ISV - Volunteer Projects in New Zealand
If you're interested in conservation and the environment, volunteering in New Zealand with ISV is a perfect fit. ISV works in partnership with local conservation organizations including government and non government organizations (NGOs), private reserves and farms, and local grassroots community groups. While volunteering in New Zealand, you will be getting down and dirty to restore the beauty and natural resources of this green nation.
Your tasks could include: reforestation efforts, reintroducing endangered bird species, weed removal, planting trees, learning from the native Maori, limestone cave restoration, and pioneer mining. You could be placed on either the North or South island of New Zealand. Help ISV highlight and increase accessibility to beautiful natural environments for locals through your volunteer work in New Zealand.
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This summer I travelled with ISV on their New Zealand project. I volunteered for two weeks on an amazing island named Motuihe. We planted trees and removed invasive plants and I really felt like what I was doing mattered. Even though these two weeks were the volunteer part of my trip it really felt like a fun environmentally-based camping trip. The people I was with were awesome and fun and the staff was incredibly helpful. After, I went on a two week adventure tour and had more fun than I've ever had in my entire life. I went bungy jumping, white water rafting, cave exploring, and glacier hiking! And as cool as those activities were, there is much more you experience as well. I met amazing people that became my best friends, learned about other cultures and unique ecosystems, and experienced an immersive trip that completely changed my life. I even got to go on a fifth week to Fiji after New Zealand! I am travelling with this organization again and again and again!
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When we first got to NZ we were taught 2 local songs that we would need to sing when we were "adopted" into the Maori tribe we were working with. The words were easy and a nice catchy tune. Our first few days we were planting local trees for a nature habitat, then off to do track work to a huge Kauri tree so the handicap people could reach the tree. It was mostly a lot of digging but we had fun doing it. We then spent 2 days of "weeding" at another nature habitat pulling up invasive and non-native plants. For the weekend during the first 2 weeks we went to Mount Maunganui spent a night on the town and got to do a bone carving necklace. Our last work week was spent on the Maori burial ground digging up more non-native plants. Let me tell you gorse really hurts, spines about an inch long can go through jeans like they were butter. Also went to a place for the mentally challenged and helped them transfer seedlings into bigger pots. Even though they couldn't live like normal they had huge hearts and a lot more compassion. We even spent 2 days with the towns' school becoming buddies and learning a new game could "bull run", I didn't play but watched. Those kids could tackle better than our football players. Learned more about the culture and people during our last 2 weeks when we toured both islands.
Our living quarters were in houses that could hold 8-12 people, no heat, so best to bring very warm clothes. There were chances to go into town or ask one of our guides to get things for us. During my time for the work weeks it kinda rained- alot. Gumboots are a lifesaver, save your shoes for when you go to town or for the adventure tour. We cooked our own food as a group and cleaned as a group. Laundry was provided by our guest but dried in the main hall with the fireplace. Best not to have your unmentionables washed, but do them yourself and dried where the water heater was stored in your house.
Once the work weeks were done, we met up with another ISV group for the adventure tour and the start of very long bus rides with beautiful scenery. Best to bring along an ipod or other mp3 player so you don't get to bored. Cameras are a must so bring batteries and a couple of memory cards cause you will want to remember every detail of your trip. One day while everybody was four-wheeling, I found myself wanting to explore the town of Nelson. Went to a couple of museums there and found the jeweler that made the One Ring for LOTR. Even found a trail that lead me overlooking Nelson. It was breathtaking, could see all the way to the sea. There was also a local farmers market going on the same day that we were there. Bought some local fish for dinner since we were staying in a hostel and had to prepare our own meals. Good thing one of our guys was a budding cook. The other group we picked up had come from the islands that were working with the penguins. By the stories they told us; we had the better part of the working weeks. In Rotorua, we were staying at the same hostel as the All Blacks 21. The guys were so nice to us, even though we later found out that if anything happened their chances of playing on the All Black team would be nil.
The month that I spent there really changed my life and made me want to bring some of the lessons I learned back to the states. Even though it has been 4 yrs since I came back it only seems like yesterday that we were in Queenstown hitting up the local bars and shops or soaking in the hot springs at Rotorua.
If you ever get a chance to go- DO IT. Don't hold back. IT was the trip of a lifetime (maxed out my cards) but I really didn't care. If I had the chance to go again I would do it without hesitation. One of the saying they told us was to stay positive, people there were the happiest I have ever seen.
