This was my second time volunteering with IVHQ on a marine conservation program. I was in the first cohort of volunteers to come to Jamaica after Covid so our group was small and the programs were just getting back on their feet. Nonetheless, it was a great experience - I got to dive almost every day and do meaningful work on the coral reef like building coral nurseries and removing invasive species. I also got to contribute to the Whiteriver fish sanctuary by writing the August newsletter and getting involved with community outreach. I really enjoyed the company of the locals I got to engage with and learn from at work, everyone was extremely kind and fun to be around. Jamaica is a breathtakingly beautiful and diverse island, so I would suggest making the most out of your time there by exploring it as much as possible on the weekends or whenever you have some free time. The highlight for me was visiting Negril, a town on the west point of the island - great for diving (contact Scuba Dive Jamaica, Michael is a great diving instructor), food and sunsets. As for the volunteer accommodation, you stay in a proper house with a kitchen, 2 bathrooms and 2 bedrooms with bunk beds, and a common area as well as a very large garden. There is no AC so it can get pretty hot and humid especially at night, but that's all part of the experience! I would recommend this program to anyone seeking to get out of their comfort zone, get adventurous and do something meaningful for the planet and the people with their time.

Ever since I was really little, it has always been my dream to travel, and with IVHQ I was given the perfect opportunity. My parents got married in Jamaica, which is one of the main reasons why I chose to serve in this location, and I am so glad that I did. The volunteer placement is located in a beautiful, very safe area of the island and was walking distance from James Bond Beach which all us volunteers loved. I volunteered in the local kindergarten, and honestly, working with the kids there truly changed my life. Both them, and the head teacher were so welcoming to me and the other volunteers, and I genuinely looked forward to going to work each day. Overall, IVHQ is an incredible and affordable option for people like me who love adventure and have a calling to travel. Can't wait to go on more IVHQ trips!

I have done IVHQ a total of 3 times. The first time was in Cusco, Peru, I volunteered my time at an orphange. The second was in Costa Rica, working at a coffee farm harvesting and grounding coffee. This time around, I went to Jamaica to volunteer at an animal rescue shelter. Every experience was a different and incredible experience. Volunteering with IVHQ is the most affordable way to travel around the world and I recommend it to anyone who says they can't afford to travel. It was also a very humbling experience to hang out with the locals, get to know their culture, eat their food and enjoy spending time at the famous Jamaican attractions. The best part about Jamaica was instead of staying with a host family, we stayed in a volunteer dorm where we got to live together as a family. We all cooked for each other, played games, went out to explore and became a family. One thing, I said about when coming to volunteer on this trip was to grow as a person and find myself but instead I found a family. There will never be an experience better the immersion of culture and coming together to achieve one goal which is volunteering your time and effort to those who need it more than we do. Along the way you make friends for life and experiences you will never forget. Where else are you going to find crazy traveling explorers who love to volunteer their time in a different country? Only at IVHQ!

When you volunteer with IVHQ you get Fair fees, great service, and a life changing experience. I went to Jamaica for a week through IVHQ and I cannot wait for my next trip. I found all the staff to be extremely helpful, they respond to emails quickly and had an answer to every question I had and we also had 24/7 in country support. The houses we stayed in were very clean and with the meal plan, we got delicious home cooked meals all through the week. I loved my volunteer placement and all the amazing places that the Ivhq staff showed us. If you have the funds you should definitely go for at least 2 weeks, my one week was amazing but definitely not long enough. For my one week I spent around 1500 and that included registration and program fees, plane tickets, travel insurance, a meal plan, transportation, and spending money.

