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voluntourism sucks and you shouldn't do it

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Volunteering abroad, or voluntourism, seems like a great idea, but is it? In today's video I address the general critiques voluntourism, talk about orphanage voluntourism and medical voluntourism, and end with my opinion on the subject.
All sources at the bottom of the description box!
Cover photo from the instagram @barbiesavior
F O L L O W M E
@sarah.karver on Instagram
M Y F A V O R I T E B R A N D S
docs.google.co...
S H O P M Y F I N D S
poshmark.com/c...
A B O U T M E
My name is Sarah, and I’m just a gal looking to share information about sustainability, ethical fashion, and travel. Subscribe for new videos every Tuesday and Friday!
R E M I N D E R
I’m not an expert in anything. My views and opinions will shift over time, so do not take my word for truth. I want to inspire you to take the best informed action you can and to do further research on your own. If you ever want to discuss a topic further or have a perspective I haven’t considered, leave a comment or shoot me an email at karversarah@gmail.com
S O U R C E S
Guardian: "In defense of 'voluntourism"
www.theguardia...
Guardian: "Beware the 'voluntourists' doing good"
www.theguardia...
CNN Travel: "Giving Back: A Special Report on Volunteer Vacations
www.cntraveler...
NYT: "The Voluntourist's Dilemma"
www.nytimes.co...
The Feed: • Voluntourism: More har...
UNICEF: www.unicef.org...
Guardian: "The business of voluntourism"
www.theguardia...
National Geographic: "5 myths about voluntourism"
www.nationalge...
The Coversation: Volunteer tourism: what's wrong with it and how can it be changed?
theconversatio...
Goodnet.org: Why You Should Ditch Your Next Vacation for a Volunteer Trip
www.goodnet.or...
NPR: As 'Voluntourism' Explodes in Popularity, Who's it Helping Most?
www.npr.org/se...
Bright Mag: Reduction Seduction of Other People's Problems
brightthemag.c...
HRSC research paper "AIDS orphan tourism: a threat to young children in residential care" (2010)
BMJ research paper "The ethics of voluntourism" (2016)
Annals of Tourism Research paper "Applying social distance to voluntourism research" (2010)
Progress in Development Studies paper "Medical voluntourism in Honduras: ‘Helping’ the poor" (2014)
NBCI paper "Perceptions of the Role of Short-Term Volunteerism in International Development: Views from Volunteers, Local Hosts, and Community Members"
Geoforum "Who are we responsible to? Locals’ tales of volunteer tourism" (2016)
#Voluntourism #SustainableTravel

Опубликовано:

17 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 22

@emmaperry4072 5 лет назад

I completely agree with you on this! During my gap year after high school, I knew I wanted to go a big trip of some sort, and came across a lot of opportunities for voluntourism. Similar to you, I did a ton of research and found out a lot of information that didn't sit well with me and what I stand for. I ended up opting for a few weeks, learning Spanish at a school called Entrelenguas for tourists and anyone who wanted to live and learn like a local in this small town in Spain. I stayed with a host family, and absolutely fell in love with this tight knit community of people at this school. In the end, I am so happy I did the research because I know I wouldn't have felt good coming away from a voluntourism experience. It is so important to DO YOUR RESEARCH! Thanks for sharing, Sarah!!

@SarahKarver 5 лет назад

Emma Perry I love how your experience crafted cultural exchange through learning! It sounds like you got something out the experience from actually engaging with people and realizing they have things to teach you. Thanks for sharing your experience!

@ellier2018 2 года назад

Man it sucks bc I enjoyed my volunteer trip I went on as a 15 and 17 yr old, but I wasn’t thinking about the entire organization as a whole. I was just excited to go be in another country. But I’m so glad I’m learning this cause now I can practice thinking critically when I volunteer

@aliceearthgirl 3 года назад

Very well researched. I feel like it depends on the individual. If someone goes out there with the wrong mindset, doesn’t do research and embrace the culture they are entering, and doesn’t do anything (including donating) to the community again then it can be problematic. However, I feel it can be done in a right way, depending on the charity/organisation.

@courtneywarrenn4765 5 лет назад

I am actually doing a research paper for my environmental ethics class on voluntourism & ecotourism! So thank you a little extra for this vid :)

@SarahKarver 5 лет назад

Amazing! I'd love to hear about what you find out! Thank you for commenting (:

@guynelson2341 2 года назад

Yes, these volunteers shall be working for a "non profit" organization to help the local people.

@florenciasalahs.3487 5 лет назад

Hi Sara!! Wow Ive never thought of this side of voluntourism and the impact that it actually had!! I agree with you with the claim that we see our selves as the helpers and I think thats the reason why our help in developing countries isnt that useful. I believe that once we have spent our time helping around we feel done and happy so we dont really care about what happens later because even though we did this with good intentions, we booked this experience thinking about the personal benefit it will have (make ourselves feel good, be seen as good people, having a cool life experience). I could be totally wrong and Im not sure if I was clear enough hahaha, but yeah thats more or less my opinion ☺️ Ive been searching other kinds of voluntourism and I found this program called WWOOF maybe you could check it out, I would love to hear your opinion 🤩 As always, greetings from 🇨🇱 and great video!!

