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Voluntourism: Ask First, Then Sign Up

Voluntourism, or the art of voluntouring is - as its name implies - a combination of volunteering and tourism: using your vacation time to do something worthwhile along the way.

The difference between this type of travel and the more traditional volunteer work overseas is usually time and money. A voluntourist volunteers while on holiday, for as little as half a day or as long as a month. A volunteer with an agency like the Peace Corps or VSO could be gone for as long as two years and in some cases even more.

A voluntourist also pays all expenses for her volunteer vacation, including transport, accommodations, and the agency's fee. A long-term volunteer's expenses, however, will often be covered by the sending organization.

There are hundreds of organizations on the market.

So how do you choose the right voluntourism experience?

By asking the right questions. To help you decide, I've put together a list of voluntourism questions that should help you make up your mind.

What are your voluntourism objectives?
Do you want to help people? Practice a foreign language? Learn a skill? Discover a new part of the world? If you find children impossible, don't choose a program that places volunteers in an orphanage. It may seem obvious but you don't want to be disappointed by your voluntourism experience just because you didn't read the fine print first.

How long do you want to volunteer for?
Some groups specialize in ultra-short placements of half a day or a day, while others can place you for several weeks. Make sure you've got the stamina for a lengthy stint before you sign up for one of the multi-week plans.

What is your comfort level when you travel overseas?
Conditions can range from rudimentary to extremely comfortable. If you need to sleep in a room by yourself and have instant access to a bathroom, choose a plan that provides these amenities. Otherwise be prepared to share and live rustically, since you may well be living with a local family whose means are modest.

What kind of shape are you in?
If you've been a couch potato for years, this isn't the time to do an environmental survey that'll have you walking eight hours a day. On the other hand if you're super-fit there's nothing stopping you from helping out on a farm in Africa or cleaning up a hiking path in Nepal. Beware that in many locations, health care may be rudimentary at best, so if you have health problems, come prepared.

What preparatory work does the organization provide?
Because your volunteer stint will be relatively short you'll need as much preparation and orientation as possible. Does the agency provide background information on the destination? Do you have a good sense of what the project is about and what it will accomplish? What kind of backup or help do they provide on the ground? Is there someone you can easily reach if something goes wrong?

What is the organization's philosophy?
Is it strictly a money-making venture or does the agency put money back into the community? Do they actually look for some qualifications or do they just take anyone and everyone? Is it a faith-based group and if so, to what extent will you be expected to participate?

Where does your fee go?
Have a look at the annual report. Does most of the money you pay go to high management salaries? Or does it go back into the project? While voluntourism costs money to organize, it's nice to know that overheads are kept low and as much money as possible goes to those who need it: the recipients.

How valid are the projects on offer?
Find out whether the projects actually fill a need or whether they've just been put together to attract voluntourists. Will you actually be able to accomplish anything worthwhile in such a short time? Or is the program merely designed to make YOU feel good - without doing any good?

Are the projects sustainable?
What happens if a project lacks volunteers? Will the organizers just leave the work undone and move on, or are they committed to finishing the work? What happens once the organization pulls out? Can the work maintain itself with local workers?

What kind of reputation does the organization have?
The best recommendation for voluntourism will come from former participants. Ask the organization to put you in touch with returnees, and don't be shy with your questions.