27 Jan What to consider before ‘volunteering’ with children overseas

The rise of voluntourism has led to a growing number of people travelling to developing countries to work with children. If you have ever considered volunteering your time to help children abroad, then hats off to you! It takes a special person to want to give back and help communities. 

Whilst many people go on these trips with good intentions, it’s important to question whether our involvement is contributing to long-term positive change or creating a temporary and often disruptive experience for the children. 

I’m going to be harsh here, it’s time we put our egos aside and critically think about whether we are benefiting the children or ourselves. 

Here are some things to consider when volunteering with children:

Evaluate the Organisation 

It’s important to evaluate the organisation you are volunteering with. 

Here are some questions to consider:

• What qualifications do they ask of you? Do you think that being over 18 is really enough?
• What are their long-term plans in the community? Or is it a short-term solution?
• Do they promote the experience for you (partying, exploring, meeting people etc.) more than the impact on the children?

Consider the impact on children 

I know people go on these trips with the best intentions. However, volunteers can disrupt these children’s lives. Imagine this; you stay with a group of young children and you form a strong attachment with them over two weeks. Although it’s hard to say goodbye, you will go back to your warm home or onto your next adventure. These children won’t. They form an attachment with you, then you leave, reiterating to the child that people leave. Volunteers often provide short-term emotional attachment that is unstable and ultimately, this doesn’t benefit the child long-term. 

Think about your motivation 

Volunteering abroad can be a life changing experience. But are you motivated for the personal benefits of travel or building up your resume? Whilst these are great reasons and I’m all for personal growth and experiencing new cultures, maybe consider an alternative to volunteering with children. There are plenty of options out there from conservation, supporting community development, climate action to NGO support… the list goes on.

I also want to leave you with this thought; I would never post photos of my students in Australia on social media, but why do we think it’s ok to post photos of students in developing countries all over Instagram? Is it to benefit us and our ‘image’?

I always liked the quote:

“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”

It’s what inspired me to pursue teaching.I want to gain the skills and knowledge to make a true difference in these children’s lives and commit to having a long-lasting impact. 

How can you use your skills and knowledge to help the people around you?