Teens

Travel For Teens is a program provider that believes that teen travel should be both enriching and fun. TFT offers a full range of travel experiences that teens can choose from to create their own ideal international experience. TFT's motto is "Teaching teens to be travelers, not tourists," and their itineraries are designed to reflect this. While...