what is volunteering tourism

What Is Voluntourism? Does It Help or Harm Communities?

Are tourists' good intentions misplaced or actually effective?

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Voluntourism is a type of tourism in which travelers participate in volunteer work, usually for a charity or a non-profit. While the term sometimes applies to domestic travel, a majority of voluntourism takes place abroad. Most often, voluntourists travel for the specific purpose of volunteering in an organized way for specific causes, but others simply include volunteer aspects to a traditional vacation experience.

According to Save the Children, a charity that provides humanitarian aid for children worldwide, about 1.6 million people volunteer overseas each year. Voluntourism is considered the fastest-growing travel trend, and tourists sometimes pay up to $2,000 per week to be a part of it. All in all, the industry itself is worth an estimated $2.6 billion per year.

Many voluntourism programs positively impact their communities and help fulfill a need that will continue to benefit the destination long after the volunteers have left. However, it's becoming clear that some of these organizations could be taking advantage of both their participants and their causes for the sake of financial gain.

How to Be a Responsible Volunteer Tourist

• Before committing to an organization, reach out to past volunteers to hear their experience or read reviews.
• If you have a special skill or expertise in a specific field, look for organizations that train and empower local staff. That way, you are making a lifelong impact for an entire community rather than a temporary one.
• Research the organization's credentials.
• Avoid organizations that encourage handling of animals when it is not veterinary, research, or conservation-related.
• Highlight projects that are run or managed by the local community.
• Seek out projects that are genuinely needed in the destinations where you want to volunteer. Ask yourself if the volunteer work provides a "band-aid" fix or a long-term solution to a local issue.

Voluntourism Definition

In brief, voluntourism is a joining of "volunteering" and "tourism." Many volunteers travel to areas where there’s the most need, whether it's for time, money, medical services, or training. Most companies will set a volunteer up with lodging (oftentimes a homestay with a local family), meals, and even help organize flight itineraries and information on visa requirements or travelers insurance.

Voluntourism seems like the perfect combination of traveling and giving back, but it must be done right in order to have a positive effect. Good intentions only get you so far, it’s all about keeping an open mind and doing the research to ensure that those good intentions produce sustainably beneficial results.

Types of Voluntourism

There are hundreds of voluntourism programs out there offering legitimate ways to contribute to poverty alleviation, environmental issues, social justice, and more.

One of the most popular forms of voluntourism, which can consist of teaching English or creating educational resources in poor communities. 

Child Care 

Working in orphanages, for example, or interacting with children to enhance their well-being and development. Also working with disadvantaged youth and refugees seeking temporary asylum.

Health Care

Those in the medical field can travel to underserved communities administering vaccines or educating about diseases and how to prevent them.

Conservation

Projects can consist of both animal conservation and environmental conservation, where volunteers work at an animal sanctuary or conduct research in the field, for example, by tracking native species. Participants may also work on reforestation projects or trail maintenance to help support local ecosystems.

Community Support

Building homes, schools, libraries, or other types of infrastructure. This can also include women empowerment or working to reduce social inequalities within a specific community.

Pros and Cons

It’s safe to say that most of those who sign up to volunteer abroad do so with the best intentions; in most cases, it is the specific organization or the nature of the volunteer work that presents issues. But it begs the question, can altruism in tourism get in the way of actual impact? And if so, how can you tell if a voluntourism program is helping rather than hurting?

The media has exposed cases of orphanages in Nepal full of children who aren’t truly orphans or travelers who discover volunteer programs that exploit natural disasters for financial gain. Back in 2018, journalist Tina Rosenberg wrote a piece for the Guardian about a company in Guatemala that scouts mountain villages for sick infants , calling on volunteers to collect them instead of taking them directly to the hospital, which could purposely delay critical care.

There are even cases where travelers themselves volunteer for the wrong reasons, as demonstrated in the video below created by Radi-Aid , a Norwegian project that seeks to challenge perceptions around issues of poverty and development.

Pro: Experiencing New Cultures

Traveling helps us gain a new perspective on the world that can translate into other positives in our lives, and staying outside the typical tourist route can enhance that experience. Spending more time within a local community, for instance, will certainly provide a much more authentic experience than sitting in a resort sipping cocktails. The Center for Responsible Travel reported in 2019 that people who travel regularly are 35 times more likely to donate to nonprofits than non-travelers over their lifetimes.

Much like sustainable tourism as a whole, the legitimacy or success of a voluntourism program depends highly on how it is managed. When done the right way, it can help communities grow and truly provide benefits to a specific cause. But it’s up to the individual volunteer, too, who has the added responsibility of staying informed and setting their destinations up for success.

Pro: Some Organizations Are Honest and Effective

Voluntourism can absolutely be an effective tool for achieving positive changes in global communities that need help, but it sometimes comes down to the volunteers themselves to do the work in sorting out the good from the bad.

Ken Budd, author of the award-winning memoir The Voluntourist , argues that not all volunteer programs are created equal , and countless organizations around the world create lasting results. The writer’s experience speaks for itself (he’s volunteered in at least six countries), such as teaching English in a Costa Rican elementary school that relied on volunteers when they couldn't afford teachers, or a climate change program in Ecuador where scientists could run more research projects thanks to volunteer labor.

Con: Dishonesty Among Volunteer Companies

Perhaps one of the worst products of dishonest voluntourism comes from orphanage scams. Since they may receive additional funding with each child or rely on volunteer donations, there is an incentive to recruit more children into their system.

According to an investigation by Lumos, an NGO that fights against the institutionalization of children, total funding for orphanages in Haiti ranged upwards of $100 million per year; that’s enough to send 770,000 Haitian children to school or pay the Haitian child protection agency’s annual budget over 130 times.

The study also found that, of the 30,000 children living in the country's orphanages, an estimated 80% had at least one living parent. Lumos suggested diverting orphanage funds into programs that support families and enable them to appropriately care for their children — instead of promoting the orphanage business.

In a similar scenario, a 2015 study by UNICEF found that 79% of teenage children in Cambodian orphanages had at least one living parent.

Con: Tourists Could Take Work From Locals

A reporter for the New York Times wrote in 2016 about their experience with a group of missionaries building a school in Haiti :

“Watching those missionaries make concrete blocks that day in Port-au-Prince, I couldn’t help wondering if their good intentions were misplaced. These people knew nothing about how to construct a building. Collectively they had spent thousands of dollars to fly here to do a job that Haitian bricklayers could have done far more quickly. Imagine how many classrooms might have been built if they had donated that money rather than spending it to fly down themselves. Perhaps those Haitian masons could have found weeks of employment with a decent wage. Instead, at least for several days, they were out of a job.”

If an organization can get free labor from an unskilled volunteer, they’re not spending money hiring locals to do the same work for a fee. In a poverty-stricken economy where residents are already struggling to find jobs, funds that go towards digging a well or building a school will have more of an impact if they stay within the local economy.

Taking work from locals can also result in inferior products or prevent developing communities from self-establishment. Not to mention, volunteers who are untrained in whatever service they are providing can sometimes actually end up hindering progress. Pippa Biddle, who writes about her experiences with the global volunteer economy , has recounted building libraries in Tanzania and watching more skilled local workers come in each night to fix mistakes.

How to Identify a Legitimate Voluntourism Opportunity

• Reputable voluntourism organizations usually provide training or use specific criteria to select volunteers.
• Qualifications are required for certain roles, such as background checks if you plan to work with children or medical field experience for medical volunteer positions.
• The organization provides guidance on travel insurance, flight information, visas, and other travel requirements.
• The work doesn’t involve jobs that can take employment opportunities from residents, but instead finds ways to include or benefit them.

" The Truth About Volunteerism ." Save the Children .

" The Case for Responsible Travel: Trends and Statistics 2019 ." Center for Responsible Travel .

" Funding Haitian Orphanages at the Cost of Children's Rights ." LUMOS .

https://lumos.contentfiles.net/media/assets/file/Funding_Haiti_Orphanages_Executive_Summary_Digital_Version.pdf

" A Statistical Profile of Child Protection in Cambodia ." UNICEF .

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Volunteer tourism: find the best opportunities around the world

Discover volunteer tourism, and if you are a passionate traveler, it will become almost impossible to stop once you have tried it

Jessica Jessy Around The World

Jul 21, 2023

One of the most common dreams for every traveler would be traveling no stop . And this could be hard sometimes, because traveling needs money and time. And most of the people have to work to afford a travel, and if you spend most of your time working, you won’t have all the time you would like to spend traveling.

Have you ever thought about mixing the two things? What about working while you are traveling ? In this case, you won’t have the two big problems: money and time. This way you could optimize your time and not waste too much money .

It’s a matter of age and visas , you can say. If you want to work in different countries, sometimes you need visas that are difficult to obtain or sometimes you have to respect a certain age to be allowed to do it.

But don’t worry. In this article I will introduce volunteer tourism to you. Volunteer tourism is the key for what you are looking for. So keep reading to discover how volunteer trips can improve your way of traveling and can help you making your full time travel dream come true.

What is volunteer tourism?

Volunteer tourism joins together work and travel, but you mostly won’t need a specific age or visa to do it, because it is not about paid jobs, it’s about volunteering in exchange for free accommodation and sometimes free board.

Basically you pick a destination, you find a place that needs your help doing different kinds of things, and in exchange you get free accommodation (and free board, if agreed). In your free time, you can explore the area like a real local.

Volunteer tourism is something that is growing and growing because it makes it possible for travelers to have long term travels without spending tons of money, because they get free accommodation, and they can really get in touch with the place they are visiting like a local person. Also, they get in touch with a lot of people from all over the world who are volunteering like them, so if you want to meet friends when traveling, this could be a really good way to do it.

Volunteer tourism is also a good way to leave a good impact on the places you are visiting . What can be more grateful than helping the local communities of the country you are visiting ? In this way, you can do something good and useful for places and people, while having fun.

Keep reading: Exploring the power of volunteerism: impact, benefits, and opportunities  and  Discovering off the grid communities: What you need to know and How to join them .

How to find volunteer tourism opportunities?

Now that you know what volunteer tourism is, maybe you are wondering how you can find volunteer opportunities all around the world , because the world is huge and it is not easy to understand where to start.

So let me introduce you to the  Worldpackers platform , which changed forever the way of traveling of hundreds of people. This platform is where you have to go if you want to find volunteer opportunities all around the world.

You can pick a destination and look for volunteer opportunities there, or you can choose a field you like, such as permaculture, teaching languages, childcare , and look for the opportunities that suit you the most.

You can contact the hosts and then plan your stay. You should look carefully at what the host is expecting from you and what you can expect in exchange for your work.  

Before applying, you can know in advance how many hours per day you will work and how many days off you will get, and whether you will get full board or just free accommodation. Worldpackers is a really clear platform and every position is fully explained in details.

Since good travelers want to leave a good social impact in the world and in the places they visit, be careful about the positions you pick, and always check if they have a good impact on our planet. You can look for hosts and positions linked to ecotourism using the filters.

Of course with Worldpackers you can look for volunteer opportunities in every continent, so let’s see some of the best positions for volunteer tourism with good social impact all around the world.

Volunteering in Latin America 

Latin America sounds like a not so safe continent, especially for the girls traveling solo. It could be true or not, but in any case the best thing is to make friends there, especially the locals. And what is the best way to meet people and to act like a local than volunteering there?

So why not considering volunteer tourism in Latin America? In this way you could help the local community, meet friends, and you will feel safer hanging around in this way.

Remember to look at the social impact of the positions you are going to apply to. For example, you could apply to work in an organic farm like this one in Brazil , and learn more about sustainable agriculture.

Volunteering in North America

North America can be very expensive, especially the accommodation costs. The best thing you can do if you want to visit this part of the world is to volunteer there. This way you can get free accommodation, just working for a few hours a day.

If you are looking for an eco-program experience, have a look at  this host in Colorado City , the place is surrounded by nature and they are running different eco projects for which they need help.

Volunteering in Europe

Europe is a very rich continent in terms of things to do and see. It could be hard to pick one country in Europe, so a long term travel would be the best way to visit it. In this case, volunteering can help you save tons of money in accommodation cost.

If you like permaculture and eco projects , in Europe you have plenty of choices.

What about volunteering in a farm in one of the most “eco” countries in Europe? I am talking about the Netherlands, and you can have a look at this position in a farm . They are looking for help gardening and planting and they offer free accommodation and full board in exchange for help.

Volunteering in Asia

One of the best ways to visit Asia is volunteering and helping the local communities. You can really make the difference and try to have a good social impact. There are a lot of people and places that are looking for your help and they are trying to improve to have the lowest possible impact on our planet.

Have a look at  this fruit and coffee farm in Nepal , for example. They are looking for help in their farm and you can learn a lot about sustainability in this experience. It can be life-changing.

Volunteering in Africa

Africa is not an easy continet to visit, but if you try this challenge and open your heart to it, you will have the time of your life.

In Africa is really important to help local communities and try to have a good impact on them. They really need help in a lot of things in different fields. Volunteering in Africa is a dream for a lot of travelers, so don’t miss this chance.

Have a look to this eco project in Ghana and give them a hand, it could be the experience of a lifetime! 

The ethics of voluntourism 

The important thing about having a volunteer tourism opportunity is to try to make a difference for the communities you want to help. That can be fully achieved if you really believe in the projects you are taking part in.

Therefore, when you apply for a position, you have to read it carefully, understand what are the expectations and the tasks you will need to complete. If you fully understand them and you strongly believe in the projects, you will do a good job and you will have a good impact.

Another thing that can make a difference is how much time you spend in a place. The more you stay in a place to help the more you can have an impact on people and help them properly. In this sense, long term travels are the best.

Volunteering in developing countries is one of the best experiences you can have if you want to have a good social impact and help communities that really need you.

When choosing a volunteer tourism opportunity, these are the best fields you can choose: teaching , permaculture and eco projects, social and cultural projects . Worldpackers has plenty of them.

Now you know everything about volunteer tourism and how to do it. You just have to subscribe to one of Worldpackers plans , look for the positions that you like the most, apply, and get ready to travel the world and make a difference!

Maybe you could also be interested in some other articles from Worldpackers community:

• How to volunteer abroad using Worldpackers
• The best environmental volunteer opportunities around the world with Worldpackers
• TOP 5 Reasons why you should volunteer abroad

Join the community!

