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Voluntourism | Sustainable Travel | Travel and Volunteer

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1. One student in your group clones the padlet and invites the others to collaborate with him/her.

2. Read all the information on the cards and find connections between the information. Some of the cards contain more important information than others.

3. Arrange the cards deciding on a logical order.

4. Use posts or comment on different posts to solve the mystery. Write down questions and the answer to things that help you to organise your cards. You may find titles for the posts, too.

5. You can use the padlet functions to connect items and link them.

6. Prepare a presentation of your way to solve the mystery. Send a link to your teacher.

7. Do a gallery walk and find out how your classmates have answered the questions.

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In Nepal, Lena would work with children in remote mountain villages, teaching English and helping to improve school facilities. The prospect of breathtaking Himalayan landscapes and working with children sounds enticing.

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The project in Peru focuses on the protection of endangered sea turtles and environmental projects in a small coastal town. The idea of living by the sea and doing something for nature conservation is very appealing.

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Program fees

111€ per week

2 - 50 weeks

Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

NO CREDIT CARD FEES

Deposit (15%)

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.

Final Payment (85%)

Your final payment will be agreed with Best Adventure Nepal during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.

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Building an Outdoor Activity Camp | Volunteer in Nepal 2023

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Help to build an outdoor activity camp in Ghyalchok, Nepal

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Experience Indigenous Andean Communities | Volunteer in Peru 2024

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Maximo Nivel offers Volunteer Abroad and International Internship programs in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru.

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Students reap benefits of 'give gardens' at schools

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The background story

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One important question Lena has to ask herself is: What can you really achieve in just a few months? It is important to have realistic expectations of the impact of your work.

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When volunteering abroad, it is crucial to be culturally sensitive. Lena should be aware that she is a guest in a foreign culture and must be respectful of local customs and traditions.

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Can voluntourism really make a difference?

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Can voluntourism really make a difference?

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Some experts argue those unqualified for a job should not volunteer to do it in a developing country.

Photography by Alistair Berg, Getty Images

The fresh-faced school leaver, still in her teens, was as excited as she was apprehensive to be arriving in the east African village. Recruited to teach in the community school, the young Briton would be using her holiday to make, she hoped, a genuine impact. But she quickly found herself shunned by the villagers, who refused to engage with her teaching. After three distressing days, she packed up and left. Only later did it become apparent what had happened: to make space for this callow, enthusiastic and - most pertinently - free volunteer, the local teacher had been fired.

Tales such as this, relayed by an industry insider who helped handle the fallout and wanted to remain anonymous, may be mercifully rare. But, still, they serve as a reminder that, however well intentioned voluntourism may be at the point of inspiration, the reality on the ground is often much more nuanced. To subvert the popular supermarket slogan: every little doesn't necessarily help.

Voluntourism first emerged at scale in the 1990s, partly as a reaction to the ubiquity and, to some, vacuity of mass-market package tourism. Like an abridged version of a gap year placement, the practice sees travellers augment or even supplant their getaway with some form of voluntary work in destination.

By 2019, it was a £1.25bn industry catering for an estimated 10 million volunteers a year - the majority under 25 or over 50. Today, the sector encompasses a dizzying breadth of options: volunteers can find themselves building houses in Honduras, teaching literacy to women in Morocco, protecting endangered brown bears in central Italy or delivering medical supplies to the Mongolian steppe on horseback. The sector is sustained by conduits linking needy projects or communities with 'changemakers', as volunteers are sometimes called. Some of these are charities, non-profits or religious groups; others, traditional businesses servicing and capitalising on a healthy demand. To what extent specific skills are needed to fulfil a placement is a bone of contention. Enthusiasm and an adventurous spirit - combined with vetting, training and support - is more than sufficient, according to some organisations. Others, such as People and Places, see it differently.

"We don't think in terms of catering for the punters and the countries they want to visit," says co-founder Sallie Grayson. "It's more, 'can we match someone to the skill gap that's been identified'." Established in 2005, the Kent-based not-for-profit social enterprise has placed 2,000 people over the past two decades. The modest scale is a source of pride for 68-year-old Grayson. "We make volunteers jump through huge hoops," she says. "Our numbers yo-yo depending on the skills we see coming through." Women make up the vast majority of its volunteers, roughly 75% - a picture mirrored across the sector.

