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For four consecutive years, East Coast College in the United Kingdom has integrated international volunteering into its Travel & Tourism curriculum. Since 2023, the college’s partnership with International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) in Vietnam has evolved into a proven model for building student resilience, global awareness, and the vocational skills required for the modern travel industry.
The Case Study at a Glance:
- Institution: East Coast College, United Kingdom
- Department: Travel & Tourism
- Project: Food Outreach (Soup Kitchen Support)
- Location: Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City
- Duration: 1-Week Program Over 4 Consecutive Years (2023, 2024, 2025, with another trip booked for 2026)
- Compliance: Fully met East Coast College safeguarding and risk assessment policies.
- Key Results: Enhanced student compassion, confidence and team-building skills.
The Faculty Perspective: Compliance and Student Growth
Planning an international trip for a college group involves navigating complex health, safety and safeguarding requirements. Amber Spearing, a group leader from East Coast College, emphasizes how the partnership with IVHQ simplified this process:
As a college group leader, we have very stringent rules and health and safety requirements to follow. IVHQ and the Groups team provided all the information I required to complete our pre-trip risk assessment. The guidance was always timely, making the planning for a large group of teenagers much easier.
Co-leader and faculty member Sophie Gillett noted that these experiences allow students to develop the “soft skills” essential for the travel industry: adaptability, pride in service and cross-cultural communication:
Watching my students grow immensely, out of their comfort zones in challenging conditions, made me so proud. Seeing the joy on the faces of those we helped was a highlight.
Because of this support, East Coast College returned for three consecutive years with another trip planned in 2026. Each year, the local team in Vietnam implemented proactive developments to the program, from accommodation upgrades to schedule adjustments, ensuring the experience evolved alongside the college’s needs.
Cultural Competency and Global Context
A core component of the Travel & Tourism vocational standards is understanding the history and values of a destination. The staff emphasized that the project offered a deeper level of immersion than a standard study tour. Sophie Gillett highlighted how visiting the War Remnants Museum provided vital context to their service work:
The biggest impact was visiting the war museum and realizing what as a country those people had endured. I love the culture and the values - we could all learn so much from it. It leaves you with a sense of gratitude and a realization of how lucky we as a nation are.
The Heart of the Program: Local Support in Vietnam
A major factor in East Coast College’s return rate is the caliber of the local in-country team. Students were welcomed into a “family” atmosphere that provided both safety and cultural depth:
- The Mentors: The local staff provided constant guidance and understood the specific needs of a UK college cohort.
- The Experience: Working in the soup kitchen allowed students to feel like part of the community. The local team took the time to get to know our students, making them feel welcomed and valued from day one.
Student Outcomes In Their Own Words
The impact on East Coast College students is best documented through their feedback on personal and vocational development:
|
Year
|
Student Name
|
Impact & Feedback
|
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tyler Jay Goldspink | "A brilliant experience... I would recommend it to all my friends. You won’t have any regrets." |
| 2024 | Isabelle Baldry | "I gained more compassion and team-building skills. Immersing yourself in the culture is truly life-changing." |
| 2025 | Caitlin Thorp | "Proved that I am capable of stepping outside of my comfort zone. IVHQ allowed me to feel safe and secure." |
The Program: Food Outreach
The core of the mission was the Food Outreach program. Students spent 1 week in Vietnam, working in fast-paced hospitality environments to prepare meals for the local community and hospital. Faculty observed that students found this the most rewarding part of their curriculum, as it provided a real-world perspective on “service” that cannot be taught in a classroom.
Group leaders observed a “transformation” as students took ownership of their tasks. Despite the physical nature of the work, students consistently identified the volunteering as the most rewarding part of their time in Vietnam.
Amber Spearing noted:
The students enjoyed the volunteering the most. They worked extremely hard, putting their hearts and souls into making food and having it ready on time. It opened their eyes to other cultures and made them realize how lucky we are in the UK. I watched my students grow immensely out of their comfort zones.
A Proven Model for International Education
For UK colleges evaluating international volunteering programs, the East Coast College experience serves as a case study in how to balance safety with high-impact learning. The partnership between IVHQ’s administrative support and the local team’s expertise creates a safe, measurable and enriching environment for students.
For anyone debating a programme for their students: Do it 100% - it will change your lives and others. There will be some tough hurdles, but to know the difference and impact you can make to those less fortunate is an amazing and rewarding feeling. Sophie Gillett, East Coast College Group Co-Leader