Create a free Worldpackers account to discover volunteer experiences perfect for you and get access to exclusive travel discounts!

Jessica Lazzarini

Jessy Around The World

an Italian full time traveler. After years planning my full time travel, I finally quit my 9 to 5 job to start exploring the world with a one way ticket. My goal is to visit as many countries as I can and to work as a digital nomad while I am traveling, but also to challenge myself doing travel jobs in the places I visit. I really want to live a lot of different experiences in a way only a real traveler can do.

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Voluntourism 101: the dos and don'ts for planning a volunteer vacation.

Tips on how to choose the right organization and red flags to look for when signing up.

Voluntourism 101: The Dos and Don'ts for Planning a Volunteer Vacation

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With more and more volunteer organizations and companies popping up every year, it's hard for a traveler to know which to trust.

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in hopes of sending "the best and brightest Americans abroad on behalf of the United States to tackle the most pressing needs of people around the world." This paved the way for the hundreds of international organizations today to offer volunteer trips worldwide. Volunteer vacations and voluntourism (volunteer tourism) have become huge trends in recent years, with thousands of people all over the world traveling to underdeveloped countries, such as Colombia, Tanzania, Kenya and Morocco. Working with children in schools and orphanages, nursing injured or ill animals back to health, and building houses are just a few of the programs offered.

The possibilities are endless -- and so is the list of organizations and companies offering volunteering opportunities abroad. With more and more volunteer organizations and companies popping up every year, it's hard for a traveler to know which to trust, which is why U.S. News spoke with Erin Barnhart, an expert in the field of international service and volunteer engagement. She provided tips on how to choose the right organization and red flags to look for when signing up for one of these trips. And fret not, Barnhart strongly believes that there is an international volunteer program for everyone.

Voluntourism vs. international volunteer organizations

First things first: voluntourism and international volunteer organizations are different. Volunteer tourism companies, such as G Adventures and STA Travel , are typically for-profit companies (although some are nonprofit, too) that provide potential volunteers with short-term volunteer placements coupled with vacation excursions. For example, you might work in an orphanage for two days and then go on a safari for the remainder of the trip. Or spend a few weeks backpacking through Southeast Asia completing different jobs such as building a school or working at a daycare. Usually, voluntourism companies allow anyone and everyone to volunteer, not necessarily requiring participants to pass background checks or have prior knowledge of the destination or work being completed. But here's the biggest difference: Voluntourism is primarily focused on the individual's experience. That's not to say all voluntourism companies are lacking a humanitarian focus, but recent studies have shown that certain programs -- such as working in an orphanage or school -- have detrimental effects on both the community and the children . For example, children can form close attachments to volunteers and face abandonment issues once those volunteers leave. A UNICEF campaign is even aiming to end short-term service in orphanages. After all, how much can you realistically change children's lives by working with them for just one or two days?

On the other hand, most nonprofit international volunteer organizations, such as Cross Cultural Solutions , United Planet and Global Volunteers , partner with local in-country nongovernmental organizations or cultivate their own projects in response to the needs of the community. They screen potential volunteers to ensure they are placed in the right program and can properly and efficiently aid the community. "International volunteer programs serve as a bridge between the NGOs and the volunteers," Barnhart said. Many international volunteer organizations also have long-term partnerships with local community NGOs and continuously send volunteers throughout the year. Their primary focus is the development and sustainability of a community, with less emphasis placed on what the community can do for the volunteer and more focus on what the volunteer can do for the community.

Expect fees, fees and more fees

A major factor to consider before deciding whether to volunteer through an organization is the associated project fee. Yes, spending a summer volunteering on the beaches of Madagascar conducting research and saving turtles sounds great -- except there's a catch. Many of these volunteer opportunities come with a hefty price tag (think upward of $2,000), and that's not including airfare. Paying to volunteer seems like a funny concept. Why would someone pay thousands of dollars to essentially work for free? Many international volunteer organization company representatives said the majority of the fees ensure that the project is run safely and efficiently for both the community and the volunteers. Some of the fees go toward 24/7 in-country staff support, pre-departure information and training, airport transportation, travel and medical insurance, ground transportation, and food and accommodations.

Voluntourism companies typically offer more budget-friendly programs than nonprofit international volunteer organizations, but that doesn't mean you should go with the cheapest option. As Barnhart put it, "You wouldn't want to buy the cheapest car because it probably doesn't run that well." And the same goes for a volunteer program. Whether it's an organization or voluntourism company, do your homework and make sure that the majority of the money you're paying actually goes to the community's sustainability and development. Most organizations have a breakdown of where the money goes on their websites and are open to answering all your money-related questions. That's another thing Barnhart recommended: You should do plenty of research about the country and reach out to multiple previous volunteers about their experiences abroad -- they're likely to be the most forthcoming and tell it to you straight.

A cheaper option for going abroad: work camps

If you're still interested in volunteering abroad, but don't want to (or can't) fork over the money, you may want to consider a work camp. Work camps are short-term programs, usually two to three weeks, and focus on projects like building a school, working as a camp counselor or assisting with animal conservation efforts. Work camps are significantly cheaper than going through international volunteer organizations. Most often the only cost associated is the application fee, which ranges anywhere from $75 to $200. Volunteers must pay for their airfare and transportation to and from the camp, but once they arrive at the camp accommodations and food are free. Check out Service Civil International for more information and a list of work camps offered worldwide.

Should you volunteer on your own?

So, is it worth paying an organization to volunteer versus doing it on your own? The answer is yes and no. Volunteering abroad through an organization or company is easy, safe and convenient, all you have to do is book your flight and the company does the rest. An international volunteer organization is great for those who want to volunteer, but only have a limited amount of time or for those who have never volunteered or traveled much. Volunteering abroad on your own takes a lot of planning -- you have to make your own travel plans, buy health and travel insurance , arrange in-country transportation, locate your own accommodations and the hardest part: find a place to volunteer. If you're a seasoned traveler, have been to the country before and feel comfortable and confident making your own arrangements, go for it. After deciding which country you want to volunteer in, you will want to reach out to small in-country NGOs and see if you can work with them. Before leaving, make sure every detail is ironed out -- you don't want to travel thousands of miles only to be told that you can no longer volunteer for the organization.

If you're still interested in volunteering abroad through an organization, websites like Goabroad.com and Gooverseas.com will allow you to search volunteer organizations by country, program and length. There are also volunteer reviews, so you can read firsthand accounts of what previous travelers have experienced abroad. Another helpful tool travelers can use is Idealist , where the pros and cons of volunteering with an organization versus alone are spelled out.

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Looking to do some good? Here’s how to volunteer abroad

Volunteer programs can have a large impact on communities as long as individuals’ skills align with the tasks they undertake.

By Alyssa Bradford

If you’re planning a trip, why not consider making an impact on the community you are visiting?

From teaching English in local schools to participating in environmental conservation projects, “voluntourism” offers individuals the chance to contribute their skills and resources to address pressing social and environmental challenges.

What is voluntourism?

Voluntourism, also known as volunteer travel or volunteer vacation, blends volunteering and tourism. It involves travelers engaging in voluntary work, often for charitable purposes. Voluntourists, who come from diverse backgrounds and age groups worldwide, contribute to various fields such as agriculture, health care, education and more, per World Vision .

What are the benefits of voluntourism?

According to World Vision , if done right, there are many positive aspects to volunteer travel.

When voluntourism opportunities are carefully planned and sustainable, volunteers’ efforts can yield long-term benefits. For instance, instead of traveling abroad to teach English to students, volunteers can assist local teachers in improving their English proficiency and teaching methods, preserving jobs for local educators while enhancing the community’s educational resources.

Exploring a new culture is a significant perk of travel, especially with voluntourism. Immersing oneself in a community, making new connections and witnessing firsthand the challenges they face expand one’s global perspective and comprehension of poverty and sustainable development.

Furthermore, traveling can improve local economies. Voluntourists contribute to this when they support local markets, engage in tours and activities and dine at neighborhood eateries. This boosts businesses within the community and the country as a whole.

What is the criticism of voluntourism?

According to an article in The New York Times , voluntourists often assume their ability to travel the world makes them qualified to alleviate global issues. However, many trips end up yielding little impact due to the volunteers’ limited involvement and expertise.

Furthermore, host communities may become reliant on foreign financial aid, as the impacts of the trip rarely extend beyond the duration of the volunteers’ stay, per The New York Times .

How to pick the best volunteer abroad program?

To make sure you give your best work, while also enjoying the program, it can be important to understand different programs and research what works best for you.

Go Overseas shares some tips to pick an impactful project that fits with your skills and interests.

• Make a realistic budget.
• Figure out what programs you are interested in (environmental, medical or something else).
• Know how long you want to volunteer.
• Evaluate the goals of each organization.
• Determine if the organization is both ethical and impactful.
• Understand the qualifications needed.
• Learn what is included with the project (meals, transportation or training, for example).
• Talk to past volunteers.

What are the top places to volunteer abroad?

International Volunteer HQ took feedback from over 10,000 volunteer travelers and staff to figure out the 25 best volunteer trips for 2024 and 2025. Each location lists some of the offered projects.

• Tanzania : Animal welfare, child care, medical, teaching and women’s education.
• Zanzibar : Turtle, rainforest and coastal conservation projects.
• Victoria Falls : Wildlife conservation.
• Zambia : Construction and renovation, elderly care, child care, medical and teaching.
• Kruger National Park, South Africa : Wildlife conservation.
• Ghana : Helping the community.
• South Africa : Teaching English and sports development.
• Morocco : Mountain immersion, sports education, women’s education and other teaching projects.

Central America

• Costa Rica : Turtle conservation, eco-agriculture conservation, child care, teaching english and health care.
• Guatemala : Mayan cultural immersion, eco-agriculture, medical, child care and teaching projects.

South America

• Peru : Amazon jungle conservation or medical.
• Ecuador : Teaching English, street children work and child care.
• Argentina : Child care, construction and renovation, elderly care, health care and special needs support.

North America and the Caribbean

• Belize : Marine conservation.
• Jamaica : Sustainable agriculture, sports, youth development, child care, business development and teaching.
• Puerto Rico : Youth support, environmental sustainability and community development.
• Croatia : Marine conservation, youth support, animal care, special needs support and creative technologies.
• Portugal : Environmental scuba diving, supporting the homeless, youth support, forest conservation, biological park conservation and upcycling for social good.
• Romania : Teaching English, sustainable agriculture and animal care.
• Spain : Marine conservation, youth support and special needs support.

Middle East

• Jordan : Arts and music, special needs support, teaching, women’s education, youth support and Ramadan.
• Nepal : Helping the community.
• Bali : Turtle conservation and child care support.
• India : Helping the community.
• Vietnam : Medical.

Before picking a location to go, research the safety of the area and decide if the program would be best for you.

Jul 18, 2023 4:27:51 PM | International Volunteering Voluntourism: The Good, the Bad, and How to Do Better

Voluntourism involves combining travel, volunteer work, and tourism into a cohesive experience. It can be a beneficial, transformative experience if done well.

Voluntourism, a fusion of volunteering and tourism, can sound ideal for travelers who want to make a positive impact on their next international trip.

This kind of travel comes with complexities that aren’t always obvious when you first inquire about volunteering with an organization. Some programs spend significant time and resources to build sustainable, ethical programs for the communities they partner with. 

But sadly, many organizations are harmful to the communities they promise to support. Some non-profits develop programs around what will feel “good” to volunteers for a week or two, leaving members of the local community in a worse condition than the one they started in.

It’s important to understand your potential impact and seek out organizations that truly offer meaningful experiences on both sides of the exchange.

What Is Voluntourism ?

Voluntourism is a term used to describe travel that includes some form of charity work or volunteering, often done in the midst of traditional tourist activities.

What is the difference between volunteering and voluntourism ? The difference between volunteering and voluntourism is the addition of travel. Volunteering can happen anywhere. Voluntourism involves travel to a volunteer site for both short- or long-term projects.

Voluntourism can be solo or group projects abroad through a nonprofit or non-governmental organization (NGO). When done well, it can result in culturally-sensitive, sustainable systems that focus on the needs of partner communities.

Global Medical Brigades, the largest student-led movement for global health, is one example of an ethical volunteer experience abroad. Learn more about our efforts to impact our partner communities in a holistic way.

Is Volunteer Tourism Ethical?

Volunteer tourism can be unethical, but it doesn’t have to be. Some volunteer programs may have good intentions, but lack the expertise to support sustainable changes in their partner communities. Other programs are problematic from the start.

Is voluntourism good or bad? Voluntourism isn’t good or bad. It’s more complicated than that. If you choose a program with a documented track record of working with local communities in a sustainable way, the experience can be positive for everyone. 

It’s important to know what to look for as you explore volunteer opportunities abroad and to examine your own motivations before you take that international trip.

Why Voluntourism Is (Sometimes) Bad

Voluntourism can be problematic depending on the intentions and actions of the international volunteers or group in charge of the voluntourism programs. In worst case scenarios, it can create problems for communities that didn’t exist before.

Author Pippa Biddle explores this idea in her book Ours to Explore: Privilege, Power, and the Paradox of Voluntourism . The book examines the origins of voluntourism as an industry and the problems with a mentality built on the idea that the West knows best.

Biddle looks at scenarios where unskilled volunteers replace local workers unable to find jobs in their own communities. She finds examples of children kept in unsafe conditions to attract volunteers to work in orphanages. 

Haiti is a prime example of this, and the local government is working to fix the problem . An estimated 30,000 children live in about 750 privately-run orphanages in Haiti. Officials estimate that around 80 percent of these children have at least one living parent. 

These children are there because orphanages in the country have become big business.

Haitian orphanages receive an estimated $100 million in donations each year. They are supported by short-term volunteers who don’t know that these places operate despite a history of abuse. This is money that could go to education or childcare services for children living in poverty. 

Let’s dig into more criticisms of unethical voluntourism:

• It perpetuates white saviorism. The white savior complex is a term used to describe privileged people bringing aid to communities they label disadvantaged. That kind of philanthropy is self-serving and often leads to dependency on volunteer efforts.
• Voluntourism is about short-term solutions. Some voluntourism efforts are about quick wins rather than sustainable solutions to real problems. This doesn’t just limit a project’s impact; it can be exploitative of vulnerable populations.
• Resources aren’t always allocated effectively. Volunteer organizations driven by for-profit motives are likely spending more on marketing their brand and wooing fresh volunteers. That means less money spent on actual humanitarian efforts.
• Voluntourism can lack cultural sensitivity. Volunteering abroad has to be about more than a vacation with a mission. A voluntourist who doesn’t understand a new culture won’t make a meaningful impact.
• It can have unexpected environmental and economic impacts. Poorly-run volunteer projects can disrupt local economies and drain local resources. Poorly-planned projects can conflict with existing conservation efforts and harm local habitats.

