| Volunteering overseas is an admirable activity but | | | | Your services alone are what you are giving when |
| if you are paying a commercial company to give | | | | you volunteer (consider I-to-I is owned by one of |
| up your time you might be doing more harm than | | | | the biggest package tour companies in Europe). |
| good. | | | | - Why pay so much to let somebody find you |
| It is difficult to criticize anything as positive as | | | | somewhere to work for free? There are heaps |
| good intentions, but it is worth putting that aside | | | | of organisations that will happily take your |
| for a minute. There are many awkward aspects | | | | services without charging you anything. You will |
| to volunteering, especially for the short term. | | | | still have to pay your own costs in getting there |
| These might not be so clear when you are | | | | and living expense, but you won't be stitched up |
| looking at a glossy brochure promoting everything | | | | before you leave. Paying three grand or so |
| from teaching kids to helping emotionally unstable | | | | (without flights) to volunteer for a few weeks is |
| elephants. | | | | madness. |
| The explosion of 'voluntourism' (sorry for the ism) | | | | - Consider that if you book through a travel agent |
| is relatively new and caters largely for the 18-24 | | | | their company will be getting roughly 10% or |
| year old market. It's an absolutely huge market in | | | | more of the total fee you are paying. This money |
| the U.K and is steadily growing in Australia. | | | | and the rest of the "admin" fee is better given |
| Generally having some sort of skill set used to be | | | | directly to those really in need. |
| a big factor when volunteering, but no longer is | | | | - Check out traveller forums like Lonely Planet's |
| this the case. Volunteering is big money. Big | | | | thorn tree; there are regular complaints about |
| businesses are customising volunteering packages | | | | commercial volunteer programs |
| for everyone, regardless of their expertise, | | | | Aside from the commercial aspect of volunteer |
| motivation or time line. This is great if the | | | | tourism, another consideration is whether or not |
| volunteers are filling a genuine demand, but | | | | you are doing the right thing by local communities |
| unfortunately in some cases this has led to | | | | by volunteering there in the first place. Would you |
| projects being created and matched for the | | | | want your child taught by different and often |
| volunteers' needs rather than a volunteer being | | | | unqualified teachers rotated every few weeks? or |
| matched to an existing project. | | | | even people that just volunteer on weekends, as |
| This is a strange reversal of roles between | | | | is offered by some companies? Despite the hype |
| volunteers and the people (or animals or grass | | | | there are not often shortages of teachers willing |
| patches) they are supposedly helping. Who is | | | | to stay longer term in many places. |
| helping who? And why? Companies such as I-to-I | | | | To be blunt, most people volunteer for selfish |
| (quite popular in Australia and Europe) will offer | | | | reasons. It's hard to question anybody's good |
| programs to volunteers in a range of destinations | | | | intentions but you might find yourself in a position |
| and have programs ranging from building work in | | | | doing more harm than good, especially through |
| Africa to helping turtles in Central America. These | | | | commercially concocted programs. The positives |
| programs can be useful for very short trips, but | | | | to this type of program might be more the |
| similar programs can be organised elsewhere | | | | people you meet than the actual help you give. |
| without the considerable amounts you will be | | | | You will most likely be in a group of likeminded |
| charged by this and other companies. Paying what | | | | travellers and get more of a chance to meet and |
| can be thousands of dollars to work, of which | | | | interact with locals than if you were just passing |
| 100% is pure profit for the company organising | | | | through. Just be wary of any glossy brochures |
| your program and not the people in need, makes | | | | and any company asking for massive fees to set |
| no sense. Consider these points before deciding to | | | | up the program. While making one kid smile might |
| volunteer with a commercial company: | | | | be a great motivation, it's perhaps better to try |
| - These are commercial companies run for profit. | | | | and stick it out longer term if you really want to |
| Very little, if any, of the money you pay will | | | | try and make a difference in their life, rather than |
| actually reach the project you are working on. | | | | yours. |