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We did a ton of cool stuff, travelling the entire length of NZ and stopping in various places known only by the locals, and doing stuff like hiking up Franz Josef Glacier, white water rafting (down a 6 m waterfall, btw), black water rafting (the river is inside a cave!), zorbing, riding the world's longest flying fox, skiing Cardrona, ATVing across mountains, seeing rare kiwi birds, and riding the Shotover Jet in 4 inches of water! Some people went bungee jumping where it was first invented, and skydiving on their free time. Every ISV program has 5 awesome activities included, but you're going to need to pay for an 'Optional Activity Package' (OAP) for an additional 5 programs (about $350 last year), and yes, you do want it, literally everyone had it on my trip. The activities vary depending on the country but its always fun.
However, the most memorable and fulfilling part of ISV is the first two weeks. Yes, rafting and all that was exciting, and that takes place in the adventure tour part of the trip. Before exploring the country, you have to go to work. Depending on the country you choose, it will either be helping people or helping the environment. NZ is a developed country, but it also has a very fragile ecosystem. Before humans came along, there were absolutely no mammals around, no poisonous plants, and no grass. Birds, like the Pukeko and Kiwi, have taken to the ground. But with the people came dogs, possums, snakes, weeds, etc... Ridding the entire country of this stuff in one go is impossible, so they've started with islands. That way, its harder for the invading species to repopulate cleared areas. In any case, their methods work, and we got to see the difference student volunteers are making. It is really rewarding to know that your effort isn't for nothing. Our location was on Motuihe Island (mow-two-ee-hey for the native Maori people, or mow-tuh-hee for the locals). We were told about its history, from Maori legends, to escaped fugitives in the 1800s, to a WW2 lookout point. We were taught Maori words, how to identify native birds and fauna, and how to talk like the locals (Kia Ora = hello , Sweet as = Cool , etc). I can't even begin to describe everything, but it was really cool. But of course, we were there to work too. Every morning we wake each other up at 7:30, prepare breakfast and head out by 8:30. The entire morning, we are doing one thing, be it planting trees, weeding (ramnus [a type of weed] became a swear word, it was so annoying), digging up fences, beach cleaning, nursery work (potting and weeding) on the really windy days, and other stuff. We break an hour for lunch, then resume with something else until 5:30. By that time, you're tired, some are sore, and everyone's asleep by 9:00, literally. But you're doing all this with 8 other students from around the world, a project leader from ISV who is usually a crazy enthusiastic local, and someone from the local volunteer organization who helps. These guys become like family. Its really hard to convey in words just how much fun we had on the island.
When you're done the volunteer portion, and travelling around the country, people will ask what brings you to their country. When you tell them about everything you did, you might be shocked to hear a very sincere 'Thank you'.
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This was a trip of a lifetime. The volunteer aspect of my trip was unforgettable. The location was great and our volunteer coordinator was a great leader and teacher about conservation. With my group and the help of the community we planted over 10,000 trees in our stay. Each night we cooked our own meals and huddled around the fireplace playing card games and learning about some of the NZ culture. At the end of our volunteer experience we truly could see the impact we made on the regional park we worked at and had made some amazing friends. The second part of the trip was the adventure tour. There are so many places to see and wild things to do in New Zealand but ISV allowed us to experience it all. We stayed in youth hostels along the way. Breakfasts were generally included and there were always close grocery stores to buy supplies to make dinners. We experienced everything NZ has to offers. I went bungee jumping in Queenstown, Skydiving in Abel Tasman National Park, spurlunking in Waitomo, and hiked the Franz Josef Glacier. Those are just the highlights of the trip but there were many more unforgettable experiences. At the end of the trip we experienced difficulties getting back to North America due to an ash cloud from an erupted volcano. Flights were not flying out of New Zealand but ISV was there to make sure all our families back home knew the troubles and that we would be taken care of. I cannot wait to go on my next ISV trip. They offer so many great programs that I cannot decide which one to go on next!
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New Zealand is a very beautiful country. By volunteering here, it has helped me see that and help restore that natural look. Daily activities included carving new paths, planting trees, and cutting invasive weeds to allow sunlight to reach the native plant species. This trip wasn't just about the volunteering; it included a whole new cultural experience. I lived on a marae in a suburb of Wellington, and it was beautiful. It was built by Bruce Stewart and a few friends, and is still being added on to. He and his daughter taught me and my group much about the Maori culture, such as a powhiri, a formal greeting, a few songs, the haka (also performed by the New Zealand national rugby team, the 2011 World Champion All Blacks!) My personal favourite is the hangi, where they cook food underground on hot coals. In addition to this, I also got to tour the country, doing activities such as hiking a glacier, bungee jumping, and whitewater and blackwater rafting, just to name a few. I traveled from Queenstown to Auckland, and got to see much of the amazing country! This experience has impacted me in a way that can't just be described in words. I came back to the U.S. feeling empty, as I wanted to be out volunteering and exploring other cultures. The world is here for us to explore; it gives us life, and it is up to us to give back.
