VSO On The Media And Volunteer Tourism
By Kate | Permalink |
3 comments | June 8th, 2007 | Trackback
I recently came across an article from Black Britain, reporting that Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO – profiled here at the Volunteer Logue) is concerned that it will be unable to fill the needs of its volunteer partners in five countries (categorized as its five least popular countries) – Nigeria, Eritrea, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Mongolia. It attributes this partly to what it believes to be an inaccurate portrayal of these countries in the media as dangerous and also to “the rise of consumer driven volunteer tourism.”
First of all, I would agree that the media plays a large role not only in shaping how safe or dangerous people believe a country to be, but also in how worthy people see a country or region as worthy of aid – and also simply how aware they are of it.
As far as volunteer tourism, here is the actual quote from VSO cited in the article:
“The ethos of VSO is that we get the volunteers to where they are needed, but with the rise of consumer driven volunteer tourism, increasingly people are coming to us with a clear idea of where they’d like to go, as if it’s a holiday. We’re concerned this attitude is not good for development. If people are encouraged to pick and choose where they give help, instead of making the choice based on the community’s need for their skills, some countries will inevitably suffer.”
I think this is an important point, and I think it is made succinctly here. People often have the attitude that “anything is better than nothing” but this is a clear example of a case where “anything” (short term volunteer tourist trips, and their general promotion) may be having a negative effect on the whole field.
While I think this is a valid point, I also don’t think that people having a clear idea of where they want to go is necessarily a result of them looking at it as a holiday.
Balance is key, and in fact while I think it’s reasonable for a volunteer to have some flexibility, the idea that those with specific goals are in fact more effective than those who just generally want to help is not unheard of. People who work (paid jobs) are not generally expected to take any job in their field that accepts them anywhere; they limit their search to the areas they want to live in; while volunteer work obviously isn’t paid, and usually includes at least an element of altruism, I don’t think it’s totally unreasonable for individuals willing to do the work to have a preference for where they will live for a year or more.
I think people making more assertive choices about how they spend their time and energy may well be the result of a number of social forces, perhaps including, but not limited to, volunteer tourism. I do also wonder if VSO is benefiting from an increased interest in making a meaningful contribution abroad – perhaps also in part created by the promotion of volunteer tourism. And while I can certainly admit that volunteer tourism may have some negative effects, I don’t feel convinced that it (volunteer tourism itself) is definitely a cause rather than a symptom of many currently held values about aid and social change and the like.
If it’s not already clear, I do have many thoughts on this topic, so be on the lookout for more.
Comments
For anyone who is following the comments - I’ve already extended my thanks for such a detailed comment to ourman via email. While I don’t agree with all of his conclusions, I think he makes a number of good points and raises topics that are worthy of serious discussion. I’m hoping to have more to post on this - from him and from my own head - in the near future.
I’ve been a volunteer for 6 months in Cambodia, and I strongly believe that VSO Peace Corp and VIDA and other volunteer agencies are mostly agencies for local, highly-paid expatriate managers to employ cheap, international-standard volunteer labor at virtually no cost.
I was astounded when I found out what even middle managers in NGO’s get paid (I know of a guy who is finance director at an NGO in Cambodia, who gets paid 5000 euros and benefits) per month.
Many volunteers, including myself are much more educated than this guy, and others on very high wages (high for Cambodia, with it’s low living costs).
Sorry, but I am very cynical about volunteering.
It’s a new and novel way for fat white expats to make their masters happy by saving money on professional labor costs.
Jess
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I’m not entirely clear on your point but I’ll try and give you mine - it’s certainly changed since I arrived in Nicaragua - volunteer experiences here are very different to when I was in Vietnam.
Anyway, in Vietnam I was a VSO volunteer. It it worth pointing out a few things that this entails. Firstly I was interviewed to check I was suitable. I was offered a job based on my professional experience and expertise. They provided both pre and in-country training. When I was there they provided housing and a small wage - about $250. Two years was the length of all stays.
In others words - this is not two weeks, building a school and paying for the privilege.
My experience there, as a volunteer, seemed to be the norm. There were a lot of UN volunteers, Australian AVIs, VIDAs and Youth Ambassadors - all very similar to the US Peace Corps.
We had job descriptions and contracts. While our respective governments largely paid our expenses the local organisation usually chipped in, say, 10% of the cost.
This is important. It is easy to see volunteers as expendable, cheap labour. If people don’t invest money then they don’t invest time in making it work. As a volunteer you want to work, you want to be part of a team, you want to feel valued, listened to and to feel like you are making a difference.
Now my experience in Nicaragua.
While there is Peace Corps here I have not come across any other organisation that pays volunteers costs. Quite the opposite, a large number of volunteers seem to be paying for the privilege to volunteer. Because they pay, people take them. Often for no other reason.
Also, because of the relative proximity of the USA there is no shortage of volunteers. Locally organisations see little value in this wave of non professional, short term volunteers.
As an example my girlfriend, who is an environmental worker of nearly 10 years experience, has been stood up for meetings, made to pay her own costs to attends meetings (only to be told: thanks but no thanks) etc etc.
Why get someone who even wants just a living local wage when you can get another unskilled gringo either free or actually paying for the privilege?
Volunteers need to be valued.
Which brings me to a conclusion - voluntourism is a paradox it is not volunteering it is tourism. If it makes you feel good about yourself then great. Are you really helping, long term? Maybe but probably not. Are you actually paying to do a job that a local person might be paid for (building a school?) very possibly. What is valued more highly. You or your money?
Remember i-to-i, an organisation that provides voluntourism opportunities, it was recently was sold for $20m. That is your volunteering cash. If you really cared - you’d just send the money direct. But, if you’re honest, you want the experience more than you want to help.
For volunteers to work they need to be long term. They need to be there long enough to understand cultures. They need to be there long enough to pass on their expertise to a local person who will replace them when they go. That is sustainable volunteering. To get good people you have to pay. Not much, but costs and basic living expenses.
This might also hurt a bit but I have worked with NGOs and other long term volunteers who hate (really, sorry) short term volunteers.
We’ve had to clear schedules to accommodate finger painters, people who want to do photography workshops, people who want to paint classrooms, people who want to basically just play games with kids.
It can he hard to watch when you know you have to clear up afterwards and while you are going back to your local-style accommodation you know that your voluntourist friends will be heading back to the Hilton for dinner. The cost of their group dinner would probably keep your NGO going for weeks.