The “voluntourism” business promoted by WE Charity conflicts with efforts to decolonize global health and international development.
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Articles on Voluntourism
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Volunteer tourism is often criticised for focusing on profit and volunteer experience. But improving monitoring and evaluation and putting host communities in charge can make it more sustainable.
Voluntourists’ ability to change systems, alleviate poverty or provide support for vulnerable children is limited. They don’t have the skills and can perpetuate patronising and unhelpful ideas.
Good intentions, money and the desire to help are essential ingredients for the orphanage tourism industry. But tourists end up becoming agents in the exploitation of children.
The ONS says less Brits are volunteering - but the truth is they’re doing it in different ways.
It’s time to recognise the difference between ‘deep’ and ‘shallow’ volunteering.
Slum tourism is broadly rejected as morally dubious and voyeuristic. But we should take a second look.
Australian private schools are increasingly taking their senior students to volunteer in orphanages, but they’re doing more harm than good.
Top contributors
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RMIT School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University
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Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University
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Professor of Sustainable Tourism, Wakayama University
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Senior Lecturer, School of Business and Tourism, Southern Cross University
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Associate Professor in Organisation Studies, University of Leicester
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Marketing Lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh Napier University
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PhD Researcher in Sociology, Bangor University
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Postgraduate Researcher in Sustainable Tourism, Monash University
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Founder / Principal Consultant, Alto Global Consulting. Coordinator, ReThink Orphanages, Deakin University
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Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of North Carolina – Charlotte
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Lecturer, Tourism Programmes, St Mary's University, Twickenham
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Director, Centre for Global Health & Associate Professor, University of Toronto
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Nutrition Researcher, University of Toronto