I volunteered with IVHQ and V2 Volunteers for their Jamaica program in July of 2019. My volunteer work consisted of business and community development; my friend and I helped a local business owner find and finalize packaging, labeling, and branding for her company's locally-sourced, handmade soaps. We lived in a volunteer house with seven other volunteers and the program coordinator, Mark. Over the course of our time there, we all became close enough to consider each other family (Mark included!). The program staff was a great help when it came to addressing issues, recommending activities, and coordinating transportation for us. Mark especially was a critical part of what made our experience so enjoyable; he consistently went above and beyond to socialize with all of us, give us advice about the surrounding area, and simply make us feel at home. This trip not only provided me with lifelong memories and a plethora of first-time experiences that I will never forget, but it also provided me with a wonderful group of people who I was able to bond and share these experiences with. The other volunteers and I are already planning our next trip through IVHQ; this is an unforgettable experience that I would recommend to everyone!

Volunteering with IVHQ in Jamaica was amazing! This was my first trip and it was bery organized. The support team there was very friendly and helpful. You could tell that they actually cared about our wellbeing while we stayed there. The school that we volunteered at welcomed us with open arms. Getting around town was relatively easy since the taxis ran very frequently. There is a ton of stuff to do and to site see. I wish I could have stayed longer to see more instead of just a week. The food was delicious and youbhave the option to choose a meal plan provided by the support team in case you did not want to constantly eat out. I loved this program and have absolutely no complaints. I am definitely volunteering again with IVHQ because of them.

We had the most magical time in Jamaica working with the Kindergarten program. The staff, children, and program in its entirety was incredible from start to finish. The food was amazing, the people were so kind, the excursions were breathtaking, and the other volunteers have become fast friends. We loved every exhilarating and beautiful moment of this trip.

The worst part of the program was having to leave this adventuring and heart-felt and impactful week.

We had the most magical time in Jamaica working with the Kindergarten program. The staff, children, and program in its entirety was incredible from start to finish. The food was amazing, the people were so kind, the excursions were breathtaking, and the other volunteers have become fast friends. We loved every exhilarating and beautiful moment of this trip.

The worst part of the program was having to leave this adventuring and heart-felt and impactful week.

I wish we would have known how difficult and expensive it is to mail items after leaving the program. Had we known this, we would have packed a suitcase with school supplies and left with the school upon leaving. Aside from that, I would change nothing about this incredible experience.

Hey Everyone. I’m relatively new to the IVHQ community. As a matter of fact, this is my first experience being abroad by myself. I’ve been in Jamaica for 4 weeks and have another 4 weeks left to go. Im working with the students at Boscobel Primary as part of the Sports Development Program. This experience has beyond exceeded any expectation I could have possibly hoped for. Going somewhere by myself with a program I came across on a google search was a significant stressor on the family, to say the very least. I was honestly pretty nervous to finally see what kind of situation I had gotten myself into, however, any shred of concern vanished after one conversation with the program director Jade Whyne. She was incredibly warm, welcoming and she cares about all the volunteer members like family. I know with absolute confidence that I can always count on the team here, Jade and Mark, for anything I need. There is always room for improvement in any project and it takes quite a bit of effort, resources, and experience to wrinkle out all the “kinks” in any developing organization. The team here is more than receptive to new ideas and any suggestions we have on how to help the program better thrive. Furthermore, despite tireless efforts, there are sometimes factors beyond anyone’s control. Anyways as I did recognize, it may not always be perfect, but in all honesty I would say that it would be a disservice to deprive yourself of the opportunity to experience Jamaica firsthand for yourself. I understand with this being my first time volunteering with IVHQ, I may not know the comparative value of programs in different countries. However, what I absolutely do know is that I am grateful I never switched the location of my program. I love the primary school kids with all my heart and it is an honor to help make a difference in their lives. Jades determination to better the community is absolutely commendable. The children’s hearts are filled with love and the school needs more volunteers who are persistent on making a difference. Overall, this project needs more help not less. The foundation is strong and change will be positively correlated to the number of volunteers who choose Jamaica. If you are still hesitant then in the very least give Jade a call. Because of this experience, I look forward to volunteering with IVHQ in the future. I really hope you consider coming to Jamaica because I standby it as being one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The other volunteers I’ve met are more of a family to me than a coworker or friend. If you have any other questions or concerns feel feel free to ask. I’m grateful to Mark and Jade for everything they’ve done and continue to do. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I look forward to possibly volunteering with some of you in the future. One love