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| Gap Years and Irresponsible Volunteering | |
 Irresponsible Tourism | Volunteering | Gap Years and Irresponsible Volunteering |
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 Topic: Its not just vulnerable youngsters |
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sarah jane
Newbie 
Joined: 09 Jul 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
   Topic: Its not just vulnerable youngstersPosted: 09 Jul 2007 at 07:46 |
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I volunteered a couple of years ago.I am a woman of a certain age...i thought Id done a reasonable amount of research, I am a mature sensible and intelligent woman... I know how to check out a deal....BUT...
when I arrived for my volunteer trip
I was not met
I found myself baby sitting young volunteers
The limited information I recieved about the project before I arrived, proved to be erronious.
Noone at the project was expecting me
a tiny proportion of the large sum I had parted with found its way to the project and then there was no formal accounting for this amount and it was handed out to the project as a form of noblesse rather than as considered auditable funding.
Noone within the organisation that sent me appeared to have knowledge of the project or indeed appeared able to give appropriate cultural advise.
If it had not been for the support of some of the wonderful local people who befriended me , my time could have not only been wasted, I may also have done real damage in a vulnerable community.
Since my return I have spent time in lots of forums and on travel review sites.My story is by no means unique.
I have now found a reputable company with whom I choose to travel.
But I am still very concerned that others, less adventurous than me may find themselves in similar positions.
Sorting out the good guys from the charlatans or just plain incompetant is not easy, my advise to anyone, whatever age , considering volunteering abroad, is that they insist on talking to previous volunteers/ customers of the company they are planning on travelling with.ASK a lot of questions.
But keep at it....there is so much need and you can do so much good if you work with the right organisation
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sarah jane
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goodwinhj
Admin Group 
Joined: 22 May 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 61 |
Posted: 10 Jul 2007 at 07:30 |
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The debate extends to India From Gopi ICRT India "Two years before, The Blue Yonder was approached by a leading company from the UK, specializing in volunteer tourism through their Indian representative in Bangalore. They said that they were fascinated by our programs and asked us if there were any opportunities for their volunteers to work with us in our river projects. Since we didn’t have any idea on what they were expecting from us, we asked them to provide a sample program that they might have worked on elsewhere. Shortly they sent us an email of a sample itinerary from their African experiences titled,” Humanitarian tour”. It was probably the most disgusting way of exploitation we saw of volunteers as well as the host communities. Out of the three weeks of ‘regular holidays’, the gap year students were taken to visit a relief camp where they distributed bread to the inmates. This was projected as a ‘humanitarian tour’ and obviously we refused to work with them! Later part of last year, we came across Kate and Sallie from ‘People and Places’ who had a different perception about volunteering and how this should benefit volunteers as well as the host community. ‘People and Places’ have developed their own unique model of ethical volunteering, whereby all parties would be best-served and which would be totally open and honest in all activities, including in financial matters." You can read Gopi's Blue Yonder Newsletter at http://www.theblueyonder.com/newsletter/july2007.htmEdited by goodwinhj - 10 Jul 2007 at 07:37 |
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Harold Goodwin
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sallie grayson
Admin Group
Forum Administrator Joined: 23 May 2007 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 501 |
Posted: 10 Jan 2008 at 11:27 |
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http://www.voluntourism.org/news-feature2.html
an example of the extant chasm between the marketing and the reality?
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sallie
www.travel-peopleandplaces.co.uk |
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kalish88
Newbie
Joined: 30 Aug 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
Posted: 30 Aug 2010 at 10:38 |
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The only way you can make some one cry in a situation like I believe you are suggesting is either to be very scarey or be really right..Screaming and cussing at someone and shaming, disrespecting and belittling them is never the way to reach a CONSTRUCTIVE conclusion ever.And there are many people you ain't never going to make cry. It could end up visa versa and you in a heap of trouble, not the desired result I'm sure.
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