voluntourism
While the definition of Voluntourism may be obvious from the term, several years ago the word did not exist. When people started realizing that going away on a vacation with the purpose of volunteering was growing into a real trend that many people of all ages were getting into, the words Volunteer and Tourism were melded into Voluntourism.
Voluntours are a way to learn about the people and place you are visiting on a deeper level. Participating in voluntourism is a way to establish long-lasting connections, discover more about cultures around the world, and about yourself. It is most definitely a way to give back to a community you are visiting, to lend a helping hand to someone in need, to work towards a cause you believe in, or simply to find a way to make a positive impact through your travels.
Keep in mind that the changes you make and the positive impacts you can have may come long after your trip, as the experience may introduce you to new ways of thinking and living. Your short trip might not "change the world" with one or two days of volunteering, but it will expose you to new cultures, new friends, and inspire you to return or help contribute to a project's goals over the long term.
David Clemmons, founder of Voluntourism.org clarifies the difference between a volunteer vacation and voluntourism:
"Typically
a “volunteer vacation” is a vacation that is dedicated entirely to
volunteering – with no emphasis on the tourist aspects of a
destination. As you can imagine, there are individuals who are drawn to
such experiences for numerous reasons, like the prospect of having a
potential, fully tax-deductible trip. Others seek to differentiate
themselves from being a traditional “tourist.” Still others want to
have a mini-“Peace Corps” engagement.
Voluntourism, on the
other hand, recognizes the importance of two key factors: balance and
reciprocity. A balanced engagement al
ternating between voluntary
service and tourism activities allows for a reciprocal relationship
with communities. Residents who may be recipients of voluntary service
are able to return that service by sharing their destination with
visitors via exposure to the arts, culture, geography, history and
recreation. The economic impact of tourism is blended with the social
impact of volunteering: recipients become servers and servers become
recipients." (Excerpted from Interview on Ingare.com, Sept 7. 2009)
Voluntourism is Planeterra's specialty. We believe it is an important part of making tourism more sustainable, that it provides travellers and communities a way to connect, to learn, to appreciate each other's cultures, and work towards a better future. Our Voluntours provide opportunities for travelers to engage in community projects that are working on health, education, conservation and small business opportunities around the world.
New Study Available on Voluntourism - an analysis of current and prospective voluntourists - narrated presentation can be viewed online here
Other articles on Voluntourism by Planeterra Staff:
For the traveller: Voluntourism: Where will it take you?
For the travel company: On the Road to Sustainable Community Development Through Travel
Check out The International Ecotourism Society's interview with Planterra's Project Manager Danielle Weiss for some great voluntour-ing tips! Click here for the full interview.
Read Planeterra Director Richard Edwards' Philosophy on Voluntourism here.
