DO MORE TRAVEL

DO MORE TRAVEL is a shared vision, brought to life through an unexpected meeting in Costa Rica, and a belief that travel should be about more than just going somewhere new. It should shift how you see the world, and your place in it.

And that’s exactly what we hope to offer everyone who joins us.

Hi, I’m Michael.

I’m a primary and secondary teacher in Victoria, currently living in Melbourne. I’ve travelled to over 25 countries, and over time I’ve found myself more and more drawn to experiences that connect me with people and cultures in a meaningful way.

In 2025, I was on a volunteer project in Costa Rica, not knowing it would end up changing the direction of my life. That’s where I met Daan and Patricia. It wasn’t planned, and it wasn’t expected. We were only in the same place for a couple of days.

But something just clicked.

Between conversations, shared time on the project, and a shared belief in travel that actually means something, it became clear we saw things in a similar way. It wasn’t just about seeing new places, it was about impact, connection, and doing travel differently.

We exchanged details and went our separate ways, thinking that might be the end of it.

But it wasn’t.

Those couple of days slowly turned into ongoing conversations, ideas, and a sense that there was something worth building together. What started as a chance meeting grew into a partnership built on trust, shared values, and a belief that volunteering can have a real impact on both the traveller and the places they visit.

From that connection, DO MORE TRAVEL was born.

Daan and Patricia had already been doing this for over 20 years. In 2004, they founded Volunteer Worldwide (Vrijwillig Wereldwijd) in the Netherlands, building a network of volunteer projects around the world. They’ve personally visited and worked on many of them, always focused on finding projects that genuinely make a difference.

Now, together, we’ve brought that experience into a new chapter in Australia.

DO MORE TRAVEL is not just about travel. It’s about perspective, connection, and the idea that you don’t just see the world differently, you come home a little different too.

DO MORE for others. More for yourself. More than travel ever could.

Read on to find out about Daan & Patricia (Pictured below) who started Volunteer Worldwide back in 2004!

VOLUNTEER WORLDWIDE

Hi, we’re Patricia and Daan.

We founded Volunteer Worldwide in 2004 out of a shared passion for travel, people, and different cultures. What started as a simple idea has grown into over 20 years of meaningful volunteering experiences around the world.

We are now very excited to be partnering with Michael to expand into Australia through DO MORE TRAVEL. This marks a new chapter for us, bringing together our long-standing experience with a fresh Australian base. We share the same belief that travel should be meaningful, life-changing, and create real impact for both travellers and local communities.

Today, we continue to travel with our children Liam, Jazz and Jax, and volunteering remains a core part of our lives.

Over the years, we’ve learned that the best experiences come from carefully selected projects that genuinely make a difference. We’ve personally visited and worked on many of them ourselves, which is what shapes how we choose and support our partners today.

Through volunteering, you don’t just visit a country, you experience its people, culture, and daily life in a much deeper way.

We believe volunteering creates a true win-win situation. It supports local communities while giving volunteers a powerful personal experience that builds confidence, perspective, and connection.

We work closely with small local organisations and grassroots projects that respond directly to local needs. Volunteers play an important role in supporting these initiatives and helping them grow over time.

We generally don’t financially sponsor projects, as we believe in building long-term independence rather than reliance. Instead, we focus on well-prepared volunteers who can make a real contribution on the ground.

At the heart of everything we do is a simple belief, people can change the world, and the world can change them.

We make sure every volunteer is well prepared before departure, with clear guidance on culture, expectations, and safety, so they feel confident and ready for their experience.

We believe volunteering should be eye-opening and challenging in the best way, but never overwhelming or unsafe.

From short trips of two weeks through to longer experiences, everything we offer is designed to make volunteering accessible and meaningful.

Over the years, we’ve worked closely with trusted partners such as Kidz Active, Wayquis Peru and IOP, creating lasting impact together with our volunteers.