Re mums bagpacking for their teenagers

[Carbosug]

A group of mums were bagpacking at the supermarket on sat to raise air fares and funds for their 17 year olds to take part in a third world project in Africa. I don't normally mind contributing to these things but usually its the kids themselves out earning the money for their trip.

AIBU to think they really should have got their kids involved and made them come along with them. I'd be much more inclined to contribute if I saw them working for the money and not leaving it to their parents.

Yes, definitely!

I’m not sure anyone is going to think you’re BU.

I don’t like contributing to these things - it’s volunteer tourism. What can 17 years old bring that local person can’t? That money would be better spent employing a local person for a very sunstoamount of time rather than for 17 years olds to have a jolly for a couple of weeks and put something on their CV.

I think teens are a bit old to be bag packing anyway. I'm always happy to give money to Brownies or Cubs but if I saw young adults doing it, especially for themselves (for air fare etc) I would feel a bit pressured. So I would certainly not want to give to parents doing it for their children.

If they were collecting for a project - ie the funds were going towards building materials for a school or clinic then I would be more inclined to donate to pay the fares of older teenagers then no. It feels more like begging than asking for donations.

Over the years my kids have packed bags for Brownies and to raise funds for small charities working in Africa but not to raise money for their own fares/expenses.

I agree but are you absolutely sure none of the kids were there? I’ve done similar for Scout groups and rugby teams and a lot of the time the parents & leaders are very involved but the children are helping as well (perhaps not so efficiently).

I'm not keen on charity events that involve people travelling to the third world to take part in a project (or similar).

However, as regards the fundraising, do you know for sure that the 17 year olds weren't bag packing in a different supermarket at the same time?

YANBU.
Also, I hate these poverty tourists.

Of course some village in Ghana needs 17 year old Jemima to build a wall for them at a cost of £3000 that could easily be spent by employing local tradespeople thus helping the community

I actually like having my bags packed but rarely come across any bag packers .

What can 17 years old bring that local person can’t? That money would be better spent employing a local person for a very sunstoamount of time rather than for 17 years olds to have a jolly for a couple of weeks and put something on their CV

FFs. Really? A 'jolly'? How little you know about these trips.

I also don’t like volunteer tourism. My old health visitor was going to do some voluntary work through Voluntary services overseas, a skilled medical professional who could actually do something. I suppose these dc trip will bring some sort of money to the local economy but I just wouldn’t donate.

I don't like bagpacking as a fundraiser. No problem with the fundraising but my shopping is mine and I want my bags packed my way.

I always donate to the cause though.

Agree with pp it's a holiday for the 17 year olds and does nothing for the locals that they couldn't do themselves given the cash. 3rd world cou tries have plenty of unskilled labour they don't need our unskilled teenagers 'helping'. Read up on it!

A young relative signed up for one of these and found it immensely stressful to raise the thousands of pounds needed, it's basically virtually impossible unless your family pony up for the majority.

oh well, they are helping, desperate to get them out of their hair

I hate volunteer tourism with a passion and feel the only small thing in its favour is that at least the young people involved have to do the fundraising themselves, learning valuable skills and (not least) the value of money along the way. So if mum and dad are doing the fundraising (as well as paying the difference) then that's just another reason for the whole thing to get in the sea. IMO.

Connie but surely raising the money is part of the commitment? I’ve been involved with Scouting for years and observed how young people raise money to attend jamborees or other large camps. It really is a good way of seeing how self motivated and resourceful some youngsters are, I’ve seen some really great initiatives and also other kids who just sit around wailing that they just can’t possibly raise that sort of money and the parents then ‘complaining’ to the Leaders about how ‘unfair’ it all is .... unsurprisingly those that manage to raise the funds resourcefully go on to enjoy the Jamborees the most and do well in later life (yes, I’ve been a Leader that long to see the results!).

• I have been scouting in many different parts of the country both ‘wealthy’ and ‘deprived’ and that has no effect on the motivation of the individual or how much they can raise.

It is widely known that this sort of volunteer tourism is extremely bad for local economies and is just a way of the company making money. Google voluntourism - I am always surprised when I hear people still let their kids do this.

And I work in a related field - I'm not just saying that - I have done research and read quite a bit about the impact. Think for a minute - how likely is it that we would want groups of kids from Namibia or Uganda coming to our local community centre and spending THOUSANDS of pounds to get there just to paint a wall - why would that be good for a deprived community in the UK? The cost of the flight alone could pay a local tradesperson to do the work properly - and would give the money to the local economy. It's actually disgusting that people still take part in this.

I agree the kids probably aren't much in the way of help on these trips but I think it must be a real Eye-opener for some of them, makes them grow up and appreciate how very lucky they are and hopefully become more proactive citizens as a result. That's the only real benefit I see, but I suppose it's an important one.

ntohellbutstayingstrong

^FFs. Really? A 'jolly'? How little you know about these trips.*

I have been on a similar trip in my teens and still stand by my opinion that they are not run with the best interests of the community in mind.

Intohell
I don’t know where you are getting your information from. But the locals definitely don’t need a bunch of privileged kids messing with precious resources. Voyeuristic tourism is very distasteful. I would have gladly given money if it were for the actual community.

You don’t need to travel half way across the world to observe poverty. These kids would be learning the same lesson and actually be doing good volunteering at their local food bank or soup kitchen.

Op they could 'realise how lucky they are' by helping at a local food bank or decorating the home of someone who has poor living conditions or helping on a holiday for underprivileged kids in this country. Paying thousands to go overseas and see poor people is ironically the oppos to making them realise how lucky they are!

My son is going on one of these trips in the summer. They will be working with the locals to build a house for the school teacher. They are really going as the labour force to work with the skilled local trade but are being taught the skills before they go.

The money they are raising is paying for all the materials needed for the time they are there as well as after they have left to complete the task.

I personally think it will be good for them to see how others live in other countries, something you don’t grasp just through holidays.

Jackshouse
I don’t like contributing to these things - it’s volunteer tourism. What can 17 years old bring that local person can’t? That money would be better spent employing a local person for a very sunstoamount of time rather than for 17 years olds to have a jolly for a couple of weeks and put something on their CV.

Agree. I've seen teenagers collecting for a project where they go out to help build basic houses in (IIRC) the townships. I've always wondered the same thing as you - wouldn't it be better to pay the airfare money to locals to help with the building, give them a wage?