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When I signed up with ISV in October 2010, I had no idea of what to expect once I set foot in New Zealand in May 2011. Turns out, what was awaiting me was an unbelievable experience that I will cherish forever. Not only did I make the best of friends, experience a different culture, travel the whole country, I also made a difference. My group planted around 2000 trees, removed numerous weeds, prepared plants for future ISV groups and I also saved an endangered bird. Our project site looked straight out of a movie, unbelievable scenery I never would have seen if I would not have travelled with ISV. By volunteering, I got to see and experience a side of New Zealand I would never have experienced if I had been travelling by myself. During the first two weeks of my trip, we had a weekend off and we were unsure of what to do with our free time. We asked the locals of Punakaiki and our project leader what we should do and they suggested we take a two day hike, on the Croesus Track near Barrytown. Turns out, that hike is the most memorable part of my trip.
For the last two weeks, we hopped on a bus and drove across the whole country, seeing unbelievable sights, doing many adrenaline packed activities such as white water rafting, black water rafting, glacier hiking, bungy jumping are countless others. I fell in love with New Zealand, its culture, its people and its beauty, and I will never forget the experience I had travelling with ISV.
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I signed up in October 2010 to travel with ISV in the summer of 2011. I had never done any type of volunteer experience before and I was really looking to do something in which I would feel useful and feel like I am making a real difference while learning about a new country and its people. I could not have picked a better program to travel like than with ISV. With ISV, this is exactly what you get: amazing opportunities to volunteer with great local organizations and after two weeks of volunteering, ISV takes you on an amazing tour across New Zealand where you do amazing activities you never imagined you would ever do!
In my specific program, we were working on conservation. Most of the ISV programs in NZ are on conservation: planting trees, educating children about conservation, monitoring species, building tracks etc. You get to do physical work, rain or shine and its a lot of fun. Get ready to get dirty! It's so rewarding to look back at the end of the day and see all that your group has accomplished. My host organization was Kuaka and our guide from Kuaka as well as our ISV project leaders were amazing. One of the best souvenirs that I will take from this experience is the feeling of family that we all felt after 2 weeks of living and working together. Everything was a team effort: from making breakfast, packing lunches for the day, heating the fire and cleaning up (like summer camp!). I would recommend this experience to anyone looking to meet new people from all over the world, making friends and feeling like they have made a difference. Also the great thing about my program was that we learned a lot about the Maori culture in NZ: legends, songs in Maori and we even got to stay at a Maori tribe for a night!
The adventure tour in New Zealand is absolutely amazing, especially if you love adventure and adrenaline like me. I definitely recommend that you take to optional activity package: white-water rafting, glacier hiking, quad-biking, black-water rafting (in caves) and you also can do many other activities on your own like bungy and skydiving!
I definitely do not regret traveling with ISV, and I would love to do again. Traveling to New Zealand was literally on the opposite side of the world from me and yet I managed to feel at home in no time; people are really laid back and welcoming and I think that what really makes the difference are the ISV Project leaders as well. If there are some things I could change, it would be to have packed less clothes, because you really don't need that much and also to have bought my flight ticket to travel on the ISV organized flight. Our flight to NZ from Los Angeles had been delayed (due to a volcano ash cloud!), so we ended up waiting two days in California! ISV handled to situation very well, they planned activities for us (going to the beach and the summer solstice festival), took care of the hotel, transport and we got to know each other during that time. Not all organizations would do this. That's the only thing I regret: not taking the confirmed ticket with ISV to fly, I ended up having to buy my own. You can't predict volcano ash clouds!
ISV opened my eyes to the benefits of volunteering in conservation and its impact on the environment. I loved my experience!I really think that a volunteer program in general is a great way to travel and really learn about the country you are visiting!
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I signed up for this program not knowing what to expect, but I ended up having one of the best summers ever. The first two weeks I did volunteer work. It was hard, but rewarding. We actually got to make a difference in the community. It was also a great time to get to know the other students on the trip. For the final two weeks we traveled the country and had an adventure. I did more things in those two weeks than I ever thought to do in my whole life. I went zorbing, sky diving, bungee jumping, I saw Lord of the Rings scenes, went white water rafting, and much more. I made so many friends and did so many things - it was just a great experience overall.