How Voluntourism Can Be Good

When done well, voluntourism can be about meaningful change and connections. The key is more than good intentions. It’s about an ethical approach, impact that is monitored and evaluated, and true collaboration when working with host communities.

Here are a few indicators of a quality voluntourism program:

• It starts with education. Ethical voluntourism is about more than the projects on the ground; it’s also about supporting communities in culturally sensitive ways. That starts with approaching efforts from a place of learning rather than performative activism.
• It empowers local communities . Ethical volunteer efforts abroad should focus on sustainability and long-term solutions. The result should never be about dependence on a volunteer group but about empowering communities and self-sufficiency. 
• Positive voluntourism raises awareness. Voluntourism opportunities can expose participants to cultural, economic, and environmental issues they weren’t aware of before. Volunteers can then take that firsthand knowledge for advocacy efforts back home.
• The program has a stated focus. Volunteer placements work best when short-term volunteers are trained to work toward a specific set of goals. Global healthcare organizations, for example, often seek volunteers with a skillset or interest in medicine . 
• The organization monitors progress. If you’re working with a nonprofit, target groups that are transparent about how they evaluate their efforts. How do they show their impact, and do they adjust their efforts based on those evaluations?

Your personal motivations matter, too. Are you signing up for a volunteer trip to post yourself digging a well on social media? Or is your goal to support local communities in areas of need and opportunities for self-sufficiency?

Your reasons for filling out that volunteer application matter. There are good programs out there when you’re ready. 

Volunteer Opportunities to Support Sustainable Communities

International travel can be impactful. Volunteer work abroad can be life-changing. You just need to know where to look to make sure you’re signing up for ethical, sustainable volunteer trips. 

At Global Brigades, our Medical Brigades can be an excellent   study abroad alternative for pre-med students interested in ethical voluntourism. Our volunteers travel to rural communities in countries like Guatemala, Panama, and Ghana for one-week experiences at our mobile medical clinics.

Volunteers work alongside local health professionals and community leaders that Global Brigades identifies and trains to perpetuate year-round healthcare.

Global Brigades’ programming goes far beyond medical relief and is a r ecognized international development org anization. Its work to build public health infrastructure such as water systems and build local economies was named by the United Nations as the most effective poverty alleviation initiatives in the country of Panama. 

It has been awarded numerous grants from the likes of the World Bank, UNDP, Inter American Development Bank, Rotary and many others to proliferate year-round sustainable development work that its student volunteers are a part of.

If you’re unable to travel or limiting personal travel, Medical TeleBrigades are a way to participate virtually. You can still participate in mobile clinics by shadowing local doctors during telemedical patient consultations. 

Virtual volunteerism can even be a more sustainable option for young people worried about their environmental footprint or criticisms of in-person voluntourism programs.

Not interested in medicine or sustainable development? Fill your gap year with other volunteer opportunities by teaching English in Thailand or Cambodia. Support wildlife conservation efforts in Kenya or South Africa. There are ethical programs out there if you want to make a difference and connect with a new culture. You just need to do your research!

Pre-Med Students: Volunteer Internationally With Global Medical Brigades

If you’re interested in any aspect of healthcare , join a Medical Brigade . 

Our full-time local staff gives students the opportunity to shadow doctors, perform triage, and work in pharmacies. The goal is to work with on-the-ground teams to develop year-round community health services for vulnerable children and adults. 

We’ve done the work to ensure our programs are a sustainable approach to healthcare in partner communities. Gain medical experience while doing good through a Medical Brigade.

Written By: Alexa

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Before I came to Bhopal, India , I knew it mainly for the industrial gas leak that killed thousands in 1984. Now I will remember it for Nirmaldas and Aturi Atri, and the lunch of lentils, vegetables, and rice I enjoyed at their home while discussing their adorable grandchildren, the upcoming Holi holiday, and—this is India, after all—food.

For several years, the 66-year-old Aturi has needed hernia surgery, which the family can’t afford, but that week, she was receiving a free operation by surgeons from Medical Missions Foundation (MMF), a Kansas City -based nonprofit. To show his appreciation, Nirmaldas had welcomed a few volunteers from the organization, including myself, for lunch.

The gathering was ordinary, yet also extraordinary: People from different continents and cultures, talking and sharing stories. As a volunteer both at home and abroad, I’ve seen these interactions occur again and again. When it happens, we see each other in new ways. While volunteering near Bethlehem , I spent an evening with a local Palestinian family in their cramped apartment, discussing politics, history, and life. While teaching English in a rural Costa Rican school, I learned that many Costa Ricans believe Americans are lazy. Their views are based on shows like Friends, where the gang spends hours drinking coffee. But when people are talking—when they’re working, sweating, and sharing beliefs—those perceptions can change.

Despite the accusations that volunteers are Instagram-obsessed Mother Teresa wannabes, the work can be helpful.

So if global volunteering has such wonderful kumbaya qualities, why is it frequently scorned? The answer is: people like me. In some ways, I’m a global volunteering cliché. My home: a wealthy, industrialized nation. My skin color: white. Although I used my writing talents as a blogger for MMF in India, I have no relevant, useful skills. Masonry? Medicine? Engineering? Nope, nope, and nope. The idea of unskilled volunteers naively traipsing through Africa sparks the type of bad press usually reserved for Kardashians and philandering politicians. From stinging social media posts to dismissive op-eds, naysayers deride volunteers as selfie-seeking, neocolonial narcissists who steal jobs from locals, create dependency, and do more harm than good. Volunteers may see themselves as knights in shining cargo pants, but living in a rich country doesn’t mean you’re needed in poor communities. ( Read more on voluntourism myths debunked .)

Some of the charges are justified. Daniela Papi-Thornton, co-author of Learning Service: The Essential Guide to Volunteering Abroad, used to give away bikes when she volunteered in developing countries. Later, she realized she was simply hurting local businesses. In a piece that went viral in 2014, writer Pippa Biddle slammed her six years of voluntourism experiences, including building a library at an orphanage. Each day, she and her boarding-school colleagues would erect walls, and every evening, local workers would discreetly rebuild their structurally unsound work.

An Earthwatch volunteer scans the horizon for birds and signs of biodiversity in the Andorran Pyrenees.

Shoddy work by unqualified volunteers is indefensible, but criticism that declares all volunteering bad ignores a more nuanced truth. Some organizations are top-notch, others are not. Some volunteers go for the wrong reasons, but most work hard. And despite the accusations that volunteers are Instagram-obsessed Mother Teresa wannabes, the work can be helpful. Organizations such as Earthwatch and the Audubon Society offer opportunities for citizen scientists, such as an Earthwatch expedition to the Andorran Pyrenees to help gather data relating to climate change. Warren Stortroen, 86, has volunteered 108 times with Earthwatch since he retired from the insurance biz. His many accomplishments include discovering the bones of a 3.6-million-year-old glyptodon in Mexico .

Lori Wedeking has worked more than 30 times at a school in Poland teaching English via Global Volunteers . When she’s back home in Minnesota , students in Warsaw contact her by email or Facebook for help with homework. Wedeking believes the goal is not simply teaching English, but establishing relationships with the Polish people. Volunteers can be like ambassadors, which is important given that “favorable views of the U.S. remain at historic lows in many countries,” as the Pew Research Center reported in October 2018.

In Bhopal, MMF’s American and Indian volunteers not only worked together, but they collaborated with local medical students to help hone their skills. The U.S. doctors and nurses also learned from each other—an often-overlooked benefit of volunteering. In Costa Rica, I watched a young, small-town volunteer suffer severe culture shock, mainly from meeting a colleague from Queens. ( Discover why tourism could make or break Costa Rica's biodiverse haven .)

These intangible benefits are meaningful. In the West Bank, people seemed to appreciate most our presence there—that we were absorbing the daily challenges of their lives. On a science project in Ecuador , we trekked through remote portions of the Andean cloud forest, tracking birds and cataloging trees. Sharing that fragile beauty with friends back home, a British scientist told me, was one of the biggest benefits of the project. If you don’t know about it, how can you care about it?

The word “volunteer” is part of the reason for voluntourism’s battered reputation. It implies that someone is doing you a favor by showing up. And yet I always saw myself more as an intern: Someone who did whatever grunt work was needed—cleaning windows, collecting data, hauling trash—and was exposed to exceptional people. I met women like Jane Karigo, a Kenyan who has saved children from a life on the streets. And Zhang Tao, who founded a special needs school in Xi’an with no government funding, armed only with grit, intelligence, fortitude, and love.

I began volunteering because I wanted to do just a tiny bit of good in the world. There is power in small gestures, which, taken together, can become large gestures. But I came to see that perhaps the biggest benefit was not the work we were doing, but that people were learning together.

So how can you be a good volunteer? Research the various organizations. Speak with previous volunteers. Ask questions. Do local people run the organization? Is it creating dependency? How does the community benefit? Does the work match your skills? If you’re not a carpenter, maybe you shouldn’t build homes.

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Voluntourism means to combine your passion for traveling (tourism) while giving back to the countries you visit (volunteer) ... read more

Voluntourism means to combine your passion for traveling (tourism) while giving back to the countries you visit (volunteer). It's a great way to lend volunteer organizations a hand and give them financial support. It is especially suitable for short-term volunteer holidays . Most volunteer tourism programs have a limited social impact when compared to long-term volunteer opportunities.

Voluntourism opportunities are perfect for you if you want to volunteer and travel in an exotic country. It means you won't be working full time during your holiday giving you a lot of time to explore a new culture. Sign up for a volunteer tourism program!

Let's get Sustainable - 6 Weeks on the move

Learn about the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN. Embark yourself on an adventure that will take you to discover all of Iceland and its natural wonders. landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="0" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

Real South America Encounter

Embark on this stunning trip across Costa Rica, Ecuador & Peru where you are guaranteed to experience all aspects of South American lifestyle and culture. landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="1" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

Real Asia Encounter

Sri Lanka, India and Nepal! We can’t think of a more sublime combination of exotic and fascinating countries to volunteer in over 6, 9 or 12 weeks. landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="2" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

Real South East Asia Encounter

If weeks spent volunteering around one of the most colourful parts of the world sounds enticing, then this combo of Vietnam, Cambodia & Bali is ideal. landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="3" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

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Spend a life-changing 6, 9 or 12 weeks of volunteering across the world’s second-biggest continent in Ghana, fascinating Tanzania & epic South Africa! 🌍 landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="4" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

Sri Lanka Experience

Do something life-changing discovering the real Sri Lanka. Spend four amazing weeks exploring and volunteering in this hugely inspiring country. landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="5" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

Surf & Help - Marine Wildlife Conservation

We include a FREE 1-week Spanish Course, to allow you to have a greater impact. Surf, preserve nature and protect endangered marine wildlife. landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="6" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

Learn Spanish, Dance & Culture

Two or four week full cultural immersion based in Old Havana. Spanish classes are supplemented with dance classes, cultural tours, and weekend in Viñales valley. landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="7" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

Everest Base Camp Trek & Community Support

Combine a 4 week trek to Everest base camp with volunteering in Kathmandu. Suspension bridges, raging rivers and some of the best scenery in the world awaits you. landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="8" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

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Our top destinations mixed into one trip! Don’t miss your chance to sample and a make difference in sleepy Sri Lanka, inspiring India & beautiful Bali! landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="10" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

Himalayan Trekking & Meaningful Adventure in India

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Building an Outdoor Activity Camp

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4 Week Annapurna Trek and Community Support

Trek and volunteer! Hike to Annapurna base camp, some of the most incredible scenery in the world! Volunteer after the trek on your chosen project. landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="13" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

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Travel around Iceland, meet new friends, learn how to protect the environment, while you enjoy thermal pools, discover glaciers, waterfalls, black beaches and more.. landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="14" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

Real Nepal Experience

This epic adventure includes 28 days exploring colourful Kathmandu, trekking the Himalayas, bicycle tours in Chitwan and volunteering in Pokhara. Phew! landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="15" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

Learn Spanish & Local Adventure

One week learning Spanish and exploring Viñales Valley – bursting with tobacco plantations, traditional farming, unique limestone mountains. Horse, bike, hike adventure! landing-page#addSelectItemEventToDataLayer" data-landing-page-item-index-param="16" class="text-[#3399CC] ssm:hidden"> Details >

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Voluntourism Opportunities Abroad

Do you dream of backpacking through some of the most remote places abroad but somehow feel as if it’s not enough? Do you want to do more than that? Do you want to connect to the communities and help? If you are interested in volunteering abroad and you have already done some research on the topic, you might have come across the term “Voluntourism”. It simply describes “tourism in which travelers do voluntary work to help communities or the environment in the places they are visiting”, but in the past years, there has been a lot of discussion about the pros and cons of voluntourism abroad.

At Volunteer World, we believe that if done right, volunteering tourism opportunities overseas can benefit both the volunteers and the projects they visit and work for. As this is an important and very sensitive topic, we want to show you what’s important when it comes to ethical voluntourism and how we ensure that the volunteer abroad programs on our website match the criteria and that there are no issues with volunteering. If you are interested in combining your travels with volunteer work abroad, just continue reading

What is the difference between Volunteering and Voluntourism?

The emphasis of most of our projects is on volunteering and dedicating time to a volunteer abroad project and its progress. We cater to a very wide audience and also offer voluntourism packages which we believe are sustainable. Although the latter has been subject to controversy, we guarantee that all programs offered through our website meet strict requirements. It still remains important for volunteers to do their due diligence and research the project they are interested in. To give you a better understanding of volunteerism and voluntourism, take a look at the descriptions below:

Let’s start by taking a closer look at what we understand under volunteerism:

• It’s about helping out a certain project usually for a longer period of time.
• Volunteers offer a certain type of expertise which the project is lacking.
• There are opportunities to explore the surroundings and do some sightseeing but it’s not the main aim of the time spent there.
• Projects impact the local community and environment and are making a difference in the field they are focused on: childcare, animals, community development projects, health, education
• Projects are usually run by non-profit organizations that ensure funds go toward the community or are reinvested in the organization.

