The Victoria Community Development Corporation
Volunteer Vacations

Experience with Learning Vacations exposed the members of the Victoria Community Development Corporation (VCDC) to many aspects of the vacation market. One specialty area that was growing rapidly with Elderhostel is Volunteer Vacations. These are trips that visitors take that are focused on learning by doing. Groups come to an area and help the locals with projects that they (locals) do not have the experience, money or expertise to do them.

In 2002 the VCDC received funding from HRDC in Harbour Grace to research and develop Volunteer Vacation programs. A coordinator and research worked for five months contacting groups in Canada, USA and Britain that offer Learning Vacation programs now. The staff looked at the criteria for these programs and worked with these international organizations to offer programs.

As a result we developed a test website describing the program called "Vacations That Matter."

Click here for the "Vacations That Matter Web Site".

One group based in Colorado, USA called Breakthrough Abroad advertised a program for the summer of 2003. This week long program would see 12 senior High School students come to Victoria, NF to help with community projects. The plan was to build and install park benches, build bridges over Salmon Streams, repair walking trails and get involved in community events.

Two other groups accepted applications from the VCDC for projects. These projects were for adults interested in one to two-week work camps for community projects. The VCDC did not have the resources to take advantage of these expertise supplied by these groups.

One factor that has really hurt the Volunteer Vacation market to NF was 9/11. Parents would not let their children out of the USA to come to Victoria so the Breakthroughs Abroad program was canceled for 2003 with hopes for 2004.