Force for good

Done diligently and ethically, voluntourism can have a transformational impact on both recipient and volunteer, says Alex Tarrant, co-founder of not-for-profit Pod Volunteer. The Cheltenham-based social enterprise, established in 2002, focuses predominantly on conservation and animal welfare; its volunteers might find themselves caring for rescued dogs in Thailand or working in elephant conservation in Namibia. "We made an early decision that we wanted to have a relatively small number of relationships, but ones we could sustain," says Tarrant. "We visit all the projects personally and so can picture where we're sending volunteers." Those who enrol are charged a fee for the placement to cover their overseas costs and the overheads of running Pod in the UK. Any surplus - something that profit-based organisations in the sector keep for themselves - is distributed via its charity to needy causes in the countries in which it operates. Pod, as is common in voluntourism, passes responsibility for international flights to the volunteers.

Exeter-based Global Vision International (GVI) is one of the bigger players in the market, having placed around 35,000 volunteers in more than 100 spots around the world over the past 25 years. One of the projects it's proudest of is a 20-year collaboration with the Seychelles government that's seen 1,000 participants contribute as interns, research fellows and apprentices in various marine conservation initiatives.

Due to the nature of voluntourism, some companies unethically seek, and pocket, large profits.

Photograph by Pipat Wongsawang, Getty Images

Longevity isn't always a marker of success, however. For People and Places, its most effective interventions are ones where skills transference is finely gauged and efficiently delivered, enabling ties to be swiftly cut. One example involved pairing a senior educator in the UK with a relatively new school principal in Cambodia. Extensive e-mentoring was followed by a four-week visit, after which both parties agreed that the volunteer's work was done. "How great is that?" enthuses Grayson.

Not all interactions are as mutually beneficial. In a sector where profit and philanthropy intersect, it's perhaps not surprising that ethics can be compromised. Few have studied voluntourism more closely than Xavier Font. The 51-year-old is professor of sustainability marketing at the University of Surrey, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Sustainable Tourism and has worked as an adviser for companies such as Expedia and Tripadvisor. His frustration with parts of the sector is palpable.

If a company is devoid of ethics, voluntourism's profit margins can be "very, very high", he says. This is partly because overheads aren't likely to be high, considering volunteers are usually put up in modest local accommodation, plus the fact that participants are typically happy to pay more for their trip because of how they can fund it. "While people's willingness to pay for a [traditional] holiday tends to be low, willingness to pay for a volunteering trip is greater because you can fundraise from family and friends," says Font. Given the inherent power imbalance between an outbound operator - that's under no obligation to offer transparency on costs - and the often desperate partner project, unscrupulous companies can easily get away with hoarding profits rather than ensuring they percolate through to the destination.

The skills gap

Across the voluntourism ecosystem, Font believes there's still too much focus on the needs of the volunteer rather than the recipient, leading to inappropriately or under-skilled participants. "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. If you're not qualified as a builder in the UK, don't pretend you can build a school in Rwanda," he says. And as for flying halfway across the world to muck in, forget it. "The one thing developing countries have plenty of is cheap labour."

Pippa Biddle, a New York-based writer whose book Ours to Explore: Privilege, Power and the Paradox of Voluntourism was published in 2021, recounts tales of locals in Tanzania spending all night rectifying the shoddy construction work of a team of volunteers on one of her many placements. Willing but underprepared volunteers endlessly duplicating predecessors' input is another concern. One voluntourism organisation coordinator was reported to have overheard an exasperated teacher say: "If one more volunteer comes in and teaches the children to sing 'head, shoulders, knees and toes', I'm going to scream."

Not-for-profit Pod Volunteer focuses ​predominantly on conservation and animal welfare.

Photography by Pod Volunteer

Font believes social media has exacerbated the sector's problems, leading to an influx of volunteers with messianic delusions who are more interested in the shareability of images than affecting lasting change. But it could also be argued that it has had an unintended benefit: unscrupulous organisations can no longer thrive in the shadows, hiding behind a slick website and cut-and-paste testimonials. "Today, in a fully online and reviews-driven world, it's perfectly possible to tell the good from the bad," says Andrew Valentine, CEO of GVI. "As a result, I think that anybody who takes the trouble to fully research the organisation they're travelling with can be confident they're operating in a way that's actually ethical and for the good of the beneficiaries."