With voluntourism or volunteering tourism, things are slightly different.

• First of all, the emphasis is on the experience of the participant volunteer tourist.
• The goal is for the participant to travel and see as much as possible of a certain area while spending a short period of time contributing to a certain cause.
• Voluntourism packages are sometimes offered by for-profit organizations. This may result in funds going toward the tourism industry rather than the local community although this isn’t always the case. (Volunteers need to inform themselves about this before signing up).
• Anyone can join a project and no expertise is required.

This may help you decide what type of project and types of voluntourism you would like to participate in. There is no right or wrong when it comes to this. Both options have their place when done right.

The Pros and Cons of Voluntourism

Voluntourism has gotten a bad reputation over the past few years with articles appearing claiming more harm than good is being done. Especially when it comes to working with children. Let’s not forget that the intention of participants is to help and is intrinsically good. Some volunteers don’t have the time to contribute for several months but are looking for an opportunity to help where they can.

Although there seems to be an increased desire to help and contribute by those more fortunate, it’s not easy for organizations to create opportunities to fulfill this need of helping out and linking it to work that would make a meaningful and sustainable difference.

Here are a few of the pros and cons that you need to take into account when opting for a program:

• Allows you to travel and discover a part of the world you have wanted to explore.
• You get the chance to connect with the local community.
• Participants will see a different side of their travel destination than if they would travel as a tourist.
• It is a great opportunity for cultural interchange.
• You will travel in a group and meet other like-minded individuals.
• Given you are participating in an ethical project, funds and efforts will be invested in the community.
• The time spent on the program is limited which may not lead to significant changes.
• It is possible that the funds go toward the tourism industry instead of the community when you choose the wrong organization. It’s important to do your due diligence on this.
• When working with children, it can be hard on them when volunteering for only short periods. Exposing vulnerable children to inexperienced volunteers can have a negative impact.

Why opt for Voluntourism?

As with all good things, there’s always going to be a downside when projects are not executed properly. Voluntourism has taken a few blows the past few years, with people saying there have been issues with volunteering tourism. It has endured claims that it is harming the community and is mainly focused on the participants.

First of all, let’s keep in mind there will always be naysayers that will point out that voluntary work in developing countries is condescending and not solving problems in a sustainable manner. Although there may be some truth in these acclamations, keep in mind that all of this rises and falls with the execution of the projects.

Imagine the following scenario : you have decided to tour around India for 3 weeks and will contribute to the community by teaching at schools and building houses for a couple of days during your stay.

Will you be making a difference?

It’s fair to state that you won’t be making as big of a difference when you choose to volunteer for short stints as opposed to long periods of time . Packages offered by a reputable international organization will make sure that money paid by voluntourists (volunteer tourists) will be contributed to local communities and that work done is useful to the community. (Beware of organizations that don’t have the best interest of the community at heart). The most important thing that will happen during a program is cultural interchange and social contact. Everyone will agree that social interaction is crucial in a happy life and is something everyone benefits from.

Volunteer tourists have the best intentions and are looking for ways to contribute despite time constraints. For volunteer tourists, it’s important to keep in mind that volunteer tourism comes in many shapes and forms so it’s their responsibility to look for projects they fully support.

Is volunteering in developing countries condescending?

There are claims that if you volunteer overseas that you’re portraying a message that these communities are unable to solve problems on their own. This mainly refers to programs that aren’t addressing the root problem and are exploiting both the community as the volunteers for personal gains. The goal of voluntourism projects should always be to empower local communities and give them the support they need to take their future into their own hands . Claiming that there’s no need for any help in developing countries would also be incorrect. Again, it is a matter of joining a reputable organization that understands the needs of the community and is dedicated to helping the community progress.

Although the time may be short, that doesn’t mean the interaction is meaningless. As a voluntourist overseas, you will gain a deeper understanding of what is going on in the part of the world you are visiting . You will carry this awareness with you and share it with others. Awareness moves people to behave differently and make different choices. Even if voluntourism doesn’t have a direct impact, it will have an impact nonetheless perhaps further down the road. Whether it is a unique connection you have with one of the locals, a message that you were able to bring across during an English class or a mind-shift you made after the experience which changes the way you stand in life.

What kind of Voluntourism projects are there?

The point of voluntourism is that you get to see as much of a country as possible while you volunteer for a certain cause during your trip. There are so many possibilities available that it will come down to where you want to go and what skills you have to offer Here are some possibilities that are available:

• Work at an animal conservation center or sanctuary
• Cultural immersion programs
• Community support
• Youth development
• Environmental conservation

There are so many types of voluntourism, it’s a matter of preference and skills that will determine where you will end up for your adventure. Volunteering tourism is on the uprise which means more and more projects are appearing in the social landscape. Volunteer tourists will have increasingly more options but will face the challenge of selecting meaningful and sustainable projects.

How to choose the right Voluntourism program?

The most important aspect of choosing a great program is that you do enough research on the different volunteer and travel organizations and try to answer the following questions:

• What does the organization stand for?
• What is their objective and how are they trying to achieve it?
• How are the funds they receive spent?
• How do you think you will contribute?
• What do you think the effect will be of your voluntourism work?

Take into account possible negative effects. Read up on the organization, read reviews and ask previous volunteers about their participation. There are some great agencies and non-profit organizations that are doing very responsible and good work.

Be careful when you choose to volunteer with children. Do your due diligence prior to signing up . There are organizations out there that are doing more harm than good. It’s important to take into account that we have attempted to screen these organizations but you make the final call. Choose wisely and you will be in for an incredible experience while supporting a meaningful cause.

Best places for Voluntourism

Voluntourists that have Africa or Asia on their list, will find several opportunities to volunteer and travel on the website. Peru , Brazil , and Guatemala are Latin American destinations that are available to those who are passionate about this warm culture. Those who want to get off the beaten track, can opt for a program with the Bedouins in the desert or head up to Finland to discover the Nordic wilderness. There are plenty of opportunities to discover some of the greatest parts of the world while you leave an impression on the local community and help where you can. Volunteer tourists will find several types of voluntourism which will make their hearts beat faster.

Top 5 benefits of Voluntourism

It’s hard to name drawbacks when talking about travel and volunteering overseas even if it’s for a short period of time. It’s almost always associated with feelings of positivity. Both travel and volunteering allow people to get out of their usual environment and open up to new experiences. Volunteer and travel and you will be helping the communities of your travel destination. Let’s take a look at some other benefits voluntourism may have in store for you:

1. Valuable Learning Opportunities

Choosing to volunteer and travel will open up a new world. You will learn about the country and culture and interact with the local community . This will ensure a deeper understanding of the people and their situation. Depending on your volunteer activities, you will gain valuable insights in teaching and other activities. Learn some new skills and witness the opportunities that will unfold. Whether it's for valuable work experience or a way to spend your gap year. Meaningful travel opportunities await you.

2. Meet new people

You will meet other volunteers and travelers who share your taste in activities and interests. You’ll be connecting with like-minded fellow volunteers and of course locals. This will be a wonderful opportunity for meaningful relationships and cultural interchange. Meet other volunteering tourists that share your love for travel and value for giving back to the community.

3. New Experiences

This is a brilliant way to expand your perspective on life. Issues that seemed huge problems before, may seem trivial after your volunteer experience. New life experiences make you stronger and will empower you for the future. Voluntourism is a great way to experiment and see if volunteering is something you’d like to do more of in the future.

4. Health Improvements

Traveling and volunteering are two ingredients that practically guarantee happiness. Research has proven that traveling is beneficial as it puts people in a completely different environment allowing different parts of the brain to be used . Nature, which is usually a big part of going on a trip, is a wonderful healer for those under a lot of pressure and suffering from stress. On top of that, providing some kind of support, however small, will give you a sense a purpose which is a major happiness influencer. Happy people tend to be healthy people. Volunteer and travel and notice the effects it has on you!

This is your chance to explore and discover some of the most interesting places the world has to offer. You’ll be doing this while contributing to a meaningful cause . What are you waiting for? Get out your luggage and start packing for your adventure abroad as a volunteer tourist!

How do I get started as a Voluntourism Volunteer?

You’re ready to start your voluntourism adventure but you’re not quite sure where to start? First of all, have a look at the different programs across the globe, and pick a few that have caught your attention.

Once you’ve done that, let’s take a look at the first 3 steps which will send you on your way to do voluntourism abroad:

• Check whether there’s a match between you and the voluntourism project by looking at their requirements.
• Take a look at the location of the project and decide whether it would be a location you are excited about.
• Get in touch with the organization and see whether your expectations and your schedule match up.

Once this is sorted. Let’s take a look at the practical steps:

Insurance (Health & travel)

We recommend getting both health and travel insurance. In fact, this is even a requirement for all volunteer programs abroad. Get in touch with your program contact person to find out if an insurance plan is already in place for volunteers.

Visa, passport, and documentation

Once you know your destination, take the following 3 steps before setting off on your life-changing adventure!

• Look into the visa requirements for the country you will volunteer in.
• Make sure you have a valid passport considering the requirement of the host country.
• Make sure you prepare the correct documents to fulfill the visa application

That’s it! You’re ready to explore the world and start your own personal voluntourism adventure. Get ready for a life-changing experience that no school can ever prepare you for. Africa, Asia, and Latin America are waiting for your support. Discover what these projects have in store for you. We believe it will open you up to many more volunteering adventures in the future.

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

What is voluntourism? Everything you need to know

By Francisca Kellett

From a sustainability point of view, the idea of voluntourism – the combination of volunteering and tourism – sounds so admirable. Here’s a travel narrative that swaps frivolous consumption for working on projects that benefit people. And, on paper at least, it fulfils the growing demand for authentic and experiential travel. The voluntourists return home feeling they’ve achieved something useful; the voluntouristed receive some improvements to their daily lives. A connection is made. Everyone’s happy.

But if only it were that simple. Some projects do, of course, have a real impact, but the voluntourism model is more convoluted than it seems. A couple of decades ago, voluntourism was a marginal pursuit; over the past few years, as click-and-go technology has developed, it has become a booming business worth around £1.4 billion a year, and one of the fastest growing areas of travel. A badge of honour; a useful paragraph on the CV. And it’s not just channelling youthful enthusiasm but attracting families keen to expand their children’s horizons, and middle-aged empty-nesters looking for more meaningful experiences – the latter make up well over 50 per cent of volunteers, according to some figures. As such trips become more accessible, ruthless businesses are cashing in and dropping ill-equipped helpers into situations where they might not be helping at all.

The biggest problem, says Nicola Shepherd, founder of The Explorations Company , is when a client with no relevant skills ‘wants to teach at a “third world” school when they have no experience, no idea about the local curriculum, and no understanding of the long-term effect of dropping in and out again’. ‘But,’ she explains ‘when the skill set is that of a doctor, then their involvement can have a real long-term benefit to a community.’

Anecdotally, there are countless voluntourism examples that read like fairy-tale parables. The London family who went to Peru to help build a school and spent five days making bricks in a dusty Andean village, while the local brick-makers stood around bemused, before wandering off to watch TV in the backpackers’ lodge to fill their unexpected week off. Of wells being constructed so badly that the volunteers’ work had to be redone every night by builders; the travellers in Swaziland who spent a fortnight painting the walls of a lavatory block at a campsite that had obviously just been painted by the last shipment of overseas visitors.

Voluntourists are not, generally, trained medical staff heading out to heal. Those people are in the refugee camps, or working for the UN. And with plenty of underemployed unskilled labour in the developing world, why fly across the world to dig a well? ‘Most people volunteer with the best of intentions,’ explains Philip Goodwin, the CEO of Voluntary Service Overseas , which has been placing people abroad since the late 1950s. ‘But there is a risk that volunteers can end up doing more harm than good if they are working on projects which don’t serve the needs of the communities they’ve come to help.’ As a case in point, VSO only advertises for professionals, and for a minimum of 12-month placements, to make sure they have a lasting impact, while The African Leadership University , based in Rwanda and Mauritius , is another good example, encouraging long-term volunteers to join and transfer their skills – its latest two-year recruit is Mzamo Masito, the chief marketing officer at Google Africa.

‘I’m torn about the subject because people want to give back... but it needs to be meaningful,’ says Bruce Poon Tip, founder of Canadian-based G Adventures , which has partnered with Friends International’s ChildSafe Movement to implement a set of protection guidelines. ‘And travellers should never work in schools or orphanages.’ Non-profit organisation ReThink Orphanages estimates that 80 per cent of the eight million children living in such institutions have a family who could care for them. There’s a reason they don’t exist in the UK any more. G Adventures no longer offers voluntourism trips, instead integrating community tourism experiences into its itineraries and fundraising to support local projects such as female -only taxi drivers in Delhi and grassroots restaurants in Peru. In the developing world, money tends to go a long way – the amount that one westerner can spend on a two-week holiday could instead pay several local salaries for months.

The other major criticism of voluntourism is that it encourages the ‘white saviour’ mentality. Social media has been a good weather-vane, with accounts springing up to ridicule privileged westerners in ‘poverty tourism’ situations. One called @BarbieSavior shows the doll’s imaginary volunteering adventures, posing with a small black doll and saying ‘I sacrificed my daily beauty regimen to visit the local “hospital.”’ Comic Relief recently announced it is doing away with celebrity trips to developing countries and instead using local filmmakers and photographers. As No White Saviors , an anti-racist Ugandan-based advocacy group which challenges how aid and development functions in Africa , puts it: ‘We never said “no white people”, we just said you shouldn’t be the hero of the story.’

In some instances, though, projects simply wouldn’t exist without volunteers. Responsible Travel organises trips to a conservation project in Zimbabwe , where visitors can help the local team to observe and record rhino and elephant behaviour, and repair enclosures. And while it might not describe them as voluntourism, AndBeyond’s Impact Journeys allow guests to take part in rhino dehorning, bird tagging and lion tracking.

