CELEBRATE WITH A PURPOSE
Your two hands will make a world of difference
We say a BIG NO to voluntourism! Our community projects are always sustainable and proudly ethical and the ultimate highlight for many Schoolies Reimagined travellers.
Partnering with community members and organisations at a local level, you are truly immersing yourself while aligning with global best practices like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
We work collaboratively with local partners to develop long-term plans that address high-priority community needs. Supported by our local legendary staff of international development professionals, we gather a deep understanding of local community needs.
Get your hands dirty! We create appropriate roles for travellers to engage in meaningful community service projects, showing that small efforts add up to create large collective impact.
Schoolies Reimagined is backed by Rustic Pathways Travel which means we support high-priority projects year-round through the Rustic Pathways Foundation, our nonprofit.
IT’S COOL TO BE KIND!
Explore Our Community Projects By Destination:
Schoolies Reimagined has strong community service initiatives throughout Australia. We support marginalised communities, assist with social services and contribute to environmental conservation projects… and we know how to have a good time while doing it! While many of the service programs offered by Schoolies Reimagined are located abroad, we also support Aussie travellers to get involved here at home. We are always developing new, exciting volunteer projects within Australia. Some of our service projects that you could support include:
Support Indigenous Communities
Contribute to social, educational and infrastructure projects in remote Aboriginal communities. Run sports and cross-cultural engagement programs for Indigenous youth. Provide after-school activity programs.
Primary Schools and Education Exchange
Facilitate enrichment programs focusing on cross-cultural exchange and global education. Provide a free school holiday program for low-income communities.
Aged Care
Provide social interaction for elderly residents… who can certainly share some wise words and life lessons with you! Help to enhance residents’ mental health and fine motor skills. Anyone up for some card games?! Make cross-generational friendships that will put a smile on the faces of everyone involved.
Environmental Conservation
Participate in a local beach clean-up. Assist local volunteers with the maintenance of national parks and community bushland. Plant trees and help with bush regeneration. Remove invasive plant species – our students not only find this incredibly satisfying, but also therapeutic! Free therapy is definitely a go.
Social Services
Lend a hand to our community partners who support people experiencing homelessness, domestic violence or drug and alcohol abuse. Cook nutritious meals for those in need. Any master chefs in the house? Run games and activities for local children from marginalised communities.
Special Olympics Basketball
Assist athletes with their basketball skills and training (and watch some epic dunk action!) Provide positive and healthy social interaction.
Wildlife Conservation
Lend a hand in one of the wildlife facilities we partner with around the country. Shadow rangers and zookeepers. Clean enclosures (tiger poo is pretty gnarly). Redesign habitats. Prepare foods and enrichment toys. Piñatas for meerkats anyone? Enjoy getting up-close and personal with some of our native wildlife!
Turtle Rehabilitation
Learn firsthand about ongoing conservation efforts on the Great Barrier Reef and the threats that turtles are facing. Who knew that service could involve a trip out to the GBR!? Take a trip out to Fitzroy Island to visit the rehab centre and assist with tasks such as cleaning out the turtle tanks. Work with Indigenous rangers to remove ghost nets from nesting grounds. Conduct surveys on feral pigs – a major threat to the turtles as they eat their eggs.
Whale Research
Head out on a whale research boat with a marine mammal scientist. Learn about and record humpback whales as they migrate up the East Coast. Contribute to an ongoing research project on migration patterns and behaviour.
Schoolies Reimagined has developed various partnerships with communities, villages and local organisations throughout Fiji. With some of the world’s most welcoming people, the service initiatives are both rewarding and very impactful for the local people. Some of our service projects that you could support include:
Classrooms, Chalk and Chatter: Teach English to eager school children alongside helpful Fijian teachers, as well as playing games and singing songs that improve students’ English pronunciation and fluency. They’ll be able to teach you some Fijian as well – it’s a win-win!
Environmental Service and Sustainability: Help monitor, maintain and preserve Fiji’s magnificent natural environment. Participate in beach clean-ups or plant trees and mangroves in an effort to help reforest and prevent erosion.
After-School Enrichment: Design and lead weekend activities from arts and crafts to relay races that offer skill building for all involved.
Home-Cooked Meals: Cook delicious Fijian and Indian dishes with our staff and friends and deliver the nutritious and tasty food to children, families and the elderly. This is a fave of our students!!
Hammers, Nails, and Brushes: Build toilets and other facilities to improve health and sanitation in a traditional Fijian village with the help of local villagers. Improve area schools, construct playground equipment for students at the nearby kindergartens and paint colourful murals alongside local students to brighten their learning environments. You’ll leave these projects with the biggest grin!
Computers are the Future: Help Fijian school children develop basic computer skills and become computer literate. And don’t worry about the level of your own skills too much… you’re probably much more of a tech wizz than you realise!
Plaster, Paint and Pencils: Inspire creativity and imagination in young minds by running art classes and activities for local kids.
Marine Ecosystem Monitoring: Work alongside marine conservation advocates to undertake ecosystem monitoring and restoration projects such as transect surveys, biomass estimates, coral and fish identification, mangrove planting and seagrass monitoring. In other words… you’ll be snorkelling in the crystal clear waters of Fiji and maybe even collecting some sea grapes!
Schoolies Reimagined has been lucky enough to develop various long-term partnerships with communities and local organisations in Cambodia. These are some of our most unique projects:
Ricefields Kids Village: Social, educational and infrastructure projects at an education facility in rural Cambodia.
Youth Centre: Help develop the facilities and run cross-cultural engagement programs at a youth centre. Language lessons for everyone!!
Primary Schools: Supporting children with their English literacy and numeracy, and improving the grounds/facilities at the school.
Floating Villages: Travel by boat to a floating village where you’ll support education initiatives and repair houses. This is definitely a once in a lifetime experience!
Immerse yourself in Nepali culture through homestay and service work. You’ll live with a local family and work on a service project selected by the community. Schoolies Reimagined has developed various long-term partnerships with communities and local organisations in Nepal. These projects may range from earthquake relief, to construction, to education enrichment. Some of our service projects that you could support include:
Non-Government Organisation: Learn about challenges facing rural Nepalese villages and work with an NGO to support sustainable solutions.
Education: Connect with Nepali youth as you facilitate English activities and learn local games and dances.
Infrastructure: Engage with the ongoing Build Back Better project working to rebuild and repair damage done by the 2015 earthquake.
Lend a helping hand to the traditional owners across the ditch. You’ll be welcomed into a local Maori tribe, stay at their Marae and spend time learning about their culture, history and traditions. You’ll show your respects by helping with infrastructure restoration and removal of invasive species. If you are lucky they might even teach you your own Schoolies HAKA!