There's certainly a glut of advice and information out there. Would-be volunteers are urged to check reviews, speak to alumni and scrutinise an operator's code of ethics, such as GVI's 10 Ethical Commitments. Financial opacity is a red flag, as is anything associated with so-called 'orphanage tourism', a practice condemned for the grave harm it can cause, ranging from attachment disorders to human trafficking and sexual exploitation. ABTA, the Association of British Travel Agents, whose members include more than 3,900 travel brands, has long campaigned on the issue, while companies such as Responsible Travel and G Adventures provide comprehensive guidelines on any form of volunteering with vulnerable children.

Ken Budd's poignant and illuminating 2012 memoir, The Voluntourist, chronicles his travels around the world contributing to multiple projects. Asked how he avoided the pitfalls, the US author and journalist says simply: "Homework and asking loads of questions". He adds, "I was looking for organisations that wanted to know all about me. What were they doing to ensure I wasn't a psychopath? I'm screening you and you should be screening me - that was my take." Such scrutiny is paramount given the dearth of regulation. "There's not much we have to comply with other than basic travel directives - those around package travel, for example," says Tarrant. "There's still very little regulation out there for companies like us. Mainly, it's down to volunteers checking that something's ethically run."

The benefit equation

As for whether a meaningful contribution can really be made during these relatively brief philanthropic holidays, the answer appears to be an unequivocal 'it depends'. The nature and duration of the project are both factors, as are the individual's outlook and suitability. If the participant's experience inspires them to make further contributions, or perhaps pursue a career in a field such as marine conservation or animal welfare, the benefits can spread further still.

The environmental cost should also be factored into the equation. A Briton volunteering in the Seychelles will produce around 2.5 tons of CO2 flying there and back. In holistic terms, that's quite the deficit even before a single seabird has been counted or branch of coral assessed. Tarrant, however, argues that's the wrong way to look at it. "When someone comes to me and tells me they're thinking about volunteering, they're often planning to travel anyway. If they can do something meaningful, that's a net gain." Extending a trip beyond the volunteering period, as many operators urge clients to do, can help to justify the emissions as well as provide a boost to the local economy.

For those for whom the equation still doesn't add up, there are alternatives. Domestic voluntourism is one option - perhaps working on a conservation or rewilding project in a scenic corner of a traveller's own country. E-volunteering through programmes such as the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) is also possible; skills currently sought by UNV include translators, website designers and communications specialists. Yet, for someone whose wanderlust is as powerful as their altruistic urge, sitting behind a laptop is unlikely to cut it. It also, says Budd, negates one of the key collateral benefits of voluntourism: in-person interaction. "We wrap this around volunteering and service but, for me, the micro-level stuff is the biggest benefit," he says. "I'm talking to you, you're talking to me, and that's changing the way we see each other."

Even factoring in the flaws, voluntourism is overwhelmingly a force for good, concludes Sallie Grayson. "The vast majority of volunteers want to do good and it's up to us, the gatekeepers, to ensure that they can. Well-matched, well-placed volunteers can make a real difference, I'm still convinced of that."

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Can voluntourism really make a difference?

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It's become a $1.56 bn industry, and profits can be very high for unscrupulous companies - so here's how travellers can ensure their time and money truly benefits communities.

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What Is Voluntourism? Does It Help or Harm Communities?

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What Is Voluntourism? Does It Help or Harm Communities?

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What Is Voluntourism? Does It Help or Harm Communities?

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Voluntourism (volunteering and tourism) is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global industry. Its effectiveness, however, is often questioned.

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Voluntourism: The Good, the Bad, and How to Do Better

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Voluntourism: The Good, the Bad, and How to Do Better

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Voluntourism, a fusion of volunteering and tourism, can sound ideal for travelers who want to make a positive impact on their next international trip.

This kind of travel comes with complexities that aren't always obvious when you first inquire about volunteering with an organization. Some programs spend significant time and resources to build sustainable, ethical programs for the communities they partner with.

