Is there a community in Croatia which could use assistance in the following categories:

" Business Experience
" English Conversation
" Community Infrastructure: Building and Painting Projects
" Improve Basic Health Care
" Nurture at-risk Children 
" Work with Disabled Adults
" Work in Libraries

Since 1984, the "Global Volunteers - Partners in Development" set the standard for "volunteer vacations" as the first private, non-profit, non-sectarian organization providing short-term volunteer teams to host communities in 18 countries, including Italy, Romania, Greece, Spain, Poland, Ukraine, Ireland, etc.As a non-governmental organization, the Global Volunteers is an accredited charity in Guidestar. Please see their web site and financial statement onhttp://www.globalvolunteers.org/  


By working hand-in-hand with local people who are in charge, volunteers are simply there to assist them using their own vacation time and money. By encouraging and enabling residents of the United States and Canada to spend short periods of time working with and learning from local people in communities around the world, volunteers pay their own airfare, program and lodging costs which are tax deductible to US tax payers. The cost could be anywhere from $500.00 to over $3,000 depending on the location. All contributions and program related expenses are deductible because volunteers do the work of Global Volunteers. 

Global Volunteers philosophy of service is to wage peace and promote justice. Local people are in charge! Local people are the source of development. Individuals, families and neighborhoods must initiate and conduct their own development efforts through community based organizations. Effective development is initiated at the local level and requires the full participation of local people. 

The Global Volunteers have been invited to teach English in the classroom, tutor English teachers, explain how North Americans employ the basic principles of free enterprise and sound business practices via seminars and one-on-one consultation, provide agribusiness instructions, train home gardeners in the field, teach planning and problem solving by facilitating community forums, help local people build schools and health clinics, identify crop diseases, construct water purification systems, etc. 

Global Volunteers does only what local people ask them to do. The reason is simple: in order for people to become self-reliant, they must be in charge. 

Global Volunteers provides some capacity in the form of materials, tools, etc. Where the project is ongoing and there is a need for funding to complete it, Global Volunteers may provide financial assistance on a matching basis. 

This program requires 5 hours of work during the week and then volunteers are free to enjoy the rest of their day on their own. 

I know there is many Croatian Americans interested in volunteering to work and vacation in Croatia. I'm one of them. This year, I'm going to Greece, but I would prefer to go to Croatia. I hope that very soon a host organization or a community in Croatia will invite Global Volunteers to establish a partnership.