Having been involved in the volunteer industry for a while, the good, bad and downright ugly issues and discussions fascinate me. It is a controversial topic with people often focusing on either the positives or negatives of volunteering and voluntourism. Before I get into the topic, I am going to address the two terms that are often interlinked and used interchangeably. By definition;
Volunteering
Volunteers give up their time to support others less fortunate. Volunteering is usually done at, or at least close to, home.
Voluntourism
Voluntourists combine volunteering and tourism. They act as global citizens, members of a global community, giving their time to support others less fortunate. In these cases, the volunteering involves travelling somewhere overseas.
I am going to use the term voluntouring as that is what the social enterprise I am involved in, Global Handprints, provides; a combination of helping out in a new community while traveling somewhere away from home. Despite it being one of today’s fastest growing trends, there is still a lot of negativity surrounding voluntourism. Tell someone you’re going to help out in a local shelter and chances are, they are interested. Tell them you’re jumping on a plane to spend time in a school in Africa, and negative comments are often thrown around.
Isn’t it better to send money? Why do you have to pay to give up your time? Why don’t you get involved in a local project? What skills do you have that trump those of local people? Are you really going to make a difference to someone’s life? What will you get from the experience? How will anyone else benefit? Aren’t you just highlighting the differences between cultures?
Over a series of blog posts, I will look at
- The pros and cons of voluntourism
- The concept of short term voluntouring and what it specifically means
- What you should look for when choosing a volunteer organisation
- How to know you and the organisation you’ve picked, are ‘doing it right’
- Why you should be a voluntourist.
There are some very varied opinions out there on whether voluntourism is a positive or negative thing. I don’t think it’s as clear cut as ‘all voluntoruism is good or bad’
Volunteers spend time fixing damaged desks that are thrown out and not replaced by the government.
The Good
Firstly, lets talk about the good, the concept of voluntourism; why there’s potentially nothing wrong with it and why it doesn’t deserve ALL the negative press it gets. As with everything, there is much to consider and, most importantly voluntourism is only beneficial when it is done right. And by right, I mean right for all parties. The communication between organisations, volunteers and community members must be multi directional and fluid. That way, all parties benefit from the time spent with each other while openly communicating exactly what it is that they need.
“The fight for justice has never been easy. But human history has always been shaped by the courageous actions taken by those with a vision of a better world…As Global Citizens, we stand against the greatest injustice of our time: extreme poverty. We’re fighting because we know that a world that deprives 1.2 billion people of their basic rights and opportunities is unjust, and unacceptable. We’re fighting because we know that we must be the ones to do something about it.” Global Citizen.
As part of today’s society we are all working towards globalisation. We are Global Citizens, we interact with people from different cultures and backgrounds on a daily basis. How can this happen if there are no shared experiences to learn from? If we have no way to learn from the lives of others or to share each other’s experiences and ideas on a global scale?
As I touched on, volunteering at home is not often seen as negative. So, if the benefits of volunteering can be combined with travel too, where’s the harm in that? Why does it suddenly become detrimental? Not only do you get all the ‘plusses’ of volunteering but you get them while in new places, surrounded by new people and immersed in a new culture. At the same time, you’re being exposed to all these fundamental life differences and, in situations like that, it’s hard not to look at our values and beliefs and compare and contrast them to others. Simultaneously, the people and communities you volunteer learn new skills and strategies they may not otherwise be exposed to. They have the chance to share their expertise with you, work loads are lightened and new friendships formed.
Volunteers spend time building homes and insulating them with recycled materials.
Travel has long since broken down barriers between countries and cultures, enabling us to see and feel more. Voluntourism goes that step further. It allows us to experience and become involved in other people’s lives, and them in ours. It takes us right into the communities and cultures we travel to find out more about. It stops us from being onlookers but turns us into active participants. Whether this is for a short time, long time or permanently, it changes us. It changes how we see the world, what we share with the world and breaks down the barriers. I challenge you to find someone who has volunteered overseas and who didn’t return home having changed, at least a little…
With social media being such a large part of most people’s daily lives, it’s so easy for us to read about, or see pictures from around the world. We are becoming more and more socially conscious. We are aware of what happens elsewhere and our moral compasses realise the injustice of the differences occurring between countries. Now that the world is accessible, we want to get involved. We don’t want to sit back and just be witnesses to what’s happening around the world.