But sadly, many organizations are harmful to the communities they promise to support. Some non-profits develop programs around what will feel "good" to volunteers for a week or two, leaving members of the local community in a worse condition than the one they started in.

It's important to understand your potential impact and seek out organizations that truly offer meaningful experiences on both sides of the exchange.

Voluntourism is a term used to describe travel that includes some form of charity work or volunteering, often done in the midst of traditional tourist activities.

What is the difference between volunteering and voluntourism? The difference between volunteering and voluntourism is the addition of travel. Volunteering can happen anywhere. Voluntourism involves travel to a volunteer site for both short- or long-term projects.

Voluntourism can be solo or group projects abroad through a nonprofit or non-governmental organization (NGO). When done well, it can result in culturally-sensitive, sustainable systems that focus on the needs of partner communities.

Global Medical Brigades, the largest student-led movement for global health, is one example of an ethical volunteer experience abroad. Learn more about our efforts to impact our partner communities in a holistic way.

Volunteer tourism can be unethical, but it doesn't have to be. Some volunteer programs may have good intentions, but lack the expertise to support sustainable changes in their partner communities. Other programs are problematic from the start.

Is voluntourism good or bad? Voluntourism isn't good or bad. It's more complicated than that. If you choose a program with a documented track record of working with local communities in a sustainable way, the experience can be positive for everyone.

It's important to know what to look for as you explore volunteer opportunities abroad and to examine your own motivations before you take that international trip.

Voluntourism can be problematic depending on the intentions and actions of the international volunteers or group in charge of the voluntourism programs. In worst case scenarios, it can create problems for communities that didn't exist before.

Author Pippa Biddle explores this idea in her book Ours to Explore: Privilege, Power, and the Paradox of Voluntourism. The book examines the origins of voluntourism as an industry and the problems with a mentality built on the idea that the West knows best.

Biddle looks at scenarios where unskilled volunteers replace local workers unable to find jobs in their own communities. She finds examples of children kept in unsafe conditions to attract volunteers to work in orphanages.

Haiti is a prime example of this, and the local government is working to fix the problem. An estimated 30,000 children live in about 750 privately-run orphanages in Haiti. Officials estimate that around 80 percent of these children have at least one living parent.

These children are there because orphanages in the country have become big business.

Haitian orphanages receive an estimated $100 million in donations each year. They are supported by short-term volunteers who don't know that these places operate despite a history of abuse. This is money that could go to education or childcare services for children living in poverty.

Let's dig into more criticisms of unethical voluntourism:

It perpetuates white saviorism. The white savior complex is a term used to describe privileged people bringing aid to communities they label disadvantaged. That kind of philanthropy is self-serving and often leads to dependency on volunteer efforts.

Voluntourism is about short-term solutions. Some voluntourism efforts are about quick wins rather than sustainable solutions to real problems. This doesn't just limit a project's impact; it can be exploitative of vulnerable populations.

Resources aren't always allocated effectively. Volunteer organizations driven by for-profit motives are likely spending more on marketing their brand and wooing fresh volunteers. That means less money spent on actual humanitarian efforts.

Voluntourism can lack cultural sensitivity. Volunteering abroad has to be about more than a vacation with a mission. A voluntourist who doesn't understand a new culture won't make a meaningful impact.

It can have unexpected environmental and economic impacts. Poorly-run volunteer projects can disrupt local economies and drain local resources. Poorly-planned projects can conflict with existing conservation efforts and harm local habitats.

When done well, voluntourism can be about meaningful change and connections. The key is more than good intentions. It's about an ethical approach, impact that is monitored and evaluated, and true collaboration when working with host communities.

Here are a few indicators of a quality voluntourism program:

It starts with education. is about more than the projects on the ground; it's also about supporting communities in culturally sensitive ways. That starts with approaching efforts from a place of learning rather than performative activism.

It empowers local communities. Ethical volunteer efforts abroad should focus on sustainability and long-term solutions. The result should never be about dependence on a volunteer group but about empowering communities and self-sufficiency.

Positive voluntourism raises awareness. Voluntourism opportunities can expose participants to cultural, economic, and environmental issues they weren't aware of before. Volunteers can then take that firsthand knowledge for advocacy efforts back home.

