to refuse to sponsor this young person

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

An acquaintance has sent out a mass message asking people she knows to sponsor her son to do a 10k run in the New Year.
Son is 17, Y13, and next summer is going to Uganda to build a playground in a primary school. He's raising funding for this with a target of £2500.

AIBU to think that, if the tables were turned, we wouldn't accept this? If I was told that a group of young people, with no experience, were coming to install playground equipment in my child's primary school, I would be outraged. As would other parents. And yet children in less wealthy countries are expected to be grateful for inexperienced people pitching up at their school.

When DS was in 6th form, there was an "opportunity" to go to Malawi for two weeks and volunteer in a school. I told DS I wouldn't support this, and he didn't go.

Why do schools and colleges run these trips, supposedly to "help" less fortunate children, when in fact it tends to be middle class children who go, because it looks good on their CV.

AIBU?

Totally agree re Operation Christmas Child... patronising protelysing under the guise of "charity"

Not one mention of the impact on the host community.
These schemes run on exploitation and dependency. Raleigh International isn't fantastic.

It went into administration in May. It seems like they've revived but I wouldn't describe them as a ivf charity.

Big charity! No idea why that autocorrected to ivf!

There were zero background checks on the "project" that I was asked to fundraise for myself to go volunteering on.

The main only background check seemed to be: do you know enough fairly well-off people that you can persuade to subsidise your trip.

Absolutely chilling

DS did one of these trips a few years ago. We are not well off and don’t have family holidays so it was a huge deal for us. He and his friends made money by selling stuff and working - no sponsored activities or asking people to donate. The trip was for his benefit and I didn’t expect anyone else to pay for it. And we don’t have any rich friends! Benefits to the communities he visited? Maybe some money going to local drivers, guides, cooks etc.? Tourist money spent on souvenirs, food etc ? A few walls got painted and some plastic got picked off a beach. Hopefully the owner of the walls got paid for putting up with a bunch of teenagers for the day and the beach looked a bit better afterwards. Definitely no ‘teaching’ or ‘empowering’ going on - how bloody patronising. My shy, sheltered boy was the one learning and being empowered. As well as having an amazing holiday. I absolutely take on board everything said on this thread and so I wouldn’t make the same decision again. I hadn’t even thought about depriving locals of the work of painting. Easy to get caught up in the hype and excitement of these types of trips I think.

You are being very unreasonable and to be honest quite judgemental. This boy is trying to do something good, supported by his parents who have presumably researched the company and think it's a good idea. If you don't want to support him then don't.

Not all acts of kindness are White Saviourism - it's sad that people think like this.

But this one is

You haven't read the thread, have you?

I agree with you. The money would be better spent funding local people to build a playground and also would provide work. I always find these charity jollies a bit sinister. You know most of the money is being filtered away and absorbed by the "charity" in "admin".

From an eco point of view as well - would we fly in people from thousands of miles away to build a playground in Croydon? I guess not.

There is no charity to take the money on 'admin'. These are simply tour operators who have jumped into the voluntourism bandwagon. Normal 'for profit' travel companies. The small amount of money spent in the host country will be siphoned off by corrupt community 'leaders' that the tour company does the deals with. sadly, as tends to be the way in the poorest of countries.

Actual registered global charities won't go near this stuff, for any number of reasons.

This thread is very interesting, but some of the replies are infuriating. People have explained in great detail why voluntourism is damaging to the communities in question, yet others keep replying with anecdotes about what an enriching experience it is - for the volunteers. Some people really do view citizens of developing countries as not fully human - it's as though they're just props in the lives of first-worlders.

As others have pointed out, the money spent on the flight would be much more beneficial than the presence of unskilled British teenagers. To say otherwise is at best naive and at worst racist.

we didn’t actually do any building. I know we could’ve done more if we hadn’t flown out but it was a really valuable trip for me. To listen to their stories and to get to know the residents

cancer patients on only paracetamol broke my heart. I’m about to qualify as a vet and I think about the importance of pain management all of the time. The fact it was articulated by a human really hit home to me and helps me advocate for pets that can’t do so themselves

And yet, knowing how much pain medication for cancer patients could be bought for the price of airfare and accommodation for a useless British teenager, you’re still focusing on how valuable it was for you to hear about their struggles in person. I understand that as a naive teenager, this stuff may not have occurred to you, but as an adult, how are you not condemning these trips?

This thread has cemented my views on voluntourism, I’d previously thought I must be missing something, such is the hype - now I can see I’m not.

Excellent posts from OP and insights from some very knowledgeable people.

A must for classics surely? These wise words need to be out there, permanently.

You don't need to travel tot he other side of the world though.

Volunteer with a foodbank, or a refugee charity.

I used to do English teaching, in the community, I would go to a house and have a conversation in English with the ladies who lived in those houses.

I got to experience different cultures within 2 miles of my home.

You can also travel at your own expense and take part in local voluntary work.

I've posted links to volunteering matters twice, who provide full-time volunteering opportunities to anyone over 18 in the UK, with board and pocket money thrown in (no sponsorship needed!). That's what I did, back in the day as an adventurous teen with no money or family support, it was the best thing I ever did.

For me the perfect gap yah would be a combination of working, saving, volunteering locally and travel, with the travel funded by the working and family donations (which is just the same as sponsorship really, my DS is very fortunate in that his two uncles have no imagination and just put cash in envelopes for birthdays and Christmas, but you're not asking wider community to do it.)

Thoughtful travel is a great way to have an adventure and put money into the local economy without paying money to voluntourism firms who are run for profit.

No, there aren't. That's the whole point. The only 'background check' is the ability to bring 2,500 to the table.

The UK is different, yes, but then how do you PVG check a non-UK resident? I don't believe you can, but happy to be corrected.

They don’t just send in a load of college students and set them free on a load a wood with a load of tools you know!…
There will be highly qualified craftsmen / women there who will be supervising the young adults and teaching them new skills.
mif you don’t want to sponsor him don’t, no need to make any snide comments to anyone else in your work place though about something you clearly don’t understand. This is such a nice thing for people to do, for children who otherwise wouldn’t get a playground.. No one is asking for them to be grateful….
the kids benefit and the young volunteers benefit from learning skills.

Maybe read the thread. Several people who work in the area of international aid and non-profits have offeredwise advice and experience, and links to how these trips actively cause harm.

And yes it would be great to send the money out instead so locals can be employed to do it… but the reality is, you send cash out, the government take it… the little village school wouldn’t see a penny of that money! However sending out volunteers, not only do the kids get there playground but the locals probably get to help and learn skills along the way too….
you send money abroad, the people who need it seldom see a penny of it!!…. Hence why we donate to British companies that them go out and deliver helo to those in need… (cut out the greedy foreign governments who keep it for themselves)

Again, read the thread.

You’re happy to support anyone who agrees with your tight fisted views….
mMy husband has been out and built schools etc and it’s hugely beneficial to poor villages.

Hence why we donate to British companies that them go out and deliver helo to those in need… (cut out the greedy foreign governments who keep it for themselves)
British voluntourism companies do it to make a profit.