Laura Fowler , CN Traveller

Laura Fowler

Charlie Hobbs

Olivia Morelli

Perhaps it’s time we broadened our definition of the phrase into something more all-encompassing. Citizen-science projects thrive on more people taking part, even something as simple as sharing photos of whales spotted on a cruise. Swoop Antarctica works with the Happywhale platform to upload pictures and help scientific research, while Biosphere Expeditions takes travellers into the Armenian mountains to survey lynx, bears and wolves, and many of the other projects supported by the UK’s activist-inspired Responsible Travel involve wildlife. Aiding conservation rather than people-based experiences may be the most rewarding way of channelling that desire to make a change, while raising money for NGOs that hire local labour might be the most pragmatic. Of course, another alternative would be to go on holiday, relax, then volunteer in the nearest food bank when you return home.

Like this? Now read:

10 voluntourism trips that will actually make a difference

By Holly Tuppen

What is sustainable travel? All the terms you need to know

By Juliet Kinsman

10 ways to be a better traveller in a post-lockdown world

By Emily Mathieson

What is Voluntourism? (Pros & Cons)

Voluntourism (a portmanteau of volunteering and tourism) is a type of experiential travel where travelers participate in volunteer work to help out disadvantaged communities and offer their relevant skills for free.

This sort of volunteering is a growing trend, and many people are keen to try it, but it isn’t always as positive as it may seem.

Voluntourism sounds good on the surface, and it certainly does have its benefits, but there are some drawbacks to this type of volunteer work.

Like all attempts to do good, current and future volunteers must understand the local community and what they need, rather than being blindly undertaken by well-meaning but misguided individuals. 

If you are interested in volunteer tourism or eco-tourism, you should start with some careful research into where you’re going, what the people need, and how you can help. 

Thus, without further ado, let’s explore some of the pros and cons of these volunteer programs.

Pros of Voluntourism

Volunteer tourism has many advantages, even if it has acquired a bad name in recent years.

It is fundamentally grounded in the human desire to help each other and make the world a better place by tackling problems like environmental issues, and there’s a lot of good to be said for it.

• Voluntourism Is Educational

At its heart, voluntourism is about learning, especially when a reputable organization like World Vision sets it up.

It offers people the opportunity to immerse themselves in the lives of others and participate in cultural exchange while they volunteer abroad.

Rather than simply visiting another country on a surface level and walking around looking at the sites, volunteer tourism allows people to participate in the community’s activities. It encourages outsiders to learn about the community’s struggles, challenges, and joys, as well as share their own experiences. 

People can learn a lot by directly experiencing the lives of others and a new culture, and this is the kind of insight that volunteer travel seeks to offer. By making travel about integration, volunteer tourism educates both the volunteers and the local communities in the developing world.

• Voluntourism Encourages Good Feelings

Volunteering abroad in developing countries in a way that is meaningful and has a clear, positive impact can be a life-changing experience. The volunteers feel they have made a difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate.

The community they help also benefits from their visitors by gaining new skills, amenities, and insight into other cultures. Thus, by promoting friendship and cooperation, volunteer tourism encourages good feelings on both sides.

• Voluntourism Can Lead to a Better Quality of Life

The right volunteer projects, like environmental conservation performed by a non-profit organization, are about helping to solve a problem for a community. They identify issues that require the help of others and bring in people who can assist with those troubles.

This aid can improve the lives of people who are suffering, and it often leads to donations and interest in the area from the traveler, even after they have left. Further assistance may ensure that the situation continues to improve and more people offer outside support and decide to volunteer abroad.

Cons of Voluntourism

There are, unfortunately, many issues associated with voluntourism trips. And these negative impacts often have to do with greed, ignorance, or a lack of long-term commitment. 

• The Work May Be Substandard

Often, volunteers can not adequately perform the work they are doing, meaning they are not actually helping. There are stories of locals having to redo volunteers’ work because they did it poorly, which hurts the local economy.

Thus, these volunteers waste materials and time in areas where this waste is devastating. 

If you are going to try a voluntourism program, you need to make sure that the project has an actual impact and that you have the necessary skills for the work. 

• Voluntourism Companies May Be Dishonest

There are many reports of voluntourism companies preying on poor communities and creating issues or delaying help. They do this because they can make money by selling a vacation package that makes claims of volunteering opportunities. 

For instance, orphanages that receive funding or help from well-meaning individuals have a growing interest in “recruiting” vulnerable children that are not orphans. 

In fact, of the eight million children living in orphanages, most have at least one living parent. And the reason for this is partly because some voluntourism programs traffic these kids or use their own children to get free money and labor from visitors. 

Therefore, it is crucial to check that the people truly need your help and to research the company thoroughly before signing up to provide support for a project. 

• Locals May Lose Work

In some cases, voluntourists end up taking jobs from local staff who would have completed the project themselves without external help. Often, what local economies need most is funding, not extra hands.

It costs people a lot of money to fly out for a volunteer program and learn new procedures, and if businesses instead spent that money on paying locals, they could do the same work more efficiently. Unfortunately, some people who engage in voluntourism are more interested in international travel and looking good than actually helping.

So, it’s oftentimes better to raise money for the region instead of paying to fly out and help in person. Unless the voluntourist has exceptionally high-demand skills, like in health care, there will almost always be local people who can do the job.

Usually, the issue is funds and materials, not labor. A well-meaning volunteer may be taking away work from the local people, who depend upon the income and may suffer financially as a result.

• Voluntourism Creates Short-Term Development

The instability of the voluntourism trend can also be problematic. Because the flow of people is irregular and unreliable, local projects often suffer.

The “drop-in, help for a month and then leave” nature of voluntourism makes it unstable in regions of extreme poverty that need stability. For example, teaching for a month sounds admirable, but these short-term projects leave the school stuck when the teacher goes.

Similarly, people who only work for a few weeks can leave projects short-handed later. Unless the need is short-term and the volunteer tourists can finish the project and any other projects they are volunteering for before they leave for their home country, voluntourism can cause more harm than good.

Thus, sustainable development is what leaves enduring contributions and helps to alleviate poverty and improve well-being. 

Overall, voluntourism has its place and stems from a desire to be helpful, but interested individuals must treat it with caution. If you want to undertake a volunteer project abroad, do thorough research into the host community and company and reach out to past volunteers to determine whether your presence will truly help the people who need it.

Table of Contents

Eric has been a travel addict since he finished college and a writer since he could hold a pen.

A native of Florida, he loves traveling and visiting unique places all over the world and has an ever-growing collection of travel tips and experiences.

Eric is a digital nomad, a fan of slow travel. He has been traveling for the last 7 years, and has visited over 40 countries.

GoEco > What is Voluntourism: Everything you ever Wanted to Know

What is Voluntourism: Everything you ever Wanted to Know

To volunteer is to offer a precious gift both to yourself and the greater community, whereby you learn more about the world around you, make meaningful relationships and have a positive impact on those that need help most.

Yet the idea of voluntourism is often shrouded in mystery with many misconceptions surrounding it. GoEco has decided to tackle the big questions surrounding tourism, in an honest attempt to clear up some of the misunderstandings. From money matters to orphan tourism to the impact that voluntourism has on developing communities, here is your guide to everything you ever wanted to know about volunteering.

The ethics, reality and sustainability of volunteering

How can I ensure that the project I volunteer at is sustainable and ethical? Research, research, research! Look at reviews, blogs and social media to see whether the project is up to your standards. This can be very time consuming and there is only so much that you will be able to gather on your own. Placement agencies do the hard work for you, a company like GoEco ensures that all programs are legitimate through constant communication with them, meetings at conferences and through personal experience, a vast collection of volunteer feedback and more. Placement agencies will not retain programs that are not in accordance to their ethical values or have a low volunteer satisfaction rate.

How do I know that the animals that I want to volunteer with are being taken care of? Animals  are, unfortunately, often exploited for the tourist dollar. Make sure that the project offers educational programs and has high ethical guidelines that it follows, doesn’t promote the riding of animals and seeks to release the animals (if possible) after their rehabilitation. Read past volunteer reviews to find out more about the operations of the project.

Is voluntourism elitist? If we look at our own backyard, we often see many injustices and people in need, yet we are rarely ready to give up our time and money to take any action, instead choosing to travel to a more exotic place. Well, to some people, our hometown is and our social issues are exotic and people are willing to pay money to stay there and to help develop solutions to what can be considered to be ‘our’ problem. Voluntourism is thus simply a cultural exchange and a switch of labor, not a means to show others how much better we are.

What kind of change should I expect during my volunteer trip? The biggest change should be the one within yourself. If you finish the project with an open heart, a new way of looking at the world and a willingness to continue to contribute to the greater good, then you can consider your trip to be a success. By becoming a better citizen of society, you can use your experience to either raise funds for the project afterwards or to simply bring awareness to it – every little bit helps.

Are all the volunteer project in third world countries, with poor living standards? Absolutely not! Volunteering is simply an act of offering your time and skills free of charge and projects can range from interning at a fun hostel in Barcelona , to conducting  coral reef research in Australia and participating in a cultural exchange program in Japan .

The effects of volunteering on local community members

How will my volunteer trip impact the local community as a whole? To make the most out of your volunteer trip, make sure that you spend time exploring, learning about the culture and also purchasing from the local shops and restaurants. This will ensure that your contribution is spread throughout the community and that everyone can benefit from your stay. You should also look out for projects that run community development programs, rather than focus on just one aspect of need. For example, if you want to volunteer with children affected by HIV , see if the program includes community education that will help to curb this issue from continuing in future generations.

Who else benefits from my volunteer experience? In short, the entire community. From shopkeepers and tour guides, to restaurant owners and taxi drivers, all are able to feel the reach of your stay. Most importantly, by staying longer than an average tourist, you will be able to form deeper and more meaningful relationships with the community around you.

Is tourism bad for the community? Yes and no. There are some travellers that visit countries through foreign owned tour companies, stay in franchised hotels and don’t collect their litter after a stay at the beach. There are others who try and spend as much of their money on local products and take care not to hurt the environment during their stay. Either way, tourism does provide jobs for the locals and the opportunity to share their culture with the visitors. It is up to you to make sure that you travel in a way that will contribute to the development of the community and help it grow, without having a negative impact on the environment.

Is volunteering a cultural exchange experience? It is. In fact it is not only you who is learning from this experience, but also the people that you encounter on your trip. As a representative of your country, you will be able to teach others about your own upbringing and way of life, along the way learning the similarities and differences between countries and cultures. Volunteering is thus a fantastic way to meet people that you may otherwise not have had a chance to encounter and also to tell others about your home country.

Am I taking away jobs from locals? The reality is that in many places it is a matter of accepting volunteer help or having nobody to do the job at all, as the funds are simply not there to pay a local. For example there are schools that cannot afford to pay for an English teacher, thus making volunteers the only solution to teaching the kids English. By volunteering through a reputable organization, you can ensure that you are offering your volunteer hours in a sustainable manner that will help the community grow and not hinder its development.

Why should I volunteer in a remote village? For many remote places, tourism may be the main source of income for the community. By going on a volunteer trip to an off the beaten track place, you are able to both experience something new and untouched for yourself, as well as help the community learn English and build an infrastructure that can accept more tourists. Your trip will also help to bring awareness to the remote place and their needs, if you document your experience on social media.

The effects of volunteering on children

What is orphan tourism? Orphan tourism is whereby tourists want to volunteer at an orphanage and people take advantage of this demand, by supplying them with children that are either not actually orphans or have been taken away from their living families unlawfully. As it is very hard to distinguish between a good willing organization and a bad one, it is of utmost importance book your ‘volunteer with children’ program with a reputable placement agency that has prescreened the project and its intentions.

Are children affected by the constant turnover of volunteers? All children crave stability and that is what the school teachers, program facilitators and families are there for. It is not the volunteer’s role to replace the locals who are able to give a truly stable experience for the child, but rather it is to support the staff in a way so they can continue to work productively and take care of the children.

Are volunteers screened before they are allowed to work with children? Placement agencies such as GoEco request a police check as well as for the volunteers to fill out a questionnaire, before they are accepted onto a project. If you choose to volunteer without a placement agency, make sure that the project that you volunteer with subjects you to the same level of scrutiny as that is for the benefit of both the children and the volunteers.

What is slum tourism? Slum tourism refers to tours that take tourists through impoverished places without the tourist contributing to relieving the suffering of the people that they are observing. Look for programs that offer multi day volunteering opportunities with a clear model on how the work done will continue to serve the community in the future.

The costs associated with volunteering abroad

Where does my money go? Great question! Generally the project fee goes towards covering the cost of living for the volunteer, administrative fees and a donation towards the project. Without such a payment, the projects would be covering the costs of hosting the volunteer out of pocket, and may not have the resources to promote the cause and attract volunteers such as yourself.

Isn’t it better if I just donate money to the project directly? It’s true, if you added up the flights, the project cost and other expenses, and instead of going on the trip just donated all the money, then the project would benefit greatly. However few people are willing to part with such large sums of money without getting anything tangible in return. Also, by volunteering you will get first hand experience of the issue at hand as well as be able to contribute skills that may not easily be found on location, such as a foreign language that you may know.

Will I be doing charity work? It’s best not to view your volunteering as charity work (which may suggest that others somehow rely on you), but rather that you are there to assist the project with their needs, which will ultimately contribute to their success and eventual independence.

Should I bring gifts to the project? Sure! Some projects will advise you of their needs ahead of time, although it is best practice to purchase such goodies upon arrival. This will allow you to see exactly what is needed, support the economy by purchasing locally and will most likely be cheaper for you.

How to match your volunteer trip to your skills

How do program managers know if my skills match their needs? A good placement agency will conduct an interview or otherwise screen their volunteers to ensure that the project can utilise the volunteer’s skills in the most effective manner.

I am a professional in my industry, can I still volunteer? Yes, please do! You can choose a project that offers internships as they allow interns to have a more hands-on experience than regular volunteers. Just remember that your aim should be to assist and to learn from the project and not try and manage it because you have experience.

I don’t have any experience, can I still volunteer? You can! As you volunteer you will learn many new skills, just remember that of utmost importance is your willingness to learn.

Will I be given useless tasks just to keep me busy? No such thing! Whether you are asked to pack learning material or to sweep kangaroo poop , every task you are given helps to move the project forward. This is your way of supporting the project so that professionals and the local staff can perform their necessary duties.

What do I do if I’m not enjoying my project? There are many reasons that you may not enjoy a project: perhaps the work doesn’t meet your expectations or the living conditions are different to what you are used to. It’s a good idea to take a moment and reflect on whether this is something that is easily resolved (mosquito spray can sometimes work miracles on a bad mood) or requires the attention of a supervisor. If it is the latter then speak to someone on site or contact your placement coordinator – they may be able to provide you with alternative options, such as switching projects, that you won’t have if you go alone.

