Global Citizens Network
Global Citizens Network recognizes the interdependence of people around the world. Social and economic injustice, racial and ethnic inequality, and ecological loss affect all people. But through cooperative effort, individuals of all cultures can enhance their ability to make a difference locally and globally. To foster that cooperation, Global Citizens Network sends teams of volunteers to communities in indigenous cultures throughout the world. Participants immerse themselves in the culture and daily life of the community. Each volunteer team partners with a local grassroots organization active in meeting local needs. Global Citizens Network creates a worldwide network of people and ...
About You
Contact Information
Title
Mrs.
First name
Linda
Last name
Stuart
Your job title
Executive Director
Name of your organization
Global Citizens Network
Organization type
NGO
Annual budget/currency
USD
Mailing address
130 North Howell Street City Saint Paul Minnesota
Telephone number
800.644.9292
Postal/Zip Code
55401
Country
United States
Email address
Alternative email address
Your idea
This will be the address used to plot your entry on the map.
Street Address
130 North Howell Street
City
Sarint Paul
State/Province
Minnesota
Postal/Zip Code
55104
Country
United States
Geotourism Challenge Addressed by Entrant
Quality of tourist experience and educational benefit to tourists , Quality of benefit to residents for the destination , Quality of stewardship of the destination.
Organization size
Small (1 to 100 employees)
Indicate sector in which you principally work
Destination-stewardship business
Year innovation began
1992
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Indicate sector in which you principally work
Living culture, Destination aesthetics, Indigenous people.
Name Your Project
Global Citizens Network
Describe Your Idea
Global Citizens Network recognizes the interdependence of people around the world. Social and economic injustice, racial and ethnic inequality, and ecological loss affect all people. But through cooperative effort, individuals of all cultures can enhance their ability to make a difference locally and globally. To foster that cooperation, Global Citizens Network sends teams of volunteers to communities in indigenous cultures throughout the world. Participants immerse themselves in the culture and daily life of the community. Each volunteer team partners with a local grassroots organization active in meeting local needs. Global Citizens Network creates a worldwide network of people and ...
Innovation
What is the goal of your innovation? Please describe in one sentence the kind of impact, change, or reform your approach is intended to achieve.
Global Citizens Network strives to develop creative and effective solutions to global problems trough individuals that share common global values.
Please write an overview of your project. Include how your approach supports or embodies geotourism or destination stewardship. This text will appear when people scroll over the icon for your entry on the map located on the competition homepage.
Global Citizens Network recognizes the interdependence of people around the world. Social and economic injustice, racial and ethnic inequality, and ecological loss affect all people. But through cooperative effort, individuals of all cultures can enhance their ability to make a difference locally and globally. To foster that cooperation, Global Citizens Network sends teams of volunteers to communities in indigenous cultures throughout the world. Participants immerse themselves in the culture and daily life of the community. Each volunteer team partners with a local grassroots organization active in meeting local needs. Global Citizens Network creates a worldwide network of people and organizations committed to addressing global issues.
Explain in detail why your approach is innovative
By providing participants the opportunity to learn about the society, knowledge, art and livelihood of other cultures, Global Citizens Network seeks to honor and help preserve those cultures. By providing volunteers and project grants to partner communities, Global Citizens Network fosters human and community development in those cultures. By creating a network of people and organizations, Global Citizens Network seeks to enhance participants' impact on issues of local and global concern. Participants have the opportunity to experience life in another culture by living with local people, eating local foods, and experiencing local hardships and triumphs. Volunteers are instructed in language, social structure and issues, agriculture, industry, and arts.
Impact
Describe the degree of success you have had to date. How do you measure, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the impact on sustainability or enhancement of local culture, environment, heritage, or aesthetics? How has it transformed or contributed to the power of place or demonstrated the sustainability of tourism? How does your approach minimize negative impacts?
GCN measures its success by the reactions from the communities that it serves. The host community is always in charge of the project and the work taking place. We continue to get invitations from other groups to new host countries which shows we are doing the right thing. We only go where we are invited and we never wear out our welcome.
We continuously work on bettering structures within the community, by building bridges that help to connect villages, renovating elementary schools to enhance education for children, and developing sports complexes for child recreation. We avoid negative impact by always making sure we preserve the culture of the community.
In what ways are local residents actively involved in your work, including participation and community input? How has the community responded to or benefited from your approach?
GCN’s presence has provided hope to communities and provides them with the belief that if we work together, we will be able to accomplish great things in the present and in the future. The communities we work with anticipate our presence and look forward to completing projects to help better their lives and living standards. They know that our only interest is preserving and bettering their communities
How does your program promote traveler enthusiasm, satisfaction, and engagement with the locale?
GCN promotes visitor excitement first through allowing them to choose the destination and even customize their services and obligations for their trip.Travelers know they will be able to learn and participate in a hands on experience with locales.Visitors know they have the opportunity to change and help other peoples lives in just as little as one to three weeks.
Describe how your work helps travelers and local residents better understand the value of the area's cultural and natural heritage, and educates them on local environmental issues.
