Paid time off (PTO) usually allows employees to enjoy a bit of relaxation and retreat from the stresses of work, but one Cookerly employee used his PTO to complete a ”voluntourism” trip to Honduras. After he embarked on a mission trip, which included improving a primary school and creating a system for fresh drinking water, he was left with five key takeaways for anyone else considering this type of PTO:
- Zero in on your mission- Plan to help out in the best and most sustainable way possible, taking a lead from those who have traveled before you and have set up these types of projects in the past. You will learn a lot from the organizers and the locals, so it’s important to listen to them and know how to help in meaningful ways.
- Pick up new skills and customs- During a voluntourism trip, you will learn new skills that can transfer into your daily life while exploring and experiencing life with the locals.
- Leverage the opportunity to put the world in context- One of the most impactful parts of the journey is seeing American privilege from a new lens and stepping outside of oneself for the trip.
Read the remaining two takeaways over on Cookerly’s blog, Five Ways to Maximize PTO for a Cause.
Cookerly is an Atlanta-based public relations and marketing agency that provides various services from brand-building strategy to reputation management. Cookerly leverages traditional and social channels to engage with key publics, consistently exceeding client expectations.
