A Hidden Gem for Teens

This summer was the second experience for my 16 year old son with VFP. In 2013, he went to a youth program in Estonia of all places and wound up having a fantastic time, connecting with kids from all over Europe and had wonderful experiences, in what was actually in hindsight a fairly spartan environment.
For 2014, we chose a project in a tiny town on a river in the Bordeaux region of France and this was a truly wonderful experience. They took fantastic side trips to parks or to towns, seemed to have a really good balance of work / play, really got to know this charming town of only 600 people, and was personally thanked with a handshake by the town's mayor. The photographs were beautiful and as a parent I just felt that all the targets were hit in terms of cultural exposure, working really hard and having a blast.
The program offered an amazing value. Airfare aside, the 2-weeks cost just a few hundred dollars. These programs are not fancy, but are well-organized and well-run. My son slept in a large tent, but surrounded by vineyards. They had to shop and prepare their own meals, but that was obviously part of the fun. It seems that some of the programs are easier to get to than others, and if you're sending a teen you should speak with the VFP office before choosing a trip.
The people in the VFP office are extremely helpful as well as knowledgable. They made good recommendations and helped fill-in blanks when needed. I can only speak of these 2 programs of theirs, but we've had wonderful experiences that were much more affordable than most of the programs our friend's kids went on.