teen service programs
This summer, VISIONS turns 30. As one of the longest-running international teen service programs around, we’re proud of our age. Over the years we’ve forged deep friendships, completed successful projects and changed lives.

VISIONS roots go back to the early 1970s, when a few New York friends and educators relocated to a Pennsylvania farm to establish an experiential summer camp for teens. The kids excelled at the construction projections and farm work, and loved the camaraderie of living and working together with a shared sense of purpose.

In 1988, we created VISIONS to carry these ideas beyond the farm into the larger world—taking experiential learning to another level and tapping into teenagers’ abilities, with the goal of helping others. Our oldest ongoing programs launched 27 years ago in Montana on the Blackfeet and Northern Cheyenne Reservations and in the Dominican Republic. Our newest addition began six years ago in Cambodia.

When we develop new programs, we do so with long-term partnerships in mind. These enduring relationships translate into exceptional opportunities for deep cultural learning. Teens interact with local people who know and care for them, and leave with a greater understanding of what life is like in other parts of the world.

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Related blog posts

Spotlight: Grace Hamill, VISIONS Alumni

Spotlight: Grace Hamill, VISIONS Alumni

Grace Hamill spent two weeks in the Dominican Republic with VISIONS—no phone, new friends, and an experience she calls one of the best of her life. Now she’s headed to Peru.

Your VIA: How Teens Turn Service Into Purpose With VISIONS

Your VIA: How Teens Turn Service Into Purpose With VISIONS

VISIONS new VIA—Vision, Impact, Action—helps teens turn summer service into lasting purpose. Through reflection, real-world projects, and a tech-free environment, students gain confidence, clarity, and direction long after the program ends.