Community Matters - Volunteer tourism industry growing

 

If you have never heard of voluntourism you would not be alone. It is the combination of volunteering and tourism and is becoming an increasingly popular form of international travel. In Western countries it is a growth industry, attracting mainly young adults, and some retirees. It is a modern day version of “Overseas Experience” or OE as it is known, which has been popular with young New Zealanders for a long time.

The trips are usually short term, mostly 1–2 weeks and sometimes the traveller lives with a host family. Other times they may live in luxury resorts spending a few hours over the week on volunteer projects. Projects can include for example, teaching English, helping with hands on projects, such as building, clearing hiking trails, beach clean ups or working in food preparation.

Advantages for the traveller are that they meet locals, not just other tourists or backpackers, meet like-minded people, learn something new, express their social consciousness and of course it looks good on their CV. Ideally the experience broadens their horizons and they return home inspired, better informed and looking to contribute more.

Longer-term examples are Medicins san Frontieres (Doctors without Borders), who offer their specific skills for a year, and Habitat for Humanity, building houses with locals, both well-known and credible organisations. In well-run and sustainable volunteer projects such as these, benefits are seen and are helping to implement long-term development, and contributing to local economies.

There is, however, growing unease about the rapid growth in the industry and concern about who really benefits. Can tourists make a real difference to community development by spending a few days or weeks of their time on a project?

As the volunteers often pay thousands of dollars to work in poor communities there are also some unscrupulous operations, such as orphanage tourism, where young children are taken from their families and placed into ‘orphanages’ to fuel the demand for volunteer placements.

There is also concern that placing volunteers who do not have the skills required to help can do more harm than good. Unintended consequences can be taking away local jobs, forming bonds with children in need that are short-lived, and cultural insensitivity. The needs of the volunteers can become the focus rather than the needs of the communities. Some argue that this money could be better spent if it was donated straight to the project, maybe paying a salary for a qualified local worker to take the place of the volunteers.

Many developing countries say they don’t need any more unskilled labour. However, volunteers who do have skills and experience in areas such as childcare, working with animals, construction skills and medical skills, who are thoroughly screened, carefully placed and well-prepared, can and do have a positive impact, and it is actually far more rewarding to the overseas visitor. Run well through credible charitable organisations, the whole process can give a real understanding of poverty

and our shared humanity. It can also remind travellers how fortunate they are and help them return to their home country with a restored outlook on life.

n Otamatea Ward councillor, Libby Jones, is involved in many community organisations in both paid and volunteer roles. She has experience in social services, health and education including governance, funding, research, clinical and management roles.