What’s the difference between Volunteering, Travel, and voluntourism?
Travel and Volunteering are both great things to do. They are separate actions.
Voluntourism is a portmanteau, a combination of the words volunteer and tourism. It is a derogatory term. Why would anyone consider voluntourism detrimental?
What are your thoughts? Could there be a dark side to volunteering as a form of tourism?
Listening
Watch the video to see another point of view about it.
Reading – A letter
Read the letter from an English teacher to a volunteer tourist.
Dear Fake English Teacher,
Voluntourism. People travel and do volunteer work at the same time. Sounds great in theory, right?
The tourist gets to hang out with a desperately poor community and ‘help out’ in fun, curated ways. The tourist goes home with an edgy, heroic story that looks great on a personal profile. The community gets a little money and the benefit of your wisdom. It’s a win win for everybody, right?
However, voluntourism is associated with exploitation. A classic example is the fake English teacher scam.
Anyone can pretend to be an English teacher, right? How hard can it be? What fun for the tourist, to teach the local children how to say colours in English
So the charity kids learn how to say colours yet again, and pretend to be so grateful to the tourist, yet again.
At best, the children don’t learn much, but they do earn money. They get nice outfits and toys, and whatever else is needed for the shabby chic vibe the tourists want. At worst, the children work as props, or are even exploited.
It’s noble and good to travel and volunteer. Being curious, adventurous, and generous are good qualities to have. A shout out to all the backpackers around the world, volunteering in the local communities they meet!
Voluntourism isn’t that, and it isn’t cool. It’s a tailored, self aggrandizing thing to do. Know the difference! And if you aren’t an English teacher, then don’t pretend to be one. You are doing more harm than good.
Regards,
An English Teacher
Reading Comprehension Questions
1.) What is the English teacher’s attitude toward tourists who pretend to be competent to teach English?
2.) What is the difference between traveling and volunteering and voluntourism?
3.) Why doesn’t the teacher consider voluntourism a means for valid education for children?
4.) The writer thinks voluntourism invites exploitation. True or false?
5.) The writer thinks backpacking and helping are good things to do. True or false?
Try the Voluntourism Quiz!
Used To, To Be + Used To, Get + Used To?
Further Reading
Five Myths About Voluntourism, National Geographic