@SarahKarver 5 лет назад

Flo Salah hi Flo! Thank you for such a thoughtful comment! You bring up a great point about doing things just for the feeling of doing good. I’ll definitely look into WWOOF and get back to you!

@florenciasalahs.3487 5 лет назад

Sarah Karver thanks!! I would love to hear back from you and your opinion!! 😁

@courtneyransom2276 5 лет назад

I agree with the critiques and really want to hear from the people actually impacted!!

@SarahKarver 5 лет назад

Thanks for the comment Courtney! ♥️

@AJ-tx3qm 5 лет назад

LOVE this video!! Here in the U.S., I worked with refugees for a couple years, mainly from Congo, Eritrea, and Somalia. I had already been feeling pretty critical of voluntourism (or worse mission trip tourism) due to social work school but then working at a refugee resettlement office put the nail in the coffin. I think, even if subconsciously, voluntourism is fueled on the perceived helplessness of people in developing countries + the hero complex of people in western countries. But it was so obvious to me as I worked with my intelligent, resilient, determind, creative, and passionate clients the problems were more along resource, education, and internal/governmental structure lines. It's not as simple as helping + recieving and there are ways that are, though more complicated and less glamorous, far more effective and empowering for those being "helped." Again, love this video!

@AJ-tx3qm 5 лет назад

Also, the voluntourism system creates a damaging view of citizens of developing countries' views on themselves. When they get a water system for example from a white group and then it breaks and they always need a western person to come fix it, it creates a mindset that they can't do things without western people.

@SarahKarver 5 лет назад

hey alissa! sorry I'm just now seeing this comment. That's such an interesting take on this issue. I definitely agree that it's structural issues that need more attention.

@Tekenmetkonijntje32 5 лет назад

I am actually on a volunteering trip right now and agree 100% with everything you said. But I think the idea of it is definetely not bad. In the end, you are realising your privilige and want to use it in a good way. I didn't do any projects in an orphanage or any others working with children, for obvious reasons. I did some projects though which I honestly found helpfull. I worked in a turtle conservation programme were they could literaly see the turtle population growing. We would also clean the beaches which would make locals become more aware of those issues. This project could never excist without the volunteers working there and their money. Right now I am working at a restaurant serving meals for 8 cents a day to people who need it. I don't think a lot of bad is beeing done with that. Except for the flights that you took to get here. I do think you should do your research first! No what you are going to do! I believe that most people doing this actualy believe they are helping and haven't even thought about the white saviour complex or don't think twice when posting photos of children without their consent. But I do think you should do your research and in general, more research should be done around this theme. Excited to hear your opinion now hahah. Btw I just found you and I loooove your content! Keep up the great work!

@SarahKarver 5 лет назад

Wow that must have been so rewarding seeing the turtle population grow. You bring up a good point about conservation work + voluntourism. Often, data and tracking projects need the outside funding to keep their operations running. I love that one of the goals was to raise awareness of issues within the local community. I also second that in general people should do more research before going on these kinds of trips. Especially research on the organization, their values, and their source of funding. Thank you for the great comment and sharing your perspective!

@animeboy2100 3 года назад

I see voluntourism as either a form of temporary escape and a way for one to feel better about the world. It can give one the appearance of "greater than though" because they are going to one of these countries to "help" their situation. There are many issues with this, but I will say that maybe the best thing to do would be to leave them alone. These countries were plundered of their land. It's like a thief taking all your stuff from your home, then feeling bad for what they did, and coming back to do some redecorating.

@taitumbuckley-grote213 5 лет назад

I definitely agree with the critiques of voluntourism and it is my impression that the majority of people who go to volunteer abroad do not have the purest of intentions when doing so. They are partaking in poverty porn and exploiting these underprivileged communities for likes when they come home and post about their experience helping these people so that they can boost their social image. I also think that is a really good point about whether or not these communities actually want our help or not. It is the western view that we are so knowledgeable and capable of helping these third world countries as we put ourselves on a pedestal when in reality we often end up doing more harm than good. In one of my classes last semester my professor talked about a hurricane that hit a village in Bolivia (might have been Peru I can't quite remember haha), but basically relief aid supplied the village with forks and eating utensils thinking they were being helpful. The villagers were confused because what they really needed was supplies to rebuild their homes or boats so they could get back to work to start making a living wage again to support their families. I think that that is where the disconnect is and what causes so much harm from voluntourism. These volunteers will come into these communities knowing nothing about their way of life and their struggles and start giving them help they think they need rather than asking them what would actually be helpful for them. I would also love to hear your thoughts on WWOOF and Workaway! 😊

@SarahKarver 5 лет назад

Hi Taitum! Thanks for sharing the example from your class and making great points!