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* Forgetting to make the rest of the trip responsible, from checking who owns the hotels to buying [[carbon offsets]]. | * Forgetting to make the rest of the trip responsible, from checking who owns the hotels to buying [[carbon offsets]]. | ||
* Fostering [[paternalism]] - the idea that "we privileged people from rich countries" can come in and fix things. | * Fostering [[paternalism]] - the idea that "we privileged people from rich countries" can come in and fix things. | ||
* Thinking that good intentions are enough. They are definitely not - | * Thinking that [[good intentions]] are enough. They are definitely not - good intentions can have disastrous outcomes. | ||
== See also == | |||
* [[Admitting failure]] | |||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
Revision as of 06:34, 1 July 2011
Potential problems with volunteering-as-tourism programs include:
- Creating one-off projects which have little long-term impact - "development by monument."
- Forgetting that volunteers are NOT free - they take time and resources to administer.
- Giving things away creates dependence; as with any form of subsidy, there is a danger of disempowering the people we intend to help.
- Monitoring projects poorly or not at all (see Monitoring and evaluation).
- Giving unskilled volunteers jobs that require skills. Young volunteers may be brimming with confidence, but may not have the skills needed.
- Forgetting to make the rest of the trip responsible, from checking who owns the hotels to buying carbon offsets.
- Fostering paternalism - the idea that "we privileged people from rich countries" can come in and fix things.
- Thinking that good intentions are enough. They are definitely not - good intentions can have disastrous outcomes.