The program has a stated focus. Volunteer placements work best when short-term volunteers are trained to work toward a specific set of goals. Global healthcare organizations, for example, often seek volunteers with a skillset or interest in medicine.

The organization monitors progress. If you're working with a nonprofit, target groups that are transparent about how they evaluate their efforts. How do they show their impact, and do they adjust their efforts based on those evaluations?

Your personal motivations matter, too. Are you signing up for a volunteer trip to post yourself digging a well on social media? Or is your goal to support local communities in areas of need and opportunities for self-sufficiency?

Your reasons for filling out that volunteer application matter. There are good programs out there when you're ready.

Volunteer Opportunities to Support Sustainable Communities

International travel can be impactful. Volunteer work abroad can be life-changing. You just need to know where to look to make sure you're signing up for ethical, sustainable volunteer trips.

At Global Brigades, our Medical Brigades can be an excellent study abroad alternative for pre-med students interested in ethical voluntourism. Our volunteers travel to rural communities in countries like Guatemala, Panama, and Ghana for one-week experiences at our mobile medical clinics.

Volunteers work alongside local health professionals and community leaders that Global Brigades identifies and trains to perpetuate year-round healthcare.

Global Brigades' programming goes far beyond medical relief and is a recognized international development organization. Its work to build public health infrastructure such as water systems and build local economies was named by the United Nations as the most effective poverty alleviation initiatives in the country of Panama.

It has been awarded numerous grants from the likes of the World Bank, UNDP, Inter American Development Bank, Rotary and many others to proliferate year-round sustainable development work that its student volunteers are a part of.

If you're unable to travel or limiting personal travel, Medical TeleBrigades are a way to participate virtually. You can still participate in mobile clinics by shadowing local doctors during telemedical patient consultations.

Virtual volunteerism can even be a more sustainable option for young people worried about their environmental footprint or criticisms of in-personvoluntourism programs.

Not interested in medicine or sustainable development? with other volunteer opportunities by teaching English in Thailand or Cambodia. Support wildlife conservation efforts in Kenya or South Africa. There are ethical programs out there if you want to make a difference and connect with a new culture. You just need to do your research!

Pre-Med Students: Volunteer Internationally With Global Medical Brigades

Our full-time local staff gives students the opportunity to shadow doctors, perform triage, and work in pharmacies. The goal is to work with on-the-ground teams to develop year-round community health services for vulnerable children and adults.

We've done the work to ensure our programs are a sustainable approach to healthcare in partner communities. Gain medical experience while doing good through a Medical Brigade.

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Voluntourism: The Good, the Bad, and How to Do Better

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Voluntourism involves combining travel, volunteer work, and tourism into a cohesive experience. It can be a beneficial, transformative experience if done well.

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Criticizing voluntourism seems almost as popular as voluntourism itself. After stories surfaced about Cambodian orphanages exploiting children (many of whom weren't orphans) to attract altruistic tourists, reporters and bloggers continue their assault.

The media criticism, though well-intentioned, takes a frustratingly one-dimensional view, portraying volunteers as young, selfie-obsessed do-gooders with savior complexes. If you believe what you read, voluntourism is a neocolonialist activity. Yet most critics have never volunteered abroad. Others were turned off by a single volunteer experience. And though media coverage remains focused on local impact, reporting rarely includes local perspectives, which seems-dare I say-neocolonialistic.

As a six-time volunteer, I've asked many of the questions raised by critics: Does voluntourism create dependency? What qualifies unskilled travelers to work in other countries? Here's a look at five common stereotypes about voluntourism, and why it's time for a refresh:

Only volunteers benefit.

Volunteer labor isn't perfect. Construction projects can take longer than necessary, skeptics note, because local workers need to manage and train volunteers-and fix their mistakes.

Voluntourism focuses more on feeling good than doing good, critics say. Jane Karigo, a Kenyan woman who founded a children's home where I worked near Mombasa, recalls a volunteer who gave a child an iPod, igniting jealous infighting among the residents. Another took the kids to a go-kart track, which Jane viewed as a frivolous waste of resources. "They will not care about go-karts when they are hungry," she noted.

