A Summer of Bonding!

A Summer of Bonding!

Why Your Team Should Be Bonding in Guatemala

Volunteering in Guatemala is perfect for groups because it eliminates travel headaches, letting you focus entirely on bonding. Since it’s a quick flight from the US, everyone lands feeling fresh, focused, and ready to connect.

Our lakeside project accommodations offer a beautiful setting, where you can relax and even join in the available water activities. Plus, with the ancient ruins of Tikal and the vibrant island of Flores just a short distance away, you can seamlessly transition from morning service projects to unforgettable group adventures.

This summer, our latest corporate volunteers from Bond Brand Loyalty, jumped straight in, showing how much a team can accomplish together:

A Clinic Glow-Up: The team gave the local medical clinic a fresh paint job and tackled essential repairs. While large infrastructure is vital, spruce-ups like this make an immediate, welcoming difference for families seeking care.
Jungle Workouts: Forget the gym! Our volunteers teamed up with local women to clear fallen trees blocking the path to the women’s center. They cleared the trails and stacked the wood for garden borders and firewood.
Connecting with the Kids: After the heavy lifting, the team spent valuable time at the center playing games and leading fun educational activities with the local children.

Volunteer Reviews: Bonding in Guatemala Cont.

“I had the privilege of traveling with incredible colleagues to El Remate, Guatemala, on a volunteer trip made possible by Bond Brand Loyalty in partnership with Globe Aware.

We mixed concrete under the Guatemalan sun to pour floors for families living with dirt floors. We painted a medical clinic, spent time at a children’s centre, cleared land at the women’s centre, and worked alongside a community that welcomed us with extraordinary warmth, generosity and pride.

I’m grateful to Bond Brand Loyalty for investing in caregiving experiences like this and to everyone who supported our year-long fundraising efforts. Thank you to Globe Aware and Coordinator Anne - a true inspiration- and the incredible team members who shared this unforgettable journey.” - Bond Brand Loyalty Volunteer, Ellen F.

“I'm on my flight home from Guatemala. For one week, 18 Bond team members from different departments and locations came together to volunteer in El Remate. Bond Brand Loyalty supported us with the time and resources to make this trip possible, and it was the culmination of a year-long fundraising effort involving team members across our organization…What I didn't expect was how quickly a group of coworkers would become friends.

We worked hard. Really hard. We cleared land for a women's centre, painted a local medical clinic, visited a local children's centre, learned to cook local cuisine, and poured cement floors in the homes of five families. The day we poured those floors will stay with me for a long time.The homes were simple structures with dirt floors, wooden walls with gaps throughout, and very few possessions. They had very little, but they were incredibly happy. Children played around us while we worked. Some even grabbed shovels and joined in.

A few days later, we returned with basic necessities, toys, and gifts. One moment in particular is etched in my memory. A member of our team, Victoria Alvarez, handed a soccer ball to a young boy. The look on his face was pure joy. As we prepared to leave, his mother looked at me with tears in her eyes. No words were exchanged, but none were needed.What made the experience even more special was the opportunity to spend time with Coordinator Anne Lossing. Anne is a fellow Canadian who saw an opportunity to make a difference and took a chance on building a life in Guatemala focused on serving others. Meeting her, hearing her story, and seeing what she has built was one of the highlights of the trip.I left Guatemala with sore muscles, a lot to reflect on, and memories that I'll carry with me for a very long time. To Anne and her team, Globe Aware, the families who welcomed us into their homes, and the teammates who shared this journey with me: thank you.If you've ever considered participating in a service trip like this, I would encourage you to do it. And if you're in HR or people leadership, I'd encourage you to think about creating opportunities like this for your teams. Some experiences stay with you. This will be one of mine.” - Bond Brand Loyalty Volunteer, Trisha Mauro-Barnett.

Learn More About Globe Aware's Guatemala Program

Advocacy, AI, and Youth: Jennifer's Summer Highlights

Globe Aware contributor Jennifer has been busy this summer. Most recently, she attended an incredibly informative UN panel exploring how AI is changing the justice system.

Insights from the UN Panel

Guided by opening remarks from Fernando Marani and Nate Edwards, the big takeaway was that AI rules should focus on everyday people and protect basic human rights, rather than letting tech companies make all the calls. There was an emphasis on the urgent need to draw clear lines in the sand about what AI should never be allowed to do, ensuring regular citizens have a way to speak up if a tool treats them unfairly.

While AI can help courts cut down on massive paperwork, the speakers heavily warned against blindly trusting computer formulas. Experts on the panel pointed out that using hidden "black box" algorithms for high-stakes decisions like bail or sentencing is incredibly risky, as these systems can quietly repeat past biases and strip away human empathy. Moving forward, the global panel agreed that courts must have a deliberate plan: judges and lawyers must completely disclose when they use AI, and real humans must always make the final decisions.

What an engaging and educational panel!

UNESCO Conference Cont. & Latest Podcast Episode

Jennifer also traveled to Galway, Ireland, where she had the amazing opportunity to present on youth political participation and share her book with an international audience at the 12th Biennial International Conference of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre. While there, she proudly highlighted Globe Aware's mission and website to the attendees.

"Convenings like this one at the UNESCO Child and Family Centre, which bring together youth, government officials, practitioners, and researchers from around the world, demonstrate such refreshing energy: both critical reflection on improving youth civic participation pathways and a mindfulness about the world we want to co-create for future generations." - Jennifer Lauren.

Jennifer has written her own book, “Global Youth Protest, Climate and Education.” If these topics interest you, check it out by clicking on the link below!

What actually makes a volunteer vacation successful? It's the power of community!

In our latest podcast episode, "Change Through Community," we chat with an IVPA board member and AYUDA about how trust, shared values, and collaboration drive real, sustainable change across the globe.

Tune in: Search for "Globe Aware Adventures in Service" on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to listen to this quick 17-minute episode!

Get involved: Head over to www.globeaware.org to find your next adventure with purpose.

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