Voluntourism
the power of one
Volunteer tourism can help you make the transition to retirement and improve your quality of life.
We’re all at different stages in life.
Matching your skills to local needs
You might be coming up for long-service leave and looking for a different kind of sabbatical. You might be making the transition to retirement and reducing your work hours, while looking to give something back and help others. Or you might be newly retired and wondering what to do with all this newfound time on your hands.
The best of voluntourism is an experience that’s mutually beneficial. You come away with a sense that you’ve really helped out and the locals get some tangible, practical benefits that improve their quality of life.
Whatever stage you’re at, volunteer tourism could be the answer. ‘Voluntourism’ is a great way of combining leisure and sightseeing with the opportunity to work for a charity or other worthwhile cause. Helping you ease into retirement Retirement used to represent a sharp break with the past – one day you were working full time, the next you were sitting at home with the rest of your life ahead of you. These days, the transition to retirement doesn’t have to be quite so abrupt.
It’s important to make sure your skills are being put to good use. A good approach is to work out where you could be the most help. It could be anything from teaching to building or nursing. If words are your passion, what about teaching kids in Indonesia? If you’re handy with a spade, what about building irrigation channels in an African village? Or if you’re an experienced counsellor, what about conducting drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs in the northern Indian foothills? More than meets the eye
Many volunteer tourists travel to the most impoverished parts of the world to help disadvantaged comMany Australians are keeping themselves active and munities. But voluntourism can take many shapes engaged by continuing for longer in the workforce and forms. on a part-time basis. With a Transition to RetireEver thought about renovating low income housing ment strategy, you can use your super and an inin central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan? Or organiscome stream to make the transition and set a retireing a multicultural arts festival in Croatia? Or colment date that suits you. lecting data on river otters in Chile? You could find And in the meantime you can combine your love of yourself doing something quite unexpected, but travel with giving something back by volunteering. challenging and worthwhile.
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Help yourself by helping others More than one in three Australians, or 5.4 million people, are estimated to take part in volunteering. We spoke to one of them – Julian Lefcovitch, Manager, Platform Relationship at AMP. He says, “I love travelling and never find it difficult to fill my four weeks of annual leave with adventures. But I’m also passionate about lending a hand to those who are less fortunate. Combining these two things is extremely rewarding. In 2011, I travelled to Tanzania to visit a school, being constructed by an Australian charity called the Katoke Trust for Overseas Aid (visit katoke.com.au for more information). The charity was looking for volunteers to help raise awareness about the living conditions faced by many local Tanzanians.” One of the most rewarding moments for Julian was meeting Isaac, the student he sponsors. “As we were about to leave, I gave Isaac a blanket as a gift. He thanked me over and over again, then offered me one of the two live chickens the family owned, saying, ‘This is a gift from me to you.’ I was so humbled. He was a little disappointed to hear of the strict quarantine laws in Australia when I handed back the chicken and thanked him for this incredible gesture. I was struck by his generous nature, which was not uncommon in Tanzania. Tanzanians have so little, yet they are so selfless, kind hearted and welcoming.” As a seasoned ‘voluntourist,’ Julian has no hesitations recommending it to others. “It’s a mutually beneficial experience that will change your perspective on what’s important.” As well as helping others, volunteering can be a way of helping yourself. Volunteering has been shown to result in lower rates of depression, better physical health and even improvements in mortality rates. Volunteering can help you:
meet new people learn new skills gain confidence and a sense of achievement improve your mental and physical health discover new hobbies and interests.
_____________ Facts and figures on volunteering in Australia. (2011). volunteeringaustralia.org.
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INFO: James Smith and Hammock Financial Group Pty Ltd ABN 88 150 832 232 are Authorised Representatives of AMP Financial Planning Pty Limited . Any advice contained in this article is of a general nature only and does not take into account the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular person. Therefore, before making any decision, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice with regard to those matters. If you decide to purchase or vary a financial product, your financial planner, our practice, AMP Financial Planning Pty Ltd and other companies within the AMP group will receive fees and other benefits, which will be a dollar amount and/or a percentage of either the premium you pay or the value of your investments. You can ask us for more details.
CHAT: Hey Hipster! Wanna chat? Call +617 4642 1179 Email hello@hammockfinancial.com.au Visit www.hammockfinancial.com.au Like us at www.facebook.com/hammockfinanical Follow us www.pinterest.com/hammockfg Drop by Level 1, 516 Ruthven St, Toowoomba Write to us PO Box 1869, Toowoomba Qld 4350
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