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Everything I did on this program was well worth the preparation. From helping save some of the local birds to planting trees, I felt that everything we did made an actual difference. Not only that but we were able to volunteer in different activities everyday so that we were able to make a difference in different parts of New Zealand. Whilst volunteering we were also able to do each project with the local people and learn about a very different and refreshing culture. When I left New Zealand, because of ISV and their volunteer project, I left as a new, productive, and much happier member of society with a completely new outlook on life.
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Traveling with ISV is a great way to see the world. Not only do you get to see the world, you get to do meaningful work while you travel. The volunteer work is meaningful and yet fun. It truly is a unique way to experience the culture and way of life in a new place.
ISV also gives you the opportunity to tour the land and plans awesome activities for you. Having your accommodations and most of your meals covered makes things a lot easier on you. All the activities are amazing, things you would never think you could ever do (white water rafting down the worlds largest commercially rafted waterfall, black water rafting in the caves of New Zealand, zorbing! and many many more).
All and all, traveling with ISV is amazing, and what a great way to see the world while lending a helping hand!
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Alumni Interviews
Meet Sam Labadie, ISV-New Zealand alum
GO: Why did you decide to volunteer abroad with ISV in New Zealand?
Sam: Some representatives from ISV came to one of our lectures and started talking about this amazing experience they had overseas, and about the difference ISV's involvement is making. I remember wishing that I could go and do something like that, then I realized 'why not?' I went to their info meeting on campus, where they explained everything that we'd be doing at the different locations. The stuff about New Zealand especially caught my attention: white water rafting, jet boats, glacier hiking, aaaaand we get to help restore the environment! It made me so excited I couldn't sleep the next night!
GO: Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.
Sam: We were in New Zealand for 4 weeks, 2 of which were for volunteering. My group (the luckiest as far as I'm concerned) were sent to Motuihe Island, just north of Auckland city. There were 8 volunteers including myself, plus one project leader working for ISV, and one Department of Conservation Ranger working for their government (both cool people). The ten of us were alone on this island for the most part, which was very cool, and everyone bonded instantly. We stayed at a house at the highest point on the island, where we took turns making meals and cutting wood for the fire. We'd throw breakfast together and be out the door by 8:30 am. We'd stop at the nursery to hear our 'Maori word of the day' and plan what to do that morning, learning the names of any plants we were going to be using. Loading our supplies into a trailer, we'd all hop on the back of a tractor and head out to a part of the island, maybe to weed Ramnus (which quickly becomes a swear word since it seems like its everywhere), or to plant native trees (like kawa kawa, manuka, or caro). We'd all break for 'morning tea' (usually a muesli bar), sometimes joined by fantails. Fantail birds are always easy to recognize by their fan-like tails (original name, eh?). Then, we'd continue until lunch. After lunch, we'd do something else, like digging up old fence posts, or beach cleaning (the beach cleaning allowed us to completely surround the island by the end of the 2 weeks). On rainy days, we'd do nursery work: plant seedlings into bigger containers and weed existing containers. After the working day was over, we'd all pile back onto the tractor and head home. On sunny days, we would all jump into ocean before dinner (it was their winter though, so not the warmest water you'd expect), someone would cut more wood and make a fire, and 2 people would be cooking. Once we were all curled around the fire, sometimes with a local treat our DoC Ranger would give us, our project leader would show us what the birds we saw that day were called and what they sounded like. After a day like that, rarely would anyone stay up past 9:00 pm though (I think our best was 10:00 pm). One night, we went out looking for a kiwi bird and found an old nest (no kiwi bird, but we did see a few morepork!).
We worked everyday (weekends too) except for 2 days off, where we went to Auckland. On one of those days, we detoured to Rangitoto for the first half of the day, it's a volcano! We got to explore lava caves and climb up to the rim of the dormant crater (reeeeally nice view from there), and we also got to see how our island compared to this one (we were doing pretty good too, we had much less Ramnus). By the time it was over, everyone was so attached to Motuihe that we stared at it as we left on the boat until it disappeared into the horizon.
GO: What made this experience unique and special?
