According to the all-knowing Wikipedia, voluntourism is “travel which includes volunteering for a charitable cause”. For many, like me, voluntourism is a way to combine volunteering and traveling, creating a more meaningful experience.
This past July I volunteered for 10 days in Cambodia through United Planet, one of many non-profits that organize volunteer trips across the world. I learned more about the country and the people than I could have ever learned on a sightseeing-only trip. By creating relationships with the people of Cambodia, I was able to gain a connection to the country unlike any other place I’ve visited.
children playing outside the English school
Once you’ve decided to going on a “volunteer vacation”, ask yourself these questions – what are my interests? What country do I want to visit? How much volunteering per day do I want to do?
If you choose to go through an organization, be sure to do your background research to avoid getting scammed. In most circumstances, you will pay a flat fee which often includes airport transfer, lodging, and some meals. For me, this was the best choice. I was already nervous about traveling to a country by myself, so having some of those details taken care of let me focus on what I was there to do. My trip was 10 days, but most organizations can hook you up with anything from one week to one year. This is a great option if you’ve considered joining the Peace Corps but just can’t sign up for a two year commitment away from family and friends.
There are critics out there who claim that voluntourism doesn’t actually benefit the communities and that volunteers cannot make a difference in just one week, but I disagree. There’s no right way to make a difference, and there’s no formula for how long it takes to make a difference.
For more information and resources on volunteering nationally and abroad, check out Idealist and Transitions Abroad. There is also a great list of Voluntourism Guides and Books at 52PerfectDays. Verge magazine is another great resource, a magazine dedicated to “travel with purpose.”
“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” Ryunosoke Satoro
6 Comments
Hey thanks for sharing about voluntourism. It’s something I’m considering for my RTW trip in a few places while I’m abroad.
I’m having a hard time deciding which companies seem the most legitimate so I’ll check out United Planet considering you had a good experience. Thanks for the other links, too..
[Reply]
Abbie Mood Reply:
January 26th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
Thanks for the comment, glad you found the information useful!
[Reply]
Great advice Abbie. I recently decided that I am not going to travel anymore for just the sake of traveling – I want to find some way to incorporate volunteering into all my trips. It is tough to find groups that don’t sound sketch ball though – please share if you come across any others.
[Reply]
Abbie Mood Reply:
January 26th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
I feel the same way, and it can be hard to find a reputable company – I researched a few before I went with United Planet!
[Reply]
Cool overview, Abbie. Your experience in Cambodia must have been amazing. United Planet sounds great.
[Reply]
I loved volunteering in India. I went through a group and felt a bit like I got scammed but you have to realize that a voluntour IS first and foremost a tour business. I think there are cheaper and more authentic ways to volunteer but you would have to do all food and lodging by yourself which for a lot of people is just too difficult.
[Reply]
Abbie Reply:
May 15th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
It definitely costs more to go with a group, but it was my first time traveling that far alone and I had no idea what to expect, so I wanted the support. It turned out to be a great experience, too
How long did you volunteer in India for?
[Reply]
Abbie, I know you’ve been really busy and that’s why you couldn’t make it to any of the volunteer events that I hosted through OC Volunteers. I’ll be leaving that group soon and I’ll be joining another group in the next couple of weeks. Hope to see you with my new group. ~ Bob
[Reply]
I guess this post is a little over a year old now, but I still find it interesting to read about how people select volunteer programs to participate in. There are so many out there right now that the task can be taunting!
Cheers,
Andrew
[Reply]
Abbie Reply:
February 4th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
No worries – I’m glad you found it to be informative
[Reply]