We want to have opportunities to make a difference, coming home being able to say
“We collected data to enable food sharing programs to function well / helped a High School child perfect their essay writing skills / fixed and painted classroom benches so children don’t have to sit on the floor”.
Yes, that’s the selfish aspect, we want to feel better about ourselves but really, that’s human nature. Who doesn’t enjoy success and accomplishment? If that success comes in the form of helping others, why is that seen as wrong? It’s about both big and small things and the big changes don’t happen without the little steps that lead to them. We have the power to make the little steps happen, whether that’s at home or overseas. And yes, while doing that, we get something for ourselves too.
Volunteers work alongside local adults and children, making sure the community has ownership over what is being done.
So, with the idea of effective voluntourism being so positive, why is there such a stigma attached across the board? Have you ever taken part in voluntourism? What are your thoughts, is it a good thing or detrimental? What was your experience? Let us know in the comments.
This post first appeared on the Global Handprints blog which can be seen here and is reproduced with permission.
Global Handprints
Global Handprints was established to provide opportunities for volunteering at a grass roots level within communities that receive little, or no, outside help. The focus is on what these people get from the projects and how they benefit from having volunteers being involved with what they are doing. The communities retain ownership over the projects Global Handprints works with. Volunteers help make various projects run more smoothly, operate well and have the biggest impact they can to meet the need(s) the community has identified. Volunteers identify their areas of skill and expertise and bring passion and enthusiasm with them, ready to get stuck in and lend a hand where it is needed. Global Handprints works hard to make sure their voluntour opportunities do exactly what they say they will for the people involved – both the volunteers and members of the communities.
Photos credits: Global Handprints.
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I think the negativity comes in when people make a point to tell others ” Yes, we just got back from Foreignlandistan where we lived in a tent and spent 2 hours a day helping paint the walls of a new school. Already planning our trip back next year to plant a tree.” My first thought is, what a waste. You are right if they truly wanted to help then stay home and volunteer your time there.
Having said that there is a difference if people that are already traveling decide to volunteer time and effort in assisting a worthy cause. Such as we witnessed when people helped out in Nepal after the earthquake. Or if you travel to a destination to for a worthy cause such as building a school or some other community project. But it is pretty transparent when people brag to others or talk about how they are volunteering and making a difference when they are spending a day or two doing some trivial thing and spending tons of money to travel there.
I must have not come across clearly, apologies. I definitely think there is validity in volunteering at home but, I also think taking part in an overseas voluntour trip can be beneficial too. As long as the volunteer work is well organised, meaningful and is what the community needs then it can have a huge impact.
I totally agree that taking part in trivial work doesn’t usually help anyone other than give bragging rights! But I also know projects where volunteers from overseas come and build desks, plant vegetables, play with children teaching them new skills. These might only be short term tasks in some cases, but they can alleviate the pressure off local project workers and give them time to focus on other tasks. They can also provide new experiences for both parties which is often worthwhile.
It definitely comes down to what the volunteer wants to get out of it; either make a difference for someone else and learn something about themselves at the same time, or be able to come home with photos of them in rural Africa and bragging rights! It also comes down to exactly what the community want from having volunteers involved and whether they even want their help at all. We sometimes get caught up in the mindset that because we are foreign and often from the western world, we must be able to help other people. That isn’t always the case and people sometimes forget that.
Thanks for your in-depth comment 🙂
Would love to go on a volunteerism trip. A lot of opportunity for growth and learning also a chance to meet like minded people.
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Hi! What a great post! If only everyone did 6mths or a year of voluntouring as part of their high school education.
That is such a great idea. I think young people would grow up very differently.
Looking forward to reading the rest of this series. I run a non-profit that sources volunteers and funds for locally-led initiatives in Uganda. I’ve been doing it since 2005. Voluntourism can indeed be done right! The host organization has to be ready for it, and the receiving community needs to know why the volunteers are coming. But, very importantly, the volunteers them selves also need to have their expectations checked. Our programs stress cultural exchange, and supporting local leaders. As long as the volunteers understand that they’re not going to save anyone – everyone will enjoy working and learning together. Win-win. Good luck with your programs!!