Sam: This experience was extremely special, to each of us. We had to keep reminding each other 'Guys, we're in New Zealand!', because it all felt so surreal. We were pretty much alone, on an island, on the other side of the world. We were starting to know more about their culture and fauna than we did our own. The scenery was so otherworldly and beautiful. The people we were with became like family (or 'whanoa'), we were from all over (Canada, US, England, Ireland) and no one knew each other beforehand. It was amazing! And this is all before the adventure tour part of it, the last two weeks where we got to travel the length of NZ by bus doing a lot of neat stuff.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Sam: After doing something like this, I can't wait to go travelling again, not as a tourist but as a traveller. Experiencing a country is so much different than just visiting one. It also makes you want to become more involved back home.
Sam Labadie, from Ottawa, Canada, is a 2nd Year Engineering Student at Carleton University.
Meet Kerri Onotera, ISV-New Zealand alum
Kerri Onotera volunteered from May 25th-June 26th, 2011 when she was 19 years old. She lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and is in her 3rd year of university at the University of Manitoba.
GO: Why did you decide to volunteer abroad with ISV in New Zealand?
Kerri: I first heard about ISV through my university. They send student representatives to lectures at the University of Manitoba as well as many other schools in North America. This was a 2 minute presentation that got me thinking about volunteering abroad. I also have a friend who had travelled with ISV in Australia. After looking into ISV's website, the volunteer opportunity in New Zealand caught my eye but the adventure activities possible in New Zealand would make it a trip of a life time.
GO: Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.
Kerri: I volunteered in Tawharanui Regional Park, north of Auckland. My job was labelled as a conservation job, but prior to going I had little idea of what that would entail.
Our general day is as follows: We would wake up at 6:30-7 am, prepare breakfast and our lunches for the day. Waking up at that time was not required but the sunrises each morning were unique from the previous day and completely breathtaking. We would meet with our volunteer coordinator and the Park Ranger. We would then discuss the day's goals and be briefed on the purpose of our work (relating to kiwi bird safety or to help remove unwanted rodents from the park) as well as any safety precautions.
Our work was different each day which was nice, that have some change. We removed trees that were encroaching on a predator fence, removed barbed wire that posed a threat to kiwi birds, helped prepare from a community tree planting day, built 2 solar panels, planted around 10,000 trees along with the aid of the community as well as a few other jobs around the park. The days were tiring but the jobs that we did were fun and required some physical exertion.
By the end of the day we were all quite tired but were required to have group discussions related to conservation and sustainability. After the day's work was finished we walked over to the beach to watch the sun set then got back to the volunteer house to cook dinner. Nights ended early but we often spent them watching the stars and chatting with our fellow volunteers and newly made friends.
On the weekends we were able to hike the trails around the peninsula, catch up on sleep or take a ride into a nearby town called Matakana. On Saturdays, Matakana was alive and busy with a farmers market, cafes and shops.
GO: What made this experience unique and special?
Kerri: Tawharanui is by far the most beautiful place I have been to. I went in New Zealand's winter but the entire park was green and lush. Working in a place that seems removed from the rest of the world where the beauty of nature is magnified, made working there such a pleasure. New Zealander's are truly passionate about conservation and adjusting to sustainable life, making it the perfect place do to this type of volunteer work. On the community planting days we were able to interact with different locals who were all more than friendly.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Kerri: After spending 2 weeks volunteering at Tawharanui, I definitely live back home in a way that is more conscious of the environment. Living minimally at the volunteer house (no dryer for the washing machine and no plastic bags for groceries) has translated to every day life. I try to make sure I use energy efficiently, compost whenever I can and minimize waste products such as plastic bags. In a professional sense, I believe my volunteer experience will give me a degree of uniqueness in Medical school applications.
One of the best parts about volunteering with ISV was that at the end of the two week volunteer period we then proceeded to experience a 2 week adventure tour. This included sky diving, bungee jumping, underground caving, zorbing, white water rafting and many other things. Each on of my experiences in New Zealand were unbelievable and make me want to return as soon as possible.
Meet Alissa Azz, ISV-New Zealand alum
GO: Why did you decide to volunteer abroad with ISV in New Zealand?
Alissa: I choose to volunteer with ISV because they truly care about providing an educational and fun experience. Safety is their first priority and they have a great reputation. I really wanted to gain experience by volunteering and I also love to travel. I have to say that with New Zealand, the first thing that attracted me to the program was the adrenaline-packed adventure tour and it is definitely worth it! My volunteer experience greatly enriched my whole trip to New Zealand and gave me a better appreciation of conservation efforts made in the country, as well as educating me about sustainability and ways to continue to apply what I had learned when returning back home. I also felt like I was part of the community, especially with our encounter with the Maori, which was very special. I decided to volunteer to try a new experience, meet new people and do amazing activities, while learning about a new country. Finally I would just like to add, that I ended up enjoying my volunteer experience much more than I had anticipated, it's a very meaningful thing to do and you feel good about it.