How to make the most of a volunteer abroad experience

What will make my experience more meaningful? As exciting as going into the unknown may sound, you will definitely be able to contribute more as well as have a better experience if you take the time to learn about the country that you are planning to visit, and its culture. Many programs will include such information in their welcome pack, however it is very worthwhile to learn a couple of words from the local language, read up about the country’s history and even watch a movie made there, as that will help you better understand the place and the people that you will be living with.

Should I spend time traveling in the country that I will be volunteering in beforehand? Absolutely! Many programs have orientation weeks that will allow you to get a better understanding of the culture, the history and even the language of the country that you will be living in. Going on excursions during your volunteer trip is also a great way to contribute to the local economy, all while having fun!

Where can I find neutral first-hand volunteer experiences? Browse social media, especially platforms such as Instagram, which will be able to showcase the volunteer experience from a volunteer’s point of view. You can also ask to speak to an ambassador, a recent returnee from the program, directly, to hear about their experience.

Why should I volunteer with an organization? Projects that have been running for some time have long term goals in mind and want to develop solutions that act more than a band aid over the problem. Although every little bit helps, it is better to work with an established organization, that will be able to implement a sustainable long term plan for the project. Such organizations also have experience in working with volunteers, including training them and making the most of their time; unfortunately this cannot be said for all projects, so it is important to work with a reputable company.

Can I contact the volunteer program directly? Yes and no. You may find a project online and decide to contact the organizers directly – if you do not hear back from them, then consider this a red flag. Often times the organizers will actually forward your details to a placement agency that they are working with as they do not have the resources to answer enquiries themselves; this is why they work with companies such as GoEco in the first place. What are the benefits of booking my volunteer trip through a placement agency? There are many, however the top reasons are as follows:

• They have the volunteers’ needs in mind and strive to do everything possible to make the trip a success
• They have the resources to research available projects and the experience to differentiate between the legitimate and the questionable ones
• You will have a 24 hour English speaking point of contact outside the place that you are volunteering, should you need help
• In the event of an emergency, it is easier to contact a placement agency outside the danger zone, than the project which may have more pressing issues to deal with
• They may be able to help you switch programs or offer you another solution, if you don’t like your placement. This is unlikely to occur if you volunteer independently
• You have the assurance that the program operates according to strict ethical regulations, as required by the placement agency
• They reduce your risk of having a bad experience by only working with organisations that have proven their worth
• Past volunteers receive a discount for future projects

For more information on voluntourism, and to start planning your next project, contact GoEco today .

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Voluntourism trips – build a “bottle school” on your volunteer trips in Latin America.

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What is Voluntourism?

• Voluntourism means volunteering your time, skills, and energy with an organization, issue, or causes to help make a difference in communities around the world as part of your vacation package.
• “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Gandhi

Voluntourism is a new way of traveling that is becoming increasing popular around the world. Voluntourism is when people volunteer overseas while they travel. It is similar to “eco-tourism” in a way, because the objective of improving lives is still present. But unlike eco-tourism, voluntourism is aimed at helping other people rather than helping the environment. Voluntourism involves tourists going on vacation or rather, missions to help out on a particular project.

This volunteer work overseas entails not only the duties a volunteer will do, but it is also gives a chance for tourists to discover new places, experience a foreign culture, and learn more about people in other countries. The time spent becomes an exciting and fulfilling vacation because you get to immerse yourself in another world while helping out those in need.

Doing voluntary work overseas is very different from the typical idea of a “relaxing” or “sightseeing” vacation which is in fact very artificial and does not allow you to really engage with the people in the country you are visiting and to form relationships with them as other human beings. In a sense, that sort of trip is more like taking a long trip to a human zoo to look at people and things rather than to live and be with them as one people.

Volunteer travel is a lot more sustainable as well because it deviates from the typical indulgent vacation. In voluntourism, you get to be responsible for the growth and change of others which is an experience unlike any other. This makes your trip to another country worth so much more than just “having fun” the whole time.

One thing that is clear is that going abroad and giving money and gifts to strangers, even if you do it from a place of love and with the best intentions, may not actually be helping them.

Ultimately, volunteering abroad is a rewarding, worthwhile activity. Your hard work and dedication in making a change in the world will touch lives – not least, your own.

Volunteer’s Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

Your rights.

• The right to feel safe
• The right to information, training, and supervision for your volunteer role or project
• The right to feel valued by asking questions and offering constructive feedback
• The right to negotiate your volunteer role
• The right to leave at any time

Your responsibilities

• The responsibility to communicate your needs
• Communicate, communicate, communicate
• If you don’t feel well, you aren’t comfortable, you are not getting the experience you would like to have, or you don’t understand something, please communicate.
• Don’t assume anything. Communicate what you need: we can’t know your needs unless you communicate them.
• The responsibility to follow through on your obligations
• Help improve the reputation of volunteers worldwide by doing what you say you’ll do, whether it’s honoring the volunteer role and schedule you’ve agreed to, show up ready work, provide notice if you will be unable to perform your tasks, saying no or stepping away from volunteering when necessary, or simply serving as a good representative of World Ventures in the community.
• The responsibility not to promise what you can’t deliver
• This is very important in the world of voluntourism because it is fairly easy to unintentionally promise too much when one is excited about making a difference. This is particularly important when interacting with vulnerable populations like children. We want to avoid hurting the reputation of the organization we are serving with as well as World Ventures and certainly we don’t want to hurt the trust of those that we serving. This is important for your experience and benefits those to come.
• HYPOTHETICAL: Say you have spent a day working with some little children and one of them in particular has touched your heart. Before you leave you promise her you’ll bring a gift when you return. 1) Tomorrow comes and you forget, or your plans change and you don’t go back. How does this affect the little girl? How does it reflect on you, the organization you are serving with, World Ventures, and the country you come from? 2) You decide that she could use cheering up so you buy a few things or select something from among your personal belongings to gift. When you return to her you call her over and all the other little children follow because they were up all night dreaming with her of all the things you might bring the next day. You give her the gift, she gives you a hug and runs off followed by a pack of other children and some adults. What lesson do you think you taught her? What impact to you think you made on the other children and people in her village? You wanted to really help her, but will the impact of your gift be both positive and lasting or short lived with potentially more negative effects than positive?
• The responsibility to honor the organization’s investment in you
• World Ventures is investing a lot in you and your voluntourism experience, as is the hosting organization. You must always strive to represent these organizations to the best of your ability and respect any policies or procedures they inform you of throughout your voluntourism experience to insure the best possible results.
• If paperwork is needed to be signed or filled out, make sure you take care of these things before your volunteer work begins (Code of Ethics, Confidentiality Agreement, release forms, etc.)
• As a generality, anything worth doing is worth doing well. If it was worth flying across the world to experience it’s worth your time and effort to perform your volunteer service well and fully.
• The responsibility to take care of yourself
• It is the responsibility of each individual to make sure that you don’t overextend yourself, burn out, or cause yourself physical, mental, or emotional harm by taking on roles that aren’t a good fit or that you are not prepared for. We will strive to provide opportunities that fit the full spectrum of abilities and skills whereby ensuring everyone is able to help to the extent that they feel comfortable and useful. We will set realistic goals for accomplishment while maintaining appropriate levels and opportunities for fun and breaks.

(http://www.idealist.org/info/Volunteer/Rights)

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The Pandemic Changed The World Of 'Voluntourism.' Some Folks Like The New Way Better

Malaka Gharib

Last summer, Becca Morrison, 21, was all set to volunteer at a community arts nonprofit in Zomba, Malawi. She'd work with the marketing team as a copywriter and social media manager.

Then the pandemic hit, and the trip got canceled. "I was peeved," she says. "I was so excited to travel. I had the whole thing planned."

Still, Morrison was determined to find a volunteer gig, which she needed to graduate as an international development major at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, U.K. So she found another opportunity in Zomba, this time with a nonprofit group called the Sparkle Foundation . And it would take place virtually.

For three months last summer, Morrison helped the group — which runs a school and a medical facility for children in the community — do tasks remotely. She even personally raised $7,000 for the cause.

"I've done so much without even leaving my house, my room," she says. "I think the pandemic has changed the game completely for volunteering."

Becca Morrison, 21, at home in Norwich, U.K. She has been volunteering virtually with an arts nonprofit in Zomba, Malawi from her bedroom. Becca Morrison hide caption

Becca Morrison, 21, at home in Norwich, U.K. She has been volunteering virtually with an arts nonprofit in Zomba, Malawi from her bedroom.

The pandemic has indeed transformed the landscape of international volunteering, say researchers. A February survey of 130 volunteer organizations and 239 international volunteers by the International Forum for Volunteering in Development found that the pandemic had spurred volunteer groups to offer more remote volunteering opportunities and consider expanding national volunteer membership in the future.

Even as some groups gear for a return to the way it was, others are changing their modus operandi — and some of these new ways of working are a step in a more sustainable direction.

"The pandemic has shown us there are different innovative ways volunteers are able to provide services," says Christopher Millora , an academic based in Iloilo City, Philippines, who is leading research for the U.N.'s next State of the World's Volunteerism report. This could lead to a "paradigm shift as to what kinds of relationships international volunteer organizations have toward local communities."

That's an important move in an industry riddled with criticism. Over the past few decades, critics and activists have been urging volunteer abroad organizations to rethink their business model.

They say sending volunteers from rich nations to low-income countries perpetuates the white savior complex by portraying volunteers as superheroes who will rescue the poor from their misery.

"There's this postcolonial narrative of young, aspirational, light-skinned people from the West thinking they can go to Africa for two weeks and change the world," says Konstantinos Tomazos , a senior lecturer in international tourism management at the University of Strathclyde. "That's the main criticism of the sector that plays into the idea of the white messiah."

They say projects can be harmful and exploitative.

One of the most popular activities for volunteers, say the experts, is helping children in orphanages. That demand, as a result, has created perverse economic incentives . "In places like Kenya and Cambodia, Nepal and Tanzania, orphanages are prolific. But the children within them are not orphans and in many cases are being placed in orphanages in order for orphanage directors to profit from the [volunteer] tourism demand to engage with orphans," says Leigh Mathews , founder of Alto Global, an international development consultancy group and the co-founder of Rethink Orphanages, a group that helps volunteer groups terminate their orphanage programs and repatriate children with their families.

Volunteering Abroad? Read This Before You Post That Selfie

And some critics question the helpfulness of volunteers.

In Ours To Explore: Privilege, Power and the Paradox of Voluntourism , author Pippa Biddle writes about a shocking discovery she made while volunteering in Tanzania as a teen. She and a group of young, inexperienced volunteers were assigned to help local workers build a small library at an orphanage. Days into the project, she found out that every morning, the local workers were taking apart the volunteers' shoddy work from the day before and redoing it correctly before they woke up.

"While my intentions to be helpful and encouraging and to give back came from a good place, my time at the orphanage did not even begin to address their real needs," writes Biddle.

A major industry

Despite these criticisms, international volunteerism is a big business.

Since the mid-1800s, when trains and ships made it possible for the public to travel cheaper, faster and farther than ever before, people have strived to "voyage to less-resourced nations for pleasure and purpose," says Biddle.

The phenomenon of volunteer tourism is now a $3 billion a year industry, says Tomazos. The funds paid by participants go to the thousands of groups that coordinate the trips along with the development programs they support.

The money also benefits local economies. The volunteer organization Habitat for Humanity, for example, says their trips alone bring in an estimated $6.9 million to the drivers, hotels, restaurants and gift shops that serve international volunteers when they visit.

And while it's hard to pinpoint how many international volunteers there are in the world, the U.N. estimates that if volunteering were a full-time job, it would account for 109 million workers.

It's easy to understand the appeal of overseas service, says Biddle. There's a sense of adventure, and people feel good about helping those who are less fortunate. Studies have found that volunteers perceive the trips as a meaningful and transformative life experience . People often come away from the trips with feelings of improved well-being, purpose and happiness.

Advice To Parachuting Docs: Think Before You Jump Into Poor Countries

On a more practical note, "voluntourism" is a practical way for people — like Morrison — to gain experience in international development. Maia Gedde, author of Working in International Development and Humanitarian Assistance , says people hoping to start a career in the field "volunteer as a steppingstone to build skills, knowledge and networks to put them in a much stronger position when applying for humanitarian jobs in the future."

But not all volunteer programs are the same. In the world of international volunteerism, there are two kinds of gigs. One is volunteering with development programs, such as the Peace Corps in the U.S. and Voluntary Service Overseas in the U.K. These groups, often funded with government aid, assign volunteers to long-term projects around the world — a year or two or more working at a school in Malawi, for example, or supporting helping small business owners in India. Such programs typically provide the volunteers with basic accommodation and a modest allowance for food and other living expenses.

Then there's volunteer tourism — nicknamed "voluntourism" by academics. People pay to take part in shorter-term projects abroad, which can range from tutoring kids in Nepal for a week to spending a few months conducting nutrition workshops in Thailand to traveling with a church mission group to the Philippines to dig wells. Volunteers must pay for their journey, including flights and transportation, meals and lodging as well as fees to the organizations and the programs they support.

In-person trips not required?

During the pandemic, both the development programs and volunteer tourism groups have had to recalibrate their efforts. And some groups have been surprised by how eager volunteers were to stay involved — even though their trips to the field were canceled.

One of the most well-known groups in the latter category is Habitat for Humanity . Its Global Villages program invites people — mostly from Western countries — to help out in 30 mostly low- and middle-income countries. Over the course of about two weeks, groups of 15 people, half volunteers, half local staff, build homes, hand-washing and health-care facilities as well as participate in other kinds of projects. Volunteers do not need special skills but do need cash. There's a fee of about $1,650-$2,500 per person to participate, often raised through donations from friends and family. About 12,000 volunteers participate each year. During the pandemic, that number dropped to zero.

Despite that, many of the 800 projects planned for 2020 still got done, says Jacqueline Innocent , senior vice president of integrated programs at Habitat for Humanity. Local staff and paid contractors — mason workers, for example — pitched in. It just took a little longer because there were fewer helping hands.

Innocent was also pleased to see that many of the volunteers whose trips were canceled did not ask for a refund. They let Habitat keep the funds as a donation. And many organized their own virtual workshops, events and music festivals — to raise funds.