Yet the scores of volunteers I've met in my travels seemed genuine about helping others. Of course, selflessness always involves personal gain. It gives us pleasure. But that doesn't mean volunteering can't produce results.

When I worked on a climate change program in Ecuador, the scientists were able to run more research projects with help from volunteer labor. In China, volunteers worked with college students who were learning English. It was a valuable service: the students knew the language, but needed practice speaking it. In the process, they learned about America while the volunteers learned about China.

Spontaneous exchanges like these are one of the many intangible benefits of volunteering. These benefits, argues Daniela Papi, founder of Learning Service, an advocacy group working to help people rethink volunteer travel, often get overlooked-"the friendships, the cross-cultural learning, and the life changes it inspires in volunteers who hopefully shift how they live, travel, and give in the future."

Voluntourism hurts local economies.

Generosity can have unexpected repercussions. After volunteering in Cambodia, Papi discovered that giving shoes and water filters to residents-actions she'd been encouraged to take on other volunteer trips-can divert business from local markets. Critics also charge that volunteer labor steals jobs, though Papi, who now approaches voluntourism with skepticism, disagrees: "The negative impact is the money and energy going into Band-Aid solutions rather than higher prioritized local needs."

Yet even experts who believe free labor can hurt local employment see economic benefits.

"There is no doubt that some volunteer programs shift jobs from locals to potentially less skilled labor," says Shannon O'Donnell, author of The Volunteer Traveler's Handbook. But she cautions against assuming this is the case in every scenario. "Many volunteer programs hire locals in other capacities: families to host and feed volunteers, shops that sell snacks and souvenirs."

International volunteering is part of a complex ecosystem that can, when done well, help a community grow in a direction they support.

In Costa Rica, my wife and I taught English at a rural elementary school. The principal used volunteers because he couldn't afford an English teacher. It wasn't a choice between volunteers and paid teachers; it was a choice between volunteers and not offering English class. As a volunteer in post-Katrina New Orleans, I counted spending money in the tourist-starved city among my most valuable contributions.

"The media tends to annihilate programs from a single economic aspect," says O'Donnell. "But international volunteering is part of a complex ecosystem that can, when done well, help a community grow in a direction they support."

Every project involves children in developing countries.

"I find it absurd when all volunteering is painted with the same brush," says Kirsty Henderson, author of The Underground Guide to International Volunteering. "Would people make negative comments if I volunteered with vulnerable kids in my hometown? I'm more culturally prepared to work there than in Thailand."

While kids are the focus of many projects, voluntourism opportunities are manifold. Earthwatch, an environmental science organization, offers projects as varied as archaeological excavations near Hadrian's Wall and scientific research at the Great Barrier Reef.

Programs are available throughout the United States, from trail maintenance with the American Hiking Society to animal welfare work with the Humane Society. The community-run Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race in Bayfield, Wisconsin, has been called a model voluntourism program by Voluntourism.org. Volunteer jobs include handling dogs, helping mushers, and assisting at checkpoints.

"You can volunteer at a school in Kenya, but you can also do accounting for an environmental agency in the United Kingdom," Henderson argues. "Volunteering is simply the act of giving your time for free."

All volunteers are college students.

When I volunteered in China with Global Volunteers, 11 Americans participated and only one was under the age of 40. In the Ecuadorian Andes, our crew included a sexagenarian Canadian, a septuagenarian Australian-and zero college students. In Costa Rica I met an 80-year-old volunteer with Cross-Cultural Solutions who later worked in Thailand.

"[Baby] Boomers volunteering overseas is a huge trend," says O'Donnell. "They have a deep interest in finding projects that resonate within their own lives and supporting those projects for years. They understand that change occurs gradually."

As for supposedly selfie-obsessed young volunteers, many Millennials use volunteering as a springboard to humanitarian careers. Tenteleni, a U.K.-based volunteer group, recently published a piece on 14 program alumni whose jobs now range from teaching to social work. Selfies are part of voluntourism, admits O'Donnell, "but this happens more with tour programs offering a feel-good pop-in visit to an orphanage-which is really pseudo volunteering."

Voluntourism creates dependency.