This should be a very interesting series! I spent a year teaching in Namibia and, while I see both the benefits and potential drawbacks of sending a foreign teacher to a school for a temporary period, I agree that there is a lot of value for both parties involved. While what I did isn’t really voluntourism, I don’t think voluntourism is necessarily bad. It can be great in creating awareness and facilitating short term projects. It is very important to do research on the organization before hand and make sure your work is sustainable though…
Thanks Erika, you’re right it is so important to do your research into the organisation before you go! I think there is room for both, traditional volunteer placements such as teaching in schools (as long as they are sustainable) as well as voluntourism which tends to be short term, general project work. I would love to hear more about your time in Namibia…it’s somewhere I have yet to explore 🙂
This is the first time I’m hearing the term ‘voluntourism’. I think it’s important to be an active citizen both locally and globally. I would like to look into some global options for volunteering…so thank you for posting this and I’ll be on the lookout for your future posts in the series 🙂
Thanks Samantha! Feel free to check out http://www.globalhandprints.co.uk for some ideas 🙂
Interesting article. Perhaps I am one of the more fortunate ones, but I have never sensed any negativity in my circle of friends/acquaintances around volunteering abroad. On the contrary, I have had a few friends volunteer in Africa, and they were all looked upon with great admiration. Thanks for doing good work for the world!
That’s so good to hear! You obviously surround yourself with great people 🙂
Great info, thanks for sharing, I will save this for future reference!
There are alot of organisations that are simply a waste of money and do not benefit the community as much as they should…. I volunteer as often as I can abroad by finding places that need help, and that has made me more aware of what I can do to volunteer at home as well.
People just need to do their own research, the ego does play a part in most people’s drive to volunteer… but so long as they help out with a worthy cause that does make a difference then it doesn’t matter if it’s ego or altruism that brought them there!
Exactly. It doesn’t matter what reason you’re volunteering for…as long as you’re doing it right and with a reliable, trustworthy and sustainable organisation. It is sad that concepts such as volunteering and voluntourism have to be associated with companies that do more harm than good.
How do you find the organisations you volunteer with?
I think this could be good but the issue is that most voluntourism is done through companies which are sketchy at best. I did some back in Cambodia and unfortunately it was truly awful because I left feeling like I did something when in reflection I know that I was really unhelpful and treated children like they were in a zoo instead of people like I should have. They deserved more than that and honestly, I have no formal education and nothing to really offer these tiny humans that really need help from people who are equipped to do so. When voluntourism is like this, which it commonly is, that is the problem. It’s good to want to help but it’s better to realize when you’re doing harm, right?
Yes it’s definitely important to know if you’re doing more harm than good. It’s also crucial for both the volunteer and the organisation to recognise what skills they have / are needed. I am particularly passionate about teaching placements and feel strongly that only qualified teachers should take part in it. Overall, sadly some companies aren’t reliable or out for the right reasons…research is key.
I would definitely love to do one of these trips after extensive research. I do think this is kind of a win-win for travelers seeking to find different life and a way to help and to those who need help.
This post is right on time. Lately, I’ve been contemplating ways I can do more for the communities that I visit/live in. Currently, I’m in South Korea, and despite being heavily involved in volunteer projects back home in the states, I haven’t done anything of the sort while here. I definitely want to travel deeper and get more involved.
I’m so pleased you found it useful Colby!
Thanks for your thoughts on this. I do think it really depends on the initiative, the people, and the preparation. Good intentions are great but it really is the impact that matters. In my doctoral research I focused on what libraries can do in local communities to help alleviate information poverty and inequality and what I found should be no surprise: for real, lasting success, the community must be involved every step of the way and in fact, lead the process if possible. It’s not only about what I can teach them, but what I can learn from them and how can we work together to improve the world. I do feel that voluntourism can be done right and it’s unfortunate that there are some places out there that have given it a bad rap.
That’s exactly right, it needs to be a 2 way exchange where both parties teach / share and both learn from the experience. It’s also so important for communities to have ownership over their project that volunteers support, from communities wanting volunteer input right through to then managing the input too. Thanks for your comment!