Steve Jackson is a former VSO volunteer (in Vietnam), and a current self-funded volunteer in Nicaragua. He’s also the author of the blog Our Man In Granada.

He took the time to explain his views on some of the problems with voluntourism. While I don’t agree in full (and don’t worry – I’ll explain in detail soon!), I think he makes a number of good points which are relevant to potential volunteers as well as those with an interest in the voluntary sector, development and aid generally. Here he argues that, “when it comes to choosing how and where to help out, it’s still all about sustainability.”

“Before a friend made me realise my own ignorance, I thought that all volunteers were posh gap year kids, Christians and hippies “finding themselves”.

Being short haired, neither especially happy nor clappy, nor young nor rich I considered that it wasn’t for me.

Then someone explained the whole sustainability thing. You see the idea wasn’t that I show up for a couple of weeks, build a wall and scoot back home.

No, instead I would pre-train, I would be selected for the post that was right for me. I would use the skills that earned me a living back home to help people over there. In-country I’d learn about local culture before being let loose on my new colleagues. WOW.

They’d have a job description for me and I would report progress back to VSO. More important of all, and this is where the sustainable bit comes in, I would teach a local person how to take over my role and do my job when I left. Impressive.

And that is what I did. In Hanoi, Vietnam.

I should also add, despite being considered a volunteer I was paid, about $250 a month plus rent. VSO footed all but about 5% of that bill. My local employer paid the rest.

Now that 5% might not seem much but it was vitally important. My local employer was contributing. They had something to lose if it went wrong. Their money would be wasted. In addition, I had a wage to justify.

It worked, as not all, but most, do. I achieved my objectives, I had the time of my life and, after the hardest goodbyes I have ever had to make, I moved on.

…to Nicaragua.

Here, the culture seems very different. There is no VSO but there is the US equivalent: Peace Corps.

Other than that there are “voluntourists”, there are missions. There are teenagers travelling who are helping out on their way through Central America. There are schools groups.

The proximity of the United States means there are lots and lots of people helping and that, in virtually every way, has to be positive, except…” (to be continued…)