Voluntourism: Philanthropic or Problematic?

On the surface, international volunteer work is an undeniable force for global good, however, without proper oversight, it can spiral into harm.

By Isabella Licwinko

Graphic by Ian Nugent

If you’re on social media, chances are you’ve seen at least one post sharing a young adult’s recent “service trip abroad,” topped off with an image of them embracing a small child or hauling wooden planks off for new homes. No matter how well-intentioned these volunteers may be, there has been increased public backlash to what is called voluntourism: “a combination of volunteering and tourism, used to describe tourist trips taken with the intention to volunteer for an organisation in a foreign (usually less developed) country” (InHope).

Voluntourism has grown to be a $1.5 billion industry since 2019. In 2016, nearly 10 million volunteers traveled abroad to participate in a form of voluntourism, many of them typically sent by their overseeing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to orphanages, churches, schools, hospitals and construction sites. Demographically, the vast majority of voluntourists are young adults (18-25), typically students or members of a religious organization, who hail from wealthy North American or Western European countries.

These volunteers, many of whom enter their stay with the noble pursuit of making a positive difference in the lives of others, sometimes do more harm than good. Unskilled and undertrained, idealistic young adults are thrown into situations that they don’t have the expertise to handle. 

In her 2014 HuffPost article, Pippa Biddle, a frequent voluntourist at the time, describes her school-trip to Tanzania: “Our mission while at the orphanage was to build a library. Turns out that we, a group of highly educated private boarding school students were so bad at the most basic construction work that each night the men had to take down the structurally unsound bricks we had laid and rebuild the structure so that, when we woke up in the morning, we would be unaware of our failure.” She continued on to explain how, after “service,” she and the 14 other female-students she accompanied went on a week-long safari.

Additionally, in utilizing short-term and free work, building a solid foundation for the community is neglected. Complications arise in terms of employment. While volunteers are usually brought in when local governance cannot afford to pay employees, community members seeking stable employment find themselves competing with foreign volunteers.

In some cases, voluntourist charitable organizations are more focused on the enrichment of the volunteers than on the needs of the recipients. In a National Geographic article, Xavier Font, professor of Sustainability at the University of Surrey, speaks on the issue, saying, “A key rule of thumb is: if you’re not qualified to do something in the UK, don’t pretend you can do it somewhere else simply because they’re poor.”

With all that said, is there any way altruistic travelers can participate in ethical international service? The short answer is yes. However, it involves research of the organization, and oftentimes, self-reflection.

Despite the vast number of unethical, profit-driven organizations, there are also a multitude of NGOs that genuinely seek to serve undersupported communities. 

A key element in ethical international service is sustainability. Rather than “up and leaving” after a week, it is critical for these organizations to sustain their relationships with the people they serve for real progress to occur. Usually, this means longer, more frequent stays in the village. A popular and highly vetted example of this is the Peace Corps and Voluntary Services Overseas. Still, I encourage that you conduct your own research, as this organization is not immune to its own controversies.

It is crucial to understand the mission of the organization you are volunteering with. Are they approaching the community they are serving with dignity and respect, understanding that they are working alongside the recipients? Or, are they falling into “white saviorism”?

Lastly, these questions must also be asked of oneself in self-reflection. It is critical to assess one’s own biases and attitudes before entering an unfamiliar environment they are meant to serve. As mentioned earlier, being realistic with oneself is crucial. Ask yourself, “What are my skills and where do I lack? Is there extensive training I can participate in to strengthen these skills?” before signing up for any volunteer work.

With the appropriate knowledge and self-awareness, volunteer work abroad can be incredibly fulfilling for the volunteer, and most importantly, make a meaningful difference in the world of so many.