These trips are based on aiding local development and protecting local environments. They generally cover 1 or 2 regions and allow travellers to immerse themselves in local cultures. Combined with several popular tourist attractions, these projects allow students to live unique experiences while having a positive impact on local social and natural environments.
Humanitarian objectives
To have a positive impact on the social environment of the community
To encourage students to learn about the needs of individual communities and to realize that they can contribute to a community’s well being. To raise student awareness that despite the inequalities that are present in certain communities, its individuals are happy and enjoy their lives.
To help and contribute to local communities through a variety of projects including those related to education, health and hygiene, the environment, etc.
To provide opportunities for students to discover and value the culture of local communities through a variety of participative workshops, organized in collaboration with local artisans and members of the community: arts & crafts (weaving, jewelry making, ceramics, pottery, etc.), traditional food production methods (chocolate, honey, etc.), cultural dances, traditional cuisine etc.
To allow students to open up to cultural differences and to enrich themselves by exchanges with host families.
To allow students to develop direct links with the community they are visiting while creating cultural bridges that raise awareness amongst participants and create a feeling of belonging.
To aid students in discovering their creative, organization and communication capacities.
Socio-economic objectives
To create a positive impact on a community’s economic environment.
To encourage local economies and equitable commerce by buying products that are authentic, locally made and produced under proper working conditions.
To work with local stakeholders and non-governmental organizations with good practice, thus assuring that funds stay in the community and that they will be reinvested in a sustainable manner.
To raise awareness of sustainable development, the importance of its socio-economic elements and the important role of responsible tourism and ecotourism amongst students.
To allow students to participate in projects for which they are able to help out both materially and physically and which require hiring and collaborating with skilled experts and engineers (ex: constructing parks, reforestation, school courses, community gardens, etc.)
To develop a critical spirit in students regarding socio-economic stakes and issues such as wealth distribution, geo-political situations, government services and the quality of local education, work conditions and opportunities, women’s issues etc.
Environmental objectives
To have a positive impact on the environment.
To improve ecologic life cycles affected by travel by measuring and compensating for the environmental impact of our activities (such as CO2 emissions).
To choose transportation methods, activities and lodging with the least possible environmental impact (or ideally a positive impact on local environments).
To raise the participants’ awareness of the importance of conservation of flora, fauna and ecosystems.
To develop a critical spirit amongst students regarding environmental stakes and issues related to environmental degradation caused by industrial activities and its impact on community health, local politics and laws, certifications etc.