Dave Kovac, a 20-year veteran volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, speaks to students from his international service class at Oregon State University. For 10 weeks last fall, the class conducted a virtual Habitat build. Each week, the students checked in with Habitat staff in Vietnam as they built a house for a family in need. Natalie Kovac hide caption

Some volunteers even arranged "virtual builds." Dave Kovac is a 20-year Habitat volunteer veteran and teaches courses on international service at Oregon State University. He was scheduled to go on three trips with Habitat in 2020, including one with a cohort of students. When the trips were canceled, he worked with Habitat to create an online program where students "adopted" a Habitat build in Vietnam. Over 10 weeks, Kovac and his students met weekly to fundraise, learn about Vietnamese culture, get updates from local staff about the project's progress and speak to the family whose house was being built.

The program was so successful that Kovac says he is trying it out again in August, this time with Habitat Brazil. He says he likes the model because it targets "people who are interested in some kind of experience but can't go abroad due to timing, job, personal issues, family. So maybe they can tag along virtually."

The virtual engagement made Habitat realize something, says Innocent. "We're not as dependent upon cross-border volunteers as one would have previously thought. It has been surprising how much people are willing to do [for Habitat] even though they don't get that reciprocal experience" of being there.

"I suspect," she adds, "what we're going to see when we're able to come back is more hybrid approaches" — creating opportunities like the virtual builds for international volunteers, for example.

But, she says, "I don't see a scenario at the moment where we would want to eliminate the [field] experience." The trip is what people love, she says — and local staff rely on those volunteers to help carry out the projects more quickly.

These virtual opportunities with reputable organizations offer "a wonderful alternative to on-the-ground voluntourism," says Biddle. They "bypass so many of the issues voluntourism creates and require the volunteers to show true commitment to a cause and a community — even from afar."

Greater appreciation for local volunteers

For other organizations, the pandemic has affirmed a decision they've made well before the crisis: recruiting more local volunteers instead of Westerners, says researcher Millora. And the pandemic has driven home the importance of these helpers.

Voluntary Service Overseas is a U.K.-based development organization that hires and places skilled volunteers in long-term projects in nearly 30 low- and middle-income countries.

But over the last few years, the group has been recruiting more in-country volunteers. "They're the ones who can hold the government accountable, who know the context," says Papa Diouf , who heads VSO's global work in health and is based in Kigali, Rwanda. Many of these volunteers are graduates from the School of Education at the University of Rwanda.

In the first few months of the pandemic, VSO Rwanda had to send its 50 international volunteers home. Because the group had a preexisting membership of 200 national volunteers, it was able to carry out its education program, says Diouf — training public school teachers to improve literacy and numeracy skills among primary school students.

OPINION: Volunteering Abroad Is Popular And Problematic. Let's Fix It

The international volunteers, who were brought on for their expertise in school leadership and education development, stayed involved ... virtually. Using Zoom and WhatsApp, they checked in with local volunteers, who were doing much of the in-person work — visiting schools and mentoring teachers. And when schools were shut in Rwanda due to COVID-19, it was the local volunteers who kept in touch with the schoolteachers via WhatsApp.

Diouf doesn't think VSO is going to end its practice of sending volunteers abroad anytime soon. The international volunteers have crucial expertise that the organization's projects need. In fact, now that some travel restrictions have been lifted, some of the international volunteers who were sent home from Rwanda at the start of the pandemic have returned.

But, he says, the pandemic helped him see how crucial local volunteers are, especially in times of crisis. VSO's Rwandan volunteers mobilized to spread COVID messaging in their country and track essential health services disrupted by COVID. Supporting "those local volunteers had already been a shift in our program thinking, but COVID-19 has only helped us move faster in that direction," he says.

Benjamin Lough , an associate professor at the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a global volunteerism researcher, says VSO Rwanda's emphasis toward local service in the pandemic is "a great turn." But he has a caveat.

"The pandemic revealed both the strengths of relying on local volunteers as well as the limitations when support from abroad is lacking," he says. "We can't just pass on more responsibility to domestic volunteers without providing additional support" in the form of funds or manpower.

Booking again ... but with a difference

As vaccination rates soar in the West and more countries loosen COVID travel restrictions, volunteer groups have started offering trips again.

For many overseas service operations, those trips abroad are their bread and butter, says Tomazos, the tourism researcher from University of Strathclyde. "They have a business model. No volunteers means no money."

Volunteers also bring important knowledge into the mix, says Lough. Local staff from some volunteer abroad groups have told him: "We value the skills those volunteers are bringing into this community. We want them to come in."

And people have begun booking trips again.

But things are definitely different.

Kovac sees real promise in the virtual Habitat builds, because it may help people focus on the real reasons they're volunteering. "It's really for people who want to help because they want to help, not because they want to travel."

As for Morrison, she says she "feels lucky" that she was able to accomplish so much with the Sparkle Foundation last year even if she wasn't physically in Malawi. In fact, the group liked her work so much that they asked her back this summer as a paid intern working remotely.

In her bedroom in Norwich, she says that without the distraction of feeling "mesmerized" by an exotic location, she's been more honed in on her true purpose as a volunteer. And that's made her reevaluate the concept of overseas service.

"It's almost [discriminatory] that to make a real difference, you have to pay all this money to travel somewhere very far away," she says. "That's not how charity works."

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Can ‘voluntourism’ outgrow the white saviour stereotype and make a positive change post-pandemic ?

Senior Lecturer, Massey University

Disclosure statement

Sharon McLennan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Massey University provides funding as a member of The Conversation NZ.

Massey University provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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As the tourism industry emerges from pandemic shutdowns and border closures, so too is “voluntourism”, the sometimes controversial combination of overseas volunteer work and more traditional tourist experiences.

Although hard to measure, pre-pandemic estimates suggest voluntourism was worth US$2 billion annually , with up to ten million volunteers globally. While COVID shut the practice down for the duration, it remains a multi-billion-dollar industry , now poised to return and rebuild .

But volunteer tourism has met with considerable criticism. Voluntourists have been accused of putting vulnerable people at risk ( including children ), commodifying volunteer work , perpetuating neo-colonialism and reinforcing a “white saviour” complex.

Voluntourism is also largely unregulated , raising important ethical questions about who it really aims to serve – travellers or hosts. These issues are now being felt in the Pacific, where voluntourism is a relatively new but growing industry. As Simone Kaho wrote of her experience in Tonga:

In many cases, voluntourism asks the local community to stand back, and allow themselves to be helped. It turns helping into a business model.

My research in Fiji has also highlighted the problems associated with the commercialisation and commodification of volunteering. These are real and important issues that need close examination as tourism in general picks up.

Behind the ‘bula smile’

The Fiji case study – conducted with an international, for-profit, specialist voluntourism agency – tells a complex story about the benefits and downsides of voluntourism.

Volunteers are hosted by local families and included in household life, attending church or religious functions, learning to cook Fijian food, and spending time with children and other family members. Through this, they gain an understanding of life behind the famous “bula” smile. As one staff member said:

The host may get angry with you if you leave the light on, you may feel like you are back living with mum and dad because they may give you a lunch box, things like that. But it’s important that they see the person who is paid to smile at the Hilton, what they are like at home with their kids, how they make ends meet, how they eat.

Read more: COVID-19 has devastated the popular but flawed volunteer tourism business – here's what needs to be done

Hosts often put considerable energy into sharing their way of life and teaching volunteers Fijian culture. Most hosts and staff took pride in helping travellers find their way around and teaching them Fijian ways. In turn, this helped Fijian staff build knowledge and pride in their own culture.

Also the good thing is that we keep up with our culture. Because if you are talking about it every day and you show them and try to talk about it, then the history remains […] Now when we go to the village we do the sevusevu [kava ceremony] and all those things, and we go with the elders. It was our mothers that did that, but now we are doing it, the next generation. When we have volunteers in a Fijian village we will go to any lengths to give them what they want, to try and serve them […] But of course then the volunteers change to become more Fijian!

A chance to improve voluntourism

The growth of voluntourism in Fiji follows half a century of mass tourism , in which contact between Fijians and tourists has been largely limited and manufactured. Hosts embrace the opportunity to interact with tourists more directly and to build connections across the globe.

However, the commercial nature of the encounter has the potential to significantly undermine these connections. The large fees paid by voluntourists mean they – like any tourist – are consumers.

Volunteers have certain expectations, ranging from the mundane (internet access, good food and logistical support) to the more profound (a sense of accomplishment, a feeling they’ve made a difference). They will complain if these expectations aren’t met.

The pandemic also raised questions about the sustainability of voluntourism. The organisation I studied cut its global workforce significantly. In Fiji it had provided jobs for about a dozen Fijian staff, as well as home-stay income for many households.

Read more: Volunteer tourism: what's wrong with it and how it can be changed

While there is evidence that reliance on customary knowledge, systems and practices helped tourism workers to survive and even thrive during the pandemic, the future for many is uncertain.

COVID-19 has been something of a wake-up call that we need to move beyond voluntourism as a pseudo-development practice or as a commodified, profit-making experience. This is an opportunity for the industry to take on board the criticisms, examine past practice and reassess the role and impact of volunteering.

Rather than rush back to business as usual, this is the perfect moment to look at reconfiguring the industry in line with the principles of sustainability and regenerative tourism . In the process, perhaps voluntourism’s strengths – building cross-cultural relationships, learning and solidarity – can contribute more to meaningful social and environmental change.

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Program Manager, Teaching & Learning Initiatives

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Rishab Shankar March 10, 2024 General

Volunteering or Voluntourism: What’s the Difference?

The desire to explore the world while making a positive impact is increasingly common. However, there are two distinct yet intertwined paths to consider: volunteering and voluntourism. While both involve travel and engagement with communities, their approaches and potential outcomes differ significantly. Understanding these differences is crucial for individuals seeking a meaningful experience abroad that benefits both themselves and the communities they encounter.

This article delves deep into the key distinctions between volunteering and voluntourism. We’ll explore their unique characteristics, potential drawbacks, and responsible approaches to ensure your international experience contributes positively to the local community and your own personal growth.

What is voluntourism?

Voluntourism, a blend of “volunteer” and “tourism,” combines travel with short-term volunteer work, often focusing on the volunteer’s experience and personal growth. While the intention might be honorable, it can have unintended consequences for local communities.

Let’s delve into some potential drawbacks:

Exploiting local resources: Voluntourism programs, due to their short-term nature, can place an undue burden on local resources. Food, water, and transportation costs for volunteers can strain limited resources, especially in developing countries. It’s crucial to consider whether the program offers a net benefit to the community after factoring in the resource consumption.

Disrupting local cultures: Inadvertent cultural disruption can occur when volunteers, with good intentions, impose their own values and beliefs. This can be particularly detrimental in communities with established traditions and customs. Responsible programs strive to immerse volunteers in the local culture, fostering respect and understanding rather than imposing foreign perspectives.

Creating dependency: A reliance on short-term volunteer projects can create a dependency on foreign aid, hindering the development of sustainable solutions within the local community. Ideally, volunteer programs should focus on skills transfer, empowering locals to address their own challenges in the long term.

It’s important to note that not all voluntourism experiences are inherently detrimental. Responsible programs address these concerns by prioritizing community needs, facilitating cultural exchange, and promoting sustainable practices. However, careful research and critical thinking are crucial before embarking on a voluntourism journey.

What is volunteering abroad?

Volunteering abroad goes beyond the fleeting experience of voluntourism. It’s a dedicated commitment to immersing oneself in a foreign community to contribute meaningful skills and support towards their identified needs. This translates to a focus on:

• Community-driven projects: Unlike voluntourism, which might prioritize creating impactful experiences for the visitor, responsible volunteering prioritizes addressing existing challenges identified by the local community. This might involve working on projects like education initiatives, healthcare assistance, environmental conservation efforts, or community development programs.
• Sustainable solutions: Responsible volunteering programs understand that short-term interventions are often detrimental. They strive to create sustainable solutions by focusing on capacity building and knowledge transfer. This means volunteers work alongside locals, share expertise, and empower them to continue the work independently after the program ends.
• Cultural sensitivity: Respect and understanding are paramount in responsible volunteering. Volunteers undergo cultural sensitivity training to ensure their actions and behavior align with local customs and traditions. This fosters genuine cultural exchange and avoids any potential disruption to the social fabric of the community.

How to volunteer abroad responsibly

Choosing the right program is integral to ensuring your experience is both impactful and ethical. Here are some key aspects to consider during your research:

1. Program Focus:

• Needs-based approach: Verify that the program prioritizes addressing the specific needs of the local community, as identified by the community itself. This ensures your contribution directly tackles their existing challenges.
• Long-term sustainability: Look for programs with a track record of fostering long-term sustainability. These programs focus on empowering locals through skill development and knowledge transfer, allowing them to continue the work beyond the volunteer’s time.
• Partnership with local organizations: Choose programs that collaborate directly with established local organizations. This ensures that the program is culturally sensitive, deeply embedded within the community, and directly contributes to their existing initiatives.

2. Program Credentials:

• Reputation and transparency: Research the program’s reputation by reading reviews on independent platforms and contacting previous participants. Look for clear and transparent information about their goals, activities, and financial structure.
• Ethical practices: Ensure the program adheres to ethical practices, such as fair compensation for local staff, responsible use of resources, and clear communication about volunteer expectations and responsibilities.
• Financial transparency: Understand the program’s fee structure and how the funds are used. Be wary of programs with high fees or unclear financial practices.

3. Personal Preparation:

• Skill and experience: Assess your skills and experience to ensure you can offer valuable contributions to the chosen project. Be honest about your limitations and seek opportunities to learn alongside locals.
• Cultural awareness: Engage in cultural sensitivity training to gain an understanding of the local customs, traditions, and social dynamics. This ensures respectful interactions and avoids any unintentional cultural insensitivity.
• Long-term commitment: Responsible volunteering often requires a longer-term commitment, allowing you to build meaningful relationships with the community and contribute more effectively to the project.

Our Volunteering Programs

Here is a snapshot of our high-impact volunteering programs abroad. Click the links to learn more or contact us to begin your socially responsible volunteering journey today!

Animal and Wildlife programs

Participate in research-based programs like the Wild Elephant initiative in Sri Lanka or the Big 5 Wildlife project in South Africa . For those seeking hands-on involvement, join our Wildlife Sanctuary projects in South Africa or Thailand.

