Question 46-50

Have you ever thought about going abroad to volunteer? Making a difference in a country less fortunate than your own is seen by most as a really positive thing to do. However, not everyone is in favour of this so-called ‘voluntourism’.

Volunteer tourism is a growing fashion - in 2015, it was estimated that 10 million volunteers helped on projects abroad. These include building houses or hospitals, teaching English in schools, helping locals get to grips with computers, installing water filters, looking after children in orphanages, and much more.

However, there’s an argument that volunteers take away jobs from locals who would have otherwise done that work. Yes, sometimes volunteers have specific knowledge which can benefit communities, such as IT skills or speaking English as a native language. However, in some cases they are put to work on construction sites, for example, depriving locals of a job on that project. Additionally, many young travellers are untrained for the role. This could become a health and safety problem on construction sites or when caring for children. Furthermore, the booming industry is seen by some as just that - an industry, a way for companies to make money. It’s estimated that up to $2 billion was spent by volunteers last year in 2015. Surely it would be better if this money were directly donated to an established chanty, equipped to spend the money where it is needed the most? Instead, most of the money is going to profit-seeking tourism companies, while local communities only see a fraction of it.

Finally, volunteering abroad also helps you develop as a person, and is a shining addition to a cv. I think volunteer projects are usually very valuable for communities, but often benefit the participant just as much, if not more, than those they are helping.