Written by Jules Ong on 12 Apr 2010
with 2 comments.
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In our first Talking Points, we tackled the debate over Palm Oil: destructive villain or vital cash crop? We received several well-informed views, mostly taking a balanced approach and acknowledging the complexity of the issue. As the mainstay of many economies, readers argue that there are benefits in engaging with the palm oil industry to help nudge it towards utilising more sustainable operations. The question is, is that enough and is there political will to do it before it is too late!
In this installment, we take a look at volunteer tourism. Volunteer tourism is a fast growing industry that takes advantage of people's yearning to contribute as they travel. Companies which arrange volunteer placements target students on their gap years, promising them a unique "life-changing" or "world-changing" experience for a fee.
That appears to be a win-win situation. Disadvantaged communities from developing countries get volunteers to help out, and travelers get hands on experience within the community.
But lately, there have been issues about the ethics of voluntourism. Some question if is it just another tourism product that benefits placement companies more than anyone. Some companies charge a hefty sum for arranging placements, and while some volunteers were fortunate to have meaningful engagements, others may not be that lucky.
And what about the communities? Do they really benefit from these short-termed voluntourists who more often than not are young people who do not have working experience and life skills? Is it a fair exchange? Some activists in the South have called voluntourism a new form of neo-colonialism.
Let's take a look at three different viewpoints: Brett, the voluntourist, Erma, the activist, and Sally, the placement company manager.
What do you think? Join the discussion here!
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Brett: What better way to see the world then to give my service to the local community? We get to learn from each other in a real and meaningful way. |
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Erma: Voluntourism markets itself to young people wanting to gain experience and boost their CV using negative stereotypes of the Third World. It's a continuation of colonialism. |
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Sally: Placement companies fill a much needed service for the community and travelers who want to engage and contribute to the places they're visiting. We also help the local economies as voluntourists directly use the services within the community. |
Talking Points
This article is part of our Talking Points series.
Talking Points is your space. It's a forum for you to voice out your thoughts on the most pressing concerns of our times. Each month, we offer a topic that is contentious, an issue that is often divisive to the movement, a debate that is difficult to simply take sides. Climate justice, development and its social cost, biodiversity depletion, indigenous people's rights and land conflicts are some of the topics that we would like to examine critically, with your participation.
Other features in this series:
- Talking Points - Making a Change
- Talking Points: Nuclear!
- Talking Points: Voluntourism
- Talking Points: Palm Oil
Write to Jules OngJules Ong
Jules Ong is a journalist and filmmaker. He graduated in Biology and later earned his masters in Social Anthropology. He likes to trespass disciplines, believing that life is not made up of discrete boxes of knowledge, but interconnected, like a spider's web. Jules is looking forward to setting up a... more inside »
Jules Ong also contributed 8 other articles in this section:
- Paradise with a Conscience
- Wild Asia Heroes: Tijah Yok Chopil
- Talking Points - Making a Change
- Wild Asia Heroes: The Lubok Bongor Conservation, Cultural, Social and Welfare Society
- Talking Points: Nuclear!
- Wild Asia Heroes - Dr. Joean Oon
- Wild Asia Heroes - The Bukit Koman community
- What Environment? It's occupation and terrorism
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Christopher Hill
Wednesday, 14 April 2010 at 4:26 PM:
Great talking point!
Full disclosure: I run Hands Up Holidays (www.handsupholidays.com) and we specialise in voluntourism, but not targeted at young people.
We believe that other age and demographic segments can also have incredible travel experiences that are enriched by giving back through a taste of volunteering, which means they can interact meaningfully with another culture.
Examples of these segments include:
- Families: for whom our trips enable family bonding, and for introducing children to another culture in a safe context, and for instilling in children the merit of giving back.
- Honeymooners: who would like to start their marriage in a meaningful way, making a difference for others
- Retirees: who have a lot of skills and experience to offer, but perhaps may be put off from volunteering by the perception that they have to 'rough it'.
- Corporates: who have the resources to fund significant projects that can make a huge difference in a community.
We find that it i
arkitrekker
07-Sep-2008
Posts: 4
Thursday, 02 December 2010 at 6:22 PM:
There is a good article on this subject from The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/nov/14/orphans-cambodia-aids-holidays-madonna
Following up on a critical report from the Human Sciences Research Council
http://www.hsrc.ac.za/HSRC_Review_Article-195.phtml