Volontourisme: when volunteer during the holidays turns into doubtful business – rts.ch

Help in an elephant sanctuary in Thailand. Nevertheless, teach children in a school in Peru: there are countless possibilities if you want to volunteer during your vacation.

Volontourism (“volunteer”. Therefore, “tourism”) designates a form of travel in which people do voluntary work in social, ecological or cultural projects, generally for a short period and often without any particular qualifications.

1.6 million missions per year in the world – Volontourisme: when volunteer during holidays

Volunteering during the holidays is popular. Nevertheless, About 1.6 million people would participate in this type of activity each year. For example, There are no official figures for Switzerland. In addition, but according to Jon Florin, director general of the Fair Unterwegs Foundation, which volontourisme: when volunteer during holidays promotes fair and sustainable tourism, interest in this practice has increased in recent years.

“Especially without experience in this field, the profits of volunteering are minimal.

Volontourism can usually have positive aspects, explains Jon Florin. “For volunteers, these missions are an opportunity to discover a completely new world”. However, the profits strongly depend on the precise nature of the mission and the qualifications of the volunteer.

Caution when you work with children. animals – Volontourisme: when volunteer during holidays

Particular caution is in order when working in orphanages or taking care of animals. Without the appropriate expertise. if the duration is too short, these missions mainly benefit the volunteers themselves, rather than to people or to animals on site, explains the director of Fair Unterwegs.

Sometimes children who are not orphans are placed in an orphanage.

Volunteers who only stay a few weeks sometimes develop relationships that deteriorate quickly. This deleterious climate can be stressful for children. Without educational experience, these same volunteers often lack the knowledge necessary to correctly meet the needs of orphans.

The case of false orphans

But there is worse. “Sometimes children who are not orphans are placed in an orphanage,” says Jon Florin. They are abandoned by their families because some unscrupulous international organizations wish to attract volunteers and donations. Such economic models are known in countries like Nepal, Cambodia, Haiti, Uganda and Ghana.

Consequently. if volunteering with children or animals is popular, Jon Florin advises against it: “Especially without experience in this area, the benefits of volunteering is minimal.” He sees more interest in projects where volunteers clean the beaches, for example. This type of volunteering does not require any qualification, causes no damage volontourisme: when volunteer during holidays and nevertheless has a real impact.

How to find renowned volunteer projects

Anyone considering a volunteer mission must take into account several elements. Jon Florin advises paying attention to the certifications of investment organizations. He recommends being wary of offers that do not clearly specify the use of money paid for the mission.

Another pre-runner sign is the explicit staging of poor children or sick animals in an advertisement. According to Jon Florin. we must also wonder about his own motivations: do we really do it for the local community to which we want to help, or rather for ourselves, to travel at advantageous prices, for his ego, to stage ourselves?

Sujet original: Radio SRF 3; liw

French adaptation: Julien Furrer (RTS)