Travelers and residents are able to understand the value of the areas culture and heritage because they are immersed in the culture the minute they arrive. They eat, live, and work with the people that call the host community home everyday, which allows both parties to share experiences and ideas with one another.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
How is your initiative currently financed? If available, provide information on your finances and organization that could help others. Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff.
GCN is funded through avid and generous donors. The public is able to donate funds through GNC's website and through funds and partnerships with GNC's alliances and partners. GCN has a limited financial award assistance budget yearly which is used to sponsor selected volunteers. The majority of our volunteers pay for their own trips to our partnering destinations. However, GCN does help and encourage fundraising for potential volunteers. GCN currently has a team of 3 full time employees 1 intern and 10 additional board of directors.
Is your initiative financially and organizationally sustainable? If not, what is required to make it so? Is there a potential demand for your innovation?
Because volunteers do pay for their trips to volunteer at our partnering countries and destinations, our organization is sustainable. However, it is important to GCN to continue to raise funds to enhance the company’s ability to help its company, volunteers, and most importantly, our partnering communities.
What are the main barriers you encounter in managing, implementing, or replicating your innovation? What barriers keep your program from having greater impact?
GCN has overcome many barriers throughout the years such as partnerships with destinations, alliances and organizations, because of the established and successful relationships established with our host communities and the hard work of GCN’s employees. GCN has been able to separate its company from other organizations by creating an experience that is life changing to our volunteers and the countries we help. Limited financial capabilities would allow GCN to expand the organization, which will allow the organization to sponsor more volunteers and contribute to the communities we work with.
What is your plan to expand or further develop your approach? Please indicate where/how you would like to grow or enhance your innovation, or have others do so.
We plan to continue to expand our destinations in an attempt to help as many places as possible enrich their communities and better their standard of living. Although expanding is an important goal, it is important to keep our companies vision and morals by only going to places that are safe for volunteers and places that will embrace our company and its mission.
The Story
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers' marketing material.
Linda Stuart is the Executive Director of Global Citizens Network. Sensing that she was not complete, she started traveling at age 16 in search of something that might make her whole. What began as a senior class eco-tour to Dominica has turned into Linda's life of working as an advocate for respectful cross-cultural encounters and responsible travel. Linda went to Nicaragua as an international observer of the presidential elections in 1996. She studied abroad in Ecuador on the University of MN's Minnesota Studies in International Development (MSID) program for one year. Passionate about community development and motivated by GCN's mission, Linda led her first GCN team to Llanos de Morales, Guatemala in 1999.Linda has now led numerous teams to places all over the world and she isn’t done yet. She says, "I still imagine a million and one places I'd like to visit, but even more people I'd love to meet."
What is the origin of your innovation? Tell the Changemakers and media communities what prompted you to start this initiative.
Global Citizens Network strives to develop creative and effective local solutions to global problems by providing opportunities for individuals to interact with people of diverse cultures who share common global values. By providing participants the opportunity to learn about the society, knowledge, art and livelihood of other cultures, Global Citizens Network seeks to honor and help preserve those cultures. By providing volunteers and project grants to partner communities, Global Citizens Network fosters human and community development in those cultures. By creating a network of people and organizations, Global Citizens Network seeks to enhance participants' impact on issues of local and global concern.
Describe some unique tourist experiences that your approach provides. Be specific; give illustrative examples.
With 17 years of experience arranging cross-cultural expeditions for globally-minded participants, GCN provides a truly unique travel experience emphasizing understanding and service learning:
•Strong partnerships with host communities: For 17 years, GCN has nurtured mutually beneficial, trusting relationships with indigenous communities. Strong relationships are made possible by mutual respect based on recognition of global interdependence.
•Family focus: More than half of GCN's trip participants travel with family, including children. All partner communities value strong family relationships and wholeheartedly welcome participant families.
•Age-diverse teams: GCN accepts participants with ages ranging from 8 to 93.
•Off the Beaten Path: Many of GCN's host communities live in remote, rural areas of undeveloped countries. Travel conditions can be rough, and amenities are very basic. Trip participants gain a travel experience that is unlike any other.
•Experience and history — For over 17 years GCN has been committed to respectful and mutually beneficial interactions with our host communities. Our experience, our philosophy, the lessons learn and the wisdom we’ve gained by organizing high quality cross-cultural travel and volunteer trips is not easily duplicated. Read past participants testimonials.
What types of partnerships or professional development would be most beneficial in spreading your innovation?
GCN’s model is partnership It is important to continue to establish partnerships with organizations and developing countries in order to spread our company’s innovation. Increasing the friendships among organizations alike will enable GNC and other organizations to increase the amount of help to other needing countries. More financial assistance partnerships with institutions and organizations for scholarships and grants would allow GCN to sponsor more individuals and help improve communities even more.
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 | 159 weeks agoAlexia Nestora said: I just think this is one of the best lines I've read from a volunteer sending organization: "GCN measures its success by the reactions ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 162 weeks agoDarcy Jones submitted this idea. |