Dependency is a problem, and it's not just about giving local people money or things, says Papi. "It's about selling an image of poverty to Westerners and saying that-just by being them, without any responsibility to learn, shift, or qualify-they can 'help.'"

The negative stories, however, assume that all volunteer programs create dependency. The misconception may be a product of semantics. "Volunteer" implies offering services to people in need while "tourist" denotes camera-clad gawkers. The result? "Voluntourist" becomes a dirty word.

In a research paper for Voluntourist.org, Carlos Palacios, Ph.D., of Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, argues that voluntourism is the only type of travel that's vilified as colonialistic. Programs that describe themselves as service learning, cultural exchange, or educational tourism "have not got into this kind of trouble," he notes.

I came to see myself more as an intern than a volunteer: someone who did small but necessary work-dish washing, data entry, trash collecting-while receiving an education about a place and its challenges. I was taught by women like Jane Kargio in Kenya and Zhang Tao, who formed a special needs school in China despite few resources and long-held prejudices toward children with autism and developmental disabilities. These women are action heroes-the most impressive, committed people I've ever met.

"We call it volunteering or service learning, implying that we are helping, and as a byproduct we are learning, but that is backwards," Papi says. "Learning service-learning how to serve the rest of our lives by how we live-is the biggest impact. We sell a lie when we call it volunteering and make it seem like success comes from changing someone else."

Ken Budd is the author of the award-winning memoir The Voluntourist-A Six-Country Tale of Love, Loss, Fatherhood, Fate, and Singing Bon Jovi in Bethlehem . His earnings from the book are going back to the organizations and projects where he volunteered (which is probably neocolonialistic). Follow Ken on Twitter @Ken_Budd.

This story was originally published in 2015 and updated November 2018.

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Criticizing voluntourism seems almost as popular as voluntourism itself. After stories surfaced about Cambodian orphanages exploiting children (many of whom weren't orphans) to attract altruistic tourists, reporters and bloggers continue their assault. The media criticism, though well-intentioned, takes a frustratingly one-dimensional view, portraying volunteers as young, selfie-obsessed do-gooders with savior complexes.

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What are the benefits of volunteering abroad?

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What are the benefits of volunteering abroad?

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Volunteering Statistics for 2024: How Charitable Are We?

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Volunteering Statistics for 2024: How Charitable Are We?

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How To Avoid the Pitfalls of Voluntourism

The example of NEPAL

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Voluntourism: When A Helping Hand Becomes a Burden

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Volunteering in exotic places during vacation is a growing segment of the international travel market. But experts warn that meaning well can sometimes do more harm than good, particularly when children are involved.

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Samantha Nutt - problems of Volunteer Tourism

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Samantha Nutt - problems of Volunteer Tourism

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Samantha Nutt on the Problems of Volunteer Tourism | NowThis

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an example

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Voluntourism: When You Take More Than You Leave Behind | Madara Žgutė | TEDxISM

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The White Savior Complex: The Dark Side of Volunteering | Kayley Gould | TEDxLAHS

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Before Lena makes a decision, she should thoroughly research the organisations. Reputable providers have transparent information about their projects, finances and long-term impact.

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Discover the best volunteer abroad programs, from South Africa to Brazil to Costa Rica and beyond. Read reviews from thousands of volunteers. Browse programs by location, program type, and timeframe. Learn more!

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It is important to take into account the opinions and needs of the local communities. Lena could try to get in touch with locals or former volunteers to find out more about the actual impact of the projects.

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Lena should consider what skills she has and where she can make the greatest impact. Is she better suited to work with children or on environmental protection projects?

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Perhaps there are other ways to get involved? Lena could also consider volunteering locally in Germany or providing financial support to organisations that work with local people on the ground.

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10 Peace Corps Alternatives to Inspire You to Volunteer Abroad

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Learn about why the Peace Corps may not be right for you and explore alternatives for impactful volunteering abroad.

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Lena should honestly reflect on her reasons for volunteering. Is she primarily motivated by a desire to help or is it also about personal experiences and her CV?

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What long-term impact could Lena's involvement have, both for her personally and for the local communities? It's important to think beyond the immediate period.

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Ultimately, Lena has to make a decision that is responsible both for her and for the people she wants to help. There is no perfect solution, but a well-thought-out decision can lead to positive results.