Lifeworks: British Virgin Islands

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Choice Camps Recommendation of Lifeworks: British Virgin Islands

Backed by over 30 years of experience, Lifeworks offers international community service projects that combine cultural immersion, travel, and outdoor adventure. Grounded in experiential education, Lifeworks is a non-competitive hands-on community service learning program where students can give back to the international community. The program strives for positive change in the world and transformational experiences for all those who participate.

The community service projects that students undertake range from human aid to environmental conservation to community development and any combination. By maintaining small groups of participants, students leave with a great feeling of accomplishment from having completed things themselves, and their self-reliance and confidence soar as a result. Volunteering, living, and learning as part of a small team provides a perfect environment to develop skills such as leadership, compassion, and communication. For teens ready to give something back to the international community while growing tremendously as an individual, Lifeworks will provide an experience of a lifetime.

Trip Description

The British Virgin Islands is Lifeworks’ biggest and broadest program, not just in the number of students who participate, but also in the range of community service activities that students participate in. It's a great program for involving both environmental and people to people project and, of course, there is the added bonus of living aboard a yacht and learning to sail. Off the water, participants visit the islands, explore the towns, cook out on the white sand beaches, and hike to the top of the tallest mountain.

Lifeworks BVI students work with the Darwin Initiative turtle tag and release program, the British Virgin Islands Marine Parks Service, Virgin Islands Search and Rescue (VISAR) and the Department of Conservation. These are mobile programs based full-time aboard a sailing vessel to enable multiple projects and marine-related work throughout the island group. Outside of our project work, students will explore ashore, snorkel, and learn to sail.

Staff Overview

Two or three staff members live aboard each vessel full-time. There will be a skipper, first mate and a third staff member who could possess other special skills.

The Lifeworks staff consists of avid world travelers, highly qualified professionals, and experienced facilitators and educators. The average age of the staff is 28 and all are first aid certified. Staff skills are program specific, such as holding a maritime license on ocean adventures, or having a background in teaching English.

Setting & Accommodations

Participants live full-time aboard either a large catamaran or monohull sailing yachts. Lifeworks uses only the finest charter yachts available, all of which are in the 45+ foot range. Typically, Lifeworks uses the Fountaine Pajot Bahia 46 catamaran. Each Bahia 46 has 8 separate sleeping areas, a large salon which converts to a 9th cabin, and four full bathrooms. The world's largest charter company, Sunsail, maintains all of the program’s yachts to the highest standard.

Safety Standards

All Lifeworks staff members are trained first aid responders. Additionally, in the BVI, Emergency Medical Technicians sail full time with participants. In all locations, medical care is always relatively close at hand.

Lifeworks: British Virgin Islands Session Dates

Session Name	Dates	Ages	Tuition
Trip One	6/15/10-7/5/10	14-19	$4,770
Trip Two	7/7/10-7/27/10	14-19	$4,770
Trip Three	7/29/10-8/14/10	14-19	$4,170

Trip Overview

Program Overview

Theme: Sailing and SCUBA
This Trip has Multiple Themes:
- Community Service
- Sailing and SCUBA
- Teen Tours
Trip Gender: Co-ed
Group Size : 26
Camper-to-Counselor Ratio: 5:1
Religious Affiliation: None