GO: Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.
Alissa: We stayed our first two first at Aongatete Lodge, which was where we did our volunteer work. The lodge serves as a summer camp for kids during the summer, and we used it during the winter. A typical day of volunteering would include getting up early to help out in the kitchen, either preparing breakfast or setting out everything so that everyone could pack a good lunch (usually sandwiches) for the day. We were divided into three subgroups and alternated doing different tasks on different days; very organized. After breakfast our Kuaka coordinator would arrive and would instruct us on what we would be doing for that day. Most of the time we would have a short bus ride to get us on site. Most of our work involved tree planting and weeding, which I really liked and we also did track building and monitoring (tracking efforts to get rid of pests in specific areas). We would usually work until noon, have lunch and then work a few hours more. At night, we prepared supper and spent time in our groups doing educational activities and having discussions. When we were not doing that, we spent time in the common room/cafeteria and played games (i learned about 5 new card games) and listened to music and movies. That was for our first two weeks, then we travelled all over the place and stayed in the best hostels!
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Alissa: This experience has opened my eyes to different ways in which I can be involved in volunteering and also what concrete things I can do to play my part in helping the environment. Making us aware and helping us plan and apply sustainable development and responsible tourism was included in my ISV program. It has also opened my eyes and made me realize that I love to travel and would like to live abroad someday--and surely return to New Zealand. I met people from all over, made friends and I realized the importance of finding work that is meaningful to me. Academically, I would love to be able to find other opportunities to volunteer, maybe with people as well, like teaching for example. Personally, this was a very new experience for me, as I tend to be somewhat reserved, but this trip is all about teamwork so I loved meeting people and I also loved the idea of doing something new and exciting everyday.
Further Info
About ISV
Our mission is to create an environment that combines conservation, education, community development and recreation into the ultimate adventure travel program for participants who desire to make a difference by volunteering in communities abroad. ISV offers life-changing volunteer and adventure programs across 6 continents. Over 22,000 participants from around the world have experienced our volunteer, educational, cultural and adventure programs.
Many college and university students who participated in ISV Programs have also earned academic credit for their involvement. ISV is recognized as one of the highest rated volunteer and travel organizations in the world.
ISV is a non-profit organization in the USA, Costa Rica, Thailand and Ecuador. While our sending offices in Australia, New Zealand, UK and Canada serve the same purpose as our USA office (looking after students and sending them abroad), they are not registered as a non-profit.
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I had a once in a life time experience in New Zealand!
Volunteer Project:
I had the best group of people I could ask for to volunteer with on a unique island called Motuihe just a 30min boat ride from Auckland. Although it may not be appealing to be isolated from the rest of civilization, it was a liberating experience being able to leave behind cellphones and even internet for two whole weeks! However, we were able to go into Auckland 2 times during the volunteer portion to connect with family and friends as well as experience urban New Zealand life! I myself am interested in restoration ecology and it was neat to gain an insider perspective at the different initiatives being undertaken around the world. I became incredibly close with the people I met on the island as well as with the two project leaders. They made our stay so welcoming that I defiantly would go back some day!
Adventure tour:
This part of the trip honestly changed my life. I was not the type of person at all who would ever consider bungy jumping or white water rafting. I am not generally a thrill seeker but this part of my trip pushed me in ways I had never been pushed before. If you decide to do this trip BUNGY JUMP. Honestly, it is the most liberating and amazing thing one can experience and that was worth every penny. It pushes you mentally and physically. The other parts of the trip aim to push you in other ways, scared of the dark? Caving helps you with that. Fear of heights? You can bungy jump or sky dive. The best part of the adventure tour is that I never felt pressured to do anything. I had my group to support me 100% but never did any of the guides or the people I met push me over the edge (literally or metaphorically).
Critical Feedback:
We had an overnight flight delay due to fog in Auckland flying out to Queenstown so we missed one day of activities. However, our project leader stayed with us until ISV sent a representative down to the airport to figure the situation out. It did take them most of the day but they were able to put us up with free accommodation and meals for the night as well as rescheduling our flight. The staff was amazing in making sure we arrived at the airport in time and our tour guide who met us in Queenstown was promptly there and very helpful. He rescheduled an activity that was cancelled and made sure it was of equivalent value to what we missed.