Global Impact Strategy

Global impact is at the core of what we do. Rustic Pathways is committed to creating positive impact through transformative student travel experiences that facilitate meaningful engagement with our partners around the world.

To create global impact, we focus on two areas: community impact and student impact.

Impact at Rustic Pathways graphic Rustic Pathways community impact header graphic

Goal: Create a world where travel is a model of sustainable development by fostering positive impact around the world through community engagement, strong local collaboration, and responsible business practices.

Current Virtual Volunteer Opportunities

Rustic Pathways seeks international virtual community service volunteers.

Volunteer From Home

Community Projects

Partnering with community members and organizations at a local level while aligning with global best practices like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Working collaboratively with local partners to develop long-term plans that address high-priority community needs, supported by our staff of international development professionals with a deep understanding of local community needs.

Creating appropriate roles for students to engage in meaningful community service projects, showing that small efforts add up to create large collective impact.

Supporting high-priority projects year-round through the Rustic Pathways Foundation, our nonprofit.

Inspiring students and staff to stay involved in community impact efforts from anywhere in the world.

Learn More About Community Projects

Sustainable Travel

Committing to responsible travel practices through a holistic approach that embodies economic support, sustainability, and responsible traveler conduct.

Economy

Stimulating local economies by prioritizing fair market wages for local staff, partnering with local vendors, and frequenting locally-run businesses.

Environment

Conducting global operations in ways that minimize negative impact on the environment.

Responsible Conduct

Respecting local culture, understanding our role in a community, and teaching students responsible travel practices.

Rustic Pathways student impact header graphic

Goal: Inspire a future generation of globally-minded self-aware change makers to create positive impact at a local and global level.

Student Learning Experience

Creating student travel experiences centered on important global issues and helping students learn directly from community partners.

Facilitating meaningful discussions that challenge students to reflect on the complexities of travel, international development, and the role they play.

Encouraging students to apply lessons learned through travel and return home inspired and ready to lead positive change.

Student Impact Evaluation

Measuring student growth and non-cognitive development through defined Student Learning Outcomes.

Program Development

Designing programs that challenge students to think critically and experience personal growth.

Applying the results of our Student Impact Evaluation to improve our programs and training Program Leaders to facilitate those experiences.

View Student Impact

The Rustic Impact

Rustic Pathways Alumni Stories

It’s no secret that an educational or service travel experience can have a huge impact in your life. We often hear that these experiences have changed lives — our alumni grow, realize a new passions and interests, overcome fears or develop new skills, and much more.

Check out out alumni stories featuring individuals who traveled with us thirty years ago to now!

Read Alumni Stories

Aligning our existing community and student impact work with the Sustainable Development Goals will allow us to take what we’re already doing a step further.

Our service work will contribute directly to Sustainable Development Goals such as improving access to education, protecting and preserving the environment, and ensuring access to basic human needs such as water, housing, and food—among others.

Not only will our community service outcomes contribute to the 17 goals the UN is working to address by 2030, but everything we do as an organization will be guided by those core principles.

How Rustic Programs Align with the Sustainable Development Goals

Community Impact

The Rustic Pathways Foundation completed a project in 2018 that provides clean and reliable drinking water to more than 200 people in the community of Yorkin, Costa Rica. The three-mile aqueduct and 20,000-liter water tank took nearly four years of work after Foundation donors raised $30,000.

Student Impact

Students on the Sacred Valley Service program participate in a community service project that provides clean drinking water to communities in Peru’s rural Sacred Valley. By immersing in the community, students have the opportunity to interact with local people and learn about their lives. Guided discussions help students contextualize their experience and they reflect about how their own decisions impact global issues related to water and sanitation.

Impact Around the World

Individuals around the world embody the Rustic Pathways spirit. They stand up for education, human rights, the environment and wildlife. They use responsible and ethical business practices.

See who is making a positive impact around the world.

Rustic Spirit

Learn more about Rustic Pathways’ global community and student impact by reviewing our annual Impact Report.

Get the Impact Report

Small Efforts Create Big Change