To think voluntourism needs to be called out?

Who is the experience valuable for? It usually bring the most value to the person volunteering. Bulks up their dating profile, gives them hippy creds in their gentrified circles etc, gives them the authority to speak on global issues because of all they've "seen". I'm not entirely sure how it's valuable to the orphans, or pregnant women, or poor people.

it may be that a midwifery student can offer something if there are no alternatives. Of course this isn’t a great scenario and any student should be working under supervision.

But it’s a strange attitude that no help at all is better than partly qualified help.

This is why I donate to the Sheldrick Trust:

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust does not take on volunteers for a number of reasons. Firstly, caring for the orphans is a long term commitment and the keepers care for them as a temporary family and are with them for up to 10 years. Enabling local Kenyans the opportunity to play a part in the hand-raising of orphans helps create an affinity with the species and our keepers then share this conservation message with their families and communities, further spreading this essential conservation message.

I used to work with a charity that had a “gap year” program and it was mainly for raising money and awareness. That said we had a minimum period for volunteers and they were students (some of whom came back when qualified). It also builds real bridges and connections between people if done right.

so I don’t think voluntourism is all bad (of course unqualified people should not be working directly with children). It can be very helpful being a way of raising money and it’s a valuable experience

So don't donate, why do you need to 'call out' sounds like you want as much as pat on the back as you think they do

Just get on with your life and all the voluntary jobs you do yourself

My most cutting midwifery lecturer blatantly asked what a 19 year old not even 2nd year student can safely offer a mother of 5 with a prolonged labour in sub-Saharan Africa and reminded the class that said woman has little choice BUT to take the underqualified, inexperienced student.

It didn't stop anyone from feeling like they were still well placed to perform this role. It's the height of Western entitlement and ego.

It is really important to do your research, and even then it doesnt akways work out as planned.

I waited until I had a skill to offer, and went and taught on the first physio degree programme in Nepal for a year - they had very few qualified physios there so no one to actually train and supervise. They idea was we trained the first set and then they with support would train the next set, theoretically a very sensible sustainable option. However, once trained, most left the country and moved abroad where they could be paid much higher, which no one can blame them for working to get their family out of poverty, but it didn't acheive the intended aim.

Don't contribute. I agree they should fund themselves.

So there are some ‘orphanage’ projects that have changed over the last 10/15 years to support family fostering rather than children being taken to the orphanage. The orphanage is only a back up when child has no family, but the fostering happens in villages and the family are given money to buy food / pay school fees etc. otherwise the child would be a terrible burden on their elderly granny (for example).

I think it’s important to research the project (what are the activities, how
long is the volunteer there -longer is better, how does the orphanage support the community etc) before dismissing it as a harmful money making racket.

When i was a student midwife, there was ample opportunity to go to Asian and African countries and basically work as a midwife in their units. Doing stuff you'd never be allowed to do here because they basically need people with SOME idea of midwifery as they are so understaffed in rural areas.

For instance, one of my classmates did a twin birth where the first baby was breech in Malawi as well as numerous other births. She was in the summer between 1st and 2nd year midwifery student.

Our lecturers were actually against these trips but couldn't really stop us going on them. They really did try to ppint out the ethics of allowing yourself to be used as a practitioner on women who really do deserve someone qualified and how the armies of western students who go to these things justify governments in not training and paying qualified staff in these countries. But of everyone that planned to go, none were put off and all were doing way more than anyone would do as a UK student or a UK midwife in some cases.

But could probably be done better by experts within that country rather than patronising them by sending children under the guise of charity.

Teach a man to fish.

I remember reading a comment on an article about this in a newspaper, where the poster said that when teenage children of friends approached him for money for such ventures, he would ask how much the trip was costing them, and then offer to pay double that sum to the charity if they didn’t go. He said he had yet to be taken up in his offer!

I think the only way this can stop is if we call it out. I am shocked that so many people think it's acceptable to ask others to fund these trips. I always decline, but so as not to offend, I generally don't answer with 'Why does a village need your unqualified 18 year old to build a toilet at a cost of €10k, rather than the money to pay some local people to build it?' and 'why should I pay for your daughters holiday'?

Yes we do need to call it out. I find it's being done subtly by fund raisers I've supported recently, a few long distance cycles where the people taking part have really stressed that they are paying for all of their costs, seeking sponsorship for a cause very close to their hearts and to stop themselves from giving up halfway.

Another great one was a fruend of a fruend who was a midwife and going to work with a charity in a developing country and wanted to collect funds for the clinic she'd be working in - again she stressed that everything she earned would be used to provide supplies, none of it was for her.

There was a campaign a few years ago to stop sending Western young people to volunteer in oprhanages, as it's so difficult for the small kids to bond with new people all the time who leave after a couple of weeks.

So yes, it's a big probelm, and that's without the whole issues of white saviour complex etc

You are definitely not being unreasonable. These trips are run and arranged by profit making companies and cost a few grand at the very least. I don’t know why the schools let these companies through the door to sell their charitable bull@@@t. A few kids from my DCs schools have either done it or are raising funds now. Every day there is a FB post on the local community page selling or asking for money. It is very tedious.

It’s based on the idea that untrained (usually white) teenagers automatically add value to projects and that the locals need their help.

It’s implicitly saying an untrained white teenager is better at doing something than a fully trained local - usually a POC.

What’s racist about it?

I agree with you @icreaminbarnsley

The organisation knows how to extract cash from the kids / their parents.

Usually at best the ‘projects’ are useless (play equipment torn down as the group leaves for the next group to build), at worst (and more commonly) actively damaging.

The damaging ones include the orphanages mentioned above but also general tasks performed by Western volunteers that prevent locals doing the job for pay.

I lived in a very poor Africa country for a couple of years, probably one of the ones these students are visiting, and I can safely say that there are a lot of very savvy business people out there and anyone trying to tell them how to run a business would make themselves look like an idiot. In fact, I would argue that African business owners are better at running businesses that many people in the UK, because there is no government help (the government is probably a hindrance) and the corruption all make it more difficult to run a business, so they have to be extra good at it.

They'll give the locals something to laugh about at least.

My biggest concern is that these kids are being taught extreme racist thoughts at such a young age - someone is putting it into their heads that westerners with no knowledge of anything, are better than Africans with extensive knowledge. I really thought we'd moved on from this kind of thinking.

My DN did one through a charity which I thought was much more 'honest" in that she basically bought a double-price holiday. Half the money went to the holiday (employing local businesses think accommodation ,wildlife guides etc) and as much again was donated direct to a charity. Mind you Im not sure if everyone donating knew what a wonderful holiday she was getting, but there was no pretence that a uk student had anything to offer other than the money she could extract from uk friends and relations.

And she didn't just beg, she ran a marathon etc.

However of course we didn't all look into the effectiveness of the charity.

But agree, Tristan and his wonky brickwork sounds like an arrogant little prick learning 'kind' racism at his parents' knees.

Agree. I have no objection to teens with the funds going on an "adventure of a lifetime" trekking in Costa Rica or whatever but don't pretend it's altruism. If they want to help there are plenty of plays schemes, residential nursing homes, charitable schemes here.

I find it a bit dishonest and I wouldn't contribute. At the same time noone is forcing anyone to contribute to their crowdfunding. People seem to set those things up for all sorts of spurious reasons and if people are daft enough to put in then it's up to them.

Can’t stand the phrase!

I thought we had stopped doing this sort of thing.