Animal lovers can contribute to domesticated animals’ well-being in our Animal Care programs in Sri Lanka , Nepal, Costa Rica, and Peru.

Dental Volunteering Programs

In India , collaborate with seasoned professionals to witness and address diverse oral health challenges faced by local communities. Our program in Nepal , offers  a unique dentistry volunteer opportunity amidst breathtaking landscapes and warm hospitality.

Medical Volunteer Abroad

We offer medical volunteer programs in several countries. Each location offers unique opportunities to learn and excel at the craft while forming lifelong personal and professional networks. Choose from Sri Lanka , Nepal , India , Cambodia , Philippines , Costa Rica , or Peru .

Marine Conservation Volunteer Programs

In Costa Rica , work alongside skilled biologists to safeguard nesting sites, witness the magic of turtle hatchlings, and contribute to the care of injured turtles.

For an equally mesmerizing experience, participate in our program in the Maldives , where you’ll team up with trained biologists to protect nesting sites, ensuring the well-being of these incredible marine creatures.

Volunteer Teaching Abroad

Embark on a life-changing journey by joining our impactful summer teaching programs. We offer English teaching programs at all our volunteering locations. Immerse yourself in local communities across our global network, working in primary schools, after-school centers, or community centers.

Gap Year Volunteering

Taking a gap year after high school offers a unique opportunity to explore personal interests, develop new skills, and make a lasting contribution to the world. Gap year volunteering programs provide a structured yet immersive experience, allowing you to gain valuable firsthand knowledge about different cultures and global challenges.

Family Volunteering

Family volunteering creates a powerful opportunity for families to connect, learn, and contribute to a meaningful cause together. These experiences transcend the ordinary, creating lasting memories and fostering a sense of shared purpose amongst family members. Volunteering exposes children to different perspectives, cultivates empathy and responsibility, and teaches them the value of contributing to the community.

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Voluntourism VS. Volunteerism: What’s the Difference and is it Harmful?

Blog · Recent Posts · Volunteer Work Abroad

Every year, approximately 1.6 million people volunteer abroad. Many people are turning to volunteer organizations abroad to take their talents, skills, passions, and empathy to communities in need, but it’s also important to acknowledge the potential for wrongdoing.

Voluntourism is now a $173 billion dollar industry  and wherever there’s so much revenue to be made, there’s a chance for foul play.   

Most volunteers have good intentions in wanting to give back by volunteering abroad, yet, not realizing that a volunteer organization or tour company could be just selling them a “feel good experience”, that actually does more harm than good. Some volunteer opportunities are really just money-making schemes set up by scam artists trying to capitalize on people’s good intentions and in fact, do more harm than good for the local communities they are supposed to help.

Table of Contents

VOLUN TOURISM  VS. VOLUN TEERISM , WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE AND IS IT HARMFUL?

Photo Credit: Investigative Collective

It’s important to differentiate between volun teerism and volun tourism . Voluntourism  is a term “emerged in the late 1990s to describe a travel experience that includes volunteering along with more traditional tourist activities. Although people who volunteer internationally for long periods of time still combine tourism opportunities into their experiences abroad, the terms are usually only applied to short-term experiences that can fit into a vacation from work or school (max. about six weeks, most often much less). These short-term programs are sometimes also referred to as ‘volunteer vacations’.” (Learning Services, Bennett, Heckscher, Collins, Papi-Thornton) .  Voluntourism efforts are confined to a much shorter time period than volunteerism,  which is typically long-term volunteer opportunities  and attached to making a long-term impact on local communities. Voluntourism, however, is based on the experience of the volunteer rather than making a deep impact on the local community. Yes, it can be a way to gain exposure to different ways of life, but it’s important to realize that voluntourism trips often involve little to no specific work experience and requires a registration fee in order to participate in voluntourism programs. Emphasis is on the volunteer, the tourist, the customer, often selling a “feel good” experience and not necessarily addressing the local needs.

More and more travel companies are increasingly getting involved with selling volunteer travel packages and making a commission. The dangers of this are that these travel companies may not be aware of how harmful this could be for the local communities as they may only understand the tourism side of the business.

When Volunteering Abroad Goes Wrong:   Exploitation of Children in Orphanages, a Child Trafficking Business 

Photo Credit: ChildSafe

Photo Credit: Anti-Slavery

Some of the worst cases involve the exploitation of children in orphanages (or sometimes called child tourism).  Stories have now come out about facilities where poor children are passed off as orphans to unsuspecting volunteers, even though the children have one or more parents who are alive. There have been documented cases in poor countries like Haiti where parents were conned into sending their children to live at orphanages, with the promise of better healthcare and education, and instead, the children’s pictures were used in advertising campaigns to solicit support and funds from all over the world. Even worse, when the authorities investigate, they discover that the children were beaten and mistreated, and did not get the healthcare or education their parents were promised.

These sham orphanage operations have been discovered in countries like Nepal, Cambodia, and Uganda, among others. The problem is much bigger than most volunteers realize — the organization Lumos , which fights the institutionalization of children worldwide, says that up to 80 per cent of children living in orphanages has at least one living parent. Experts say that a child who is separated from its parent and put in an orphanage can suffer from attachment issues because of the short-term nature of volunteer relationships. Voluntourism constantly creates and then breaks the bonds between children and adults, which is damaging to a child’s self-esteem and creates separation anxiety.

Some organizations purposely cause harm by stockpiling donations and using the funds for personal gain instead of advancing local communities.  Moira Waterfall volunteered to teach English at the Happy Home orphanage in Nepal.  She was so passionate about helping the young orphans that she founded a separate website to raise over $4,000 for Happy Home.  But while she was there, she witnessed poor conditions, and she was informed of horrific abuse at the hands of Happy Home’s owner, Bishwa Archarya.  It soon became clear that the money wasn’t being used to improve the orphanage or better the children’s lives – it was going into Archarya’s pockets.

Volunteers really do want to genuinely help underprivileged children but unfortunately, for every legitimate organization that does great work, there are several more that are only interested in exploiting children to make a profit.  To avoid paying one of these misleading companies, it’s critical to conduct thorough research on the volunteer guidelines of volunteer organizations in order to spot any red flags.

Why You Shouldn’t Ride Elephants – Elephant Tourism

Photo Credit: Koh Samui Sunset

We’ve all seen pictures floating around on social media of tourists visiting places like Thailand or Bali taking selfies while riding elephants crossing off one of their “bucket list” goals.  In 2016, it was reported that captive elephants gave almost 13 million rides to visitors in Thailand. According to a study carried out by “ World Animal Protection (WAP) across Asia, this is helping to fuel a rise in elephants captured from the wild and kept for entertainment. The number in Thailand has increased by almost a third over the last five years.”

In Vietnam, it is reported that there is merely 55 captive elephants left in Vietnam and multiple stories of elephants suddenly collapsing and dying of severe exhaustion from being overworked and starved in the elephant tourism industry has been a sad reality. The World Animal Protection conducted another survey and found nearly 50 per cent of travellers “pay for an animal experience because they love animals,” said Schmidt-Burbach . If only they knew the harsh treatment these poor elephants have endured.

In some instances, volunteers who have volunteered in elephant “sanctuaries” ( I added quotation marks because due to the rise of awareness of harsh treatment in elephant centres, many have changed their names to ‘animal sanctuaries’, but are clearly still operating unethically ) saw more tourists than volunteers, and the main role of the volunteers was to be tour guides. They were expected to usher groups of tourists through the grounds and let them get up close and personal while the elephants were fed and washed. The elephants did tricks for the tourists, and in general, the atmosphere was more carnival than sanctuary. Elephants were being treated harshly by their trainers and were not given enough to eat or drink, and in some cases were in need of medical attention for injuries or illnesses.  This  is a composite of stories that have come out in recent years about the dark side of animal voluntourism.

As outlined above, voluntourism is a name given to the recent trend where people from developed countries travel to countries around the world and spend anywhere from a week to several months helping out in areas where there is a need — orphanages, schools, animal sanctuaries medical centres, or rebuilding homes in the aftermath of a natural disaster like hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.  There can be significant problems with voluntourism. It can do more harm than good for a group of well-meaning foreigners that descend on a community and start volunteering on construction sites to build homes, which may actually be taking jobs away from local workers. This is not to say that people shouldn’t volunteer to build houses and schools in other countries — it’s just that projects like these need to be well-managed and have ethical volunteering guidelines in place that works together with local communities.

Here are some things to remember before you sign on to a volunteer program  abroad :

. What are the costs? There can be large differences in the cost of these programs. If the price seems too high for a one-week trip to help out at a school, for example, the organization may be keeping a chunk of the fee for themselves. Although many non-profit organizations do use volunteering trips as a way to raise money, beware if the price seems exorbitant. Ask for an explanation for all the fees involved. A legitimate volunteer organization will always be transparent about their fees.

. What is the duration? A short-term trip may fit in with your schedule, but if it is too short for you to accomplish anything significant, what is the point? Is it just to fill the pockets of the organization?Does the project have a local benefit? Is the local community going to be better off after you leave? What is the long-term picture like?

. Are you taking a job away from a local worker? If there are people who will lose a week’s pay because you’re taking their job, it’s time to reconsider why you are going if you are doing more harm than good.

. Can you find a good fit for your skills and education ? If you have training and experience as a doctor, you can do a lot more good working in a health clinic in Haiti than mixing cement at a construction site. Look for opportunities to use your talents that can add long-term value for the volunteer organization.

. Is the organization legitimate? This is especially true if you’re going to volunteer at an orphanage or child care organization. Do your research, ask questions, contact government agencies if necessary, but by all means make sure you are dealing with an ethical, legitimate organization . By the way, if the organization does not require some background about you, or have a system in place for vetting volunteers that should be a red flag. An orphanage should not accept volunteers without finding out if they are qualified and have a clean record.

Voluntourism can be a great way to help out disadvantaged communities in foreign countries.  You just need to exercise good judgment and do your homework to ensure that you are one of the volunteers who helps, not harms, the people and communities involved.

For more on what important questions to ask volunteer organizations, click here .

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Volunteering on vacation can be a way to connect with the land you are visiting. In between beach days and museum tours, consider signing up to help a local environmental organization. Spending a few hours pulling weeds or cleaning trails will show you a new side of your destination. Here are five free volunteer opportunities that put the planet first.

Help reforest Honokowai Valley with Maui Cultural Lands in Hawaii

In Maui, reforestation efforts are underway to boost native plants

The work done by Maui Cultural Lands is rooted in the Hawaiian values of aloha (deep love and compassion), malama (properly caring for something) and kuleana (to be responsible). This nonprofit is dedicated to the reforestation of the Honokowai Valley, and volunteers can help by weeding invasive species and planting native plants and trees in their place. Every Saturday morning, volunteers get down in the dirt and participate in Honokowai Valley maintenance projects.

Build trails with the Truckee Donner Land Trust in California

The Truckee Donner Land Trust builds and maintains trails near Lake Tahoe

The Truckee Donner Land Trust in California aims to protect "open space for nature, for people, forever," and you can be part of its efforts. Volunteers sign up to spend part of the day doing trail work, like removing brush and making repairs, with tools provided. Over the last three decades, the land trust has preserved more than 40,000 acres of open space in the Truckee Donner region near Lake Tahoe.

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Pick up trash with Keep Bermuda Beautiful in Bermuda

Keep Bermuda Beautiful relies on volunteers for its monthly cleanups

Keep Bermuda Beautiful teaches people ways to reduce waste and organizes monthly trash cleanups across the island, blending action with education. Once a month, volunteers can sign up to pitch in at one of those cleanups, with Keep Bermuda Beautiful equipping everyone with trash and recycling bags, litter pickers and disposable gloves. The organization also assembles two major annual events: the Great Big Bermuda Clean-Up during Earth Week in April and the International Coastal Cleanup in November.

Monitor coral reefs with CoralWatch in Australia

Citizen scientists can help experts keep track of coral bleaching events

Multitaskers, this is your chance to shine. While snorkeling, scuba diving or reefwalking in Australia, you can also gather scientific data on coral bleaching and send it to CoralWatch , a citizen science program out of the University of Queensland. The organization sends volunteers charts that show the colors of bleached and healthy corals, with the swatches then compared to actual coral. The data is collected on a sheet and later submitted through CoralWatch's website. The process is as simple as it is helpful.

Clean up litter with Trash Hero in Southeast Asia and Europe

Trash Hero chapters remove thousands of pounds of trash every year

Trash Hero , an organization dedicated to eliminating plastic pollution, has more than 100 chapters across Southeast Asia and in Europe that regularly remove trash on beaches and streets. Volunteers just have to register in advance, and show up on the big day — the chapters take care of cleaning materials. Anyone can join the Trash Hero movement, which calls on people to waste as little as possible while reusing as much as they are able.

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Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com . Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com , The New York Times , The Book of Jezebel , and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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• Discover Hong Kong

'Hong Kong Pals' Volunteer Programme

Organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, ' Hong Kong Pals ' is a volunteer programme that encourages people from all walks of life to share their personal recommendations and tips so that visitors can explore the city like a local. Tourists can simply pop into our  visitor centres and chat to a ‘ Hong Kong Pals ’.

From now until 31 May 2024, Hong Kong residents can apply to become ‘ Hong Kong Pals ’. For more information, please click below or visit the ' Hong Kong Pals ' Facebook fan page for the latest updates.

What ‘Hong Kong Pals’ Say

Agnes Tam: “I am proud to share the hidden gems of Hong Kong with visitors. A “thank you” with a smile from visitors in return has been the most rewarding part of my 12 years serving as a Hong Kong Pal.”

Marco Kwok: “I’ve been a Hong Kong Pal for six years. It has given me extensive opportunities to discover Hong Kong’s rich culture and its many sightseeing attractions and festivals. Most importantly, I have been able to get involved in the different mega events organised by the HKTB. I know that I am co-creating a memorable and joyful travel experience for tourists, and that is a source of great personal satisfaction for me.”

Pat Wong: “This is my 14th year as a Hong Kong Pal and this programme enriches my understanding of the city where I live and strengthens my inter-personnel skills too. I always find something interesting and fun when I interact with visitors. Are you interested? Then come and join us.”

Vienna Lee: “It is an honour to be part of the Hong Kong Pal team. It has given me a deeper understanding of Hong Kong and a greater sense of belonging.”

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