More and more young people are choosing us to transform the way they travel. And although we continue to have participants of all ages, we have noticed a significant increase among younger generations.
Something is changing.
And it is not a passing trend.
More and more young people are deciding to step out of their comfort zone and live an international volunteer experience. They are not doing it because it is fashionable, nor to fill their résumé, nor to add different photos to their gallery. They are doing it because they feel they want something more.
They want to understand the world from within.
They want to be an active part of real change.
They want to live experiences that transform them.
For years it has been said that new generations are more digital, more immediate, more impatient. But there is a reality that breaks down any prejudice: more and more young people are choosing to travel with purpose, to dedicate their time and energy to social, educational, environmental, and community projects in different parts of the world.
And that says a lot.
It says that there is a conscious generation.
A generation that questions, that wants to learn, that seeks impact.
A generation that understands that traveling is not just about moving from one place to another, but about getting involved.
At Cooperating Volunteers we see it every season. Young people who decide to invest their holidays, their gap year, or even a period of personal transition in something that goes far beyond tourism. Young people who face different realities for the first time, who learn to listen before giving opinions, who discover that helping is not imposing, but collaborating.
The international volunteer experience has become a powerful tool for personal growth. It allows them to develop skills that are not always taught in classrooms: empathy, resilience, adaptability, leadership, teamwork. But above all, it allows them to understand that real impact is built through consistency and respect.
More and more young people understand that the world does not change with words alone. It changes with actions. With small gestures repeated over time. With presence. With commitment.
They also seek authentic experiences. They want to connect with local communities, learn from other cultures, question their own beliefs, and broaden their perspective. In a hyperconnected world, paradoxically, they are looking for real connection. To look into someone’s eyes. To share stories. To build bonds and feel that their presence matters.
And when they return, they do not come back the same.
They return with a broader perspective.
With more questions, but also with greater awareness.
With a different sensitivity toward inequalities and global challenges.
Many discover their vocation. Others redefine their priorities. Some change their academic or professional path. But they all return with something in common: they have understood that they are part of something bigger.
That their time has value.
That their involvement matters.
That they can be agents of change.
The fact that more and more young people are taking this step is not a coincidence. It is a sign of where the world is heading. That there is hope in a generation that does not want to stand on the sidelines.
Volunteering is not just a one-time experience. It is a seed. And when more and more young people decide to plant it, the impact stops being individual and becomes collective.
Because it is not just about traveling.
It is about committing.
About learning.
About building.
And more and more are willing to do it.
That is why it moves us, and that is why at Cooperating Volunteers we are waiting for you with open arms.
