Voluntourism
Traveling to Make a Difference

By Sally Brown, Ph.D., and Trevor Nelson Shirley

Travelers have traditionally wanted sand, surf and sun for the typical vacation, but new trends are showing that soul, spirit and service are also becoming factors when deciding on a destination.

If the events of September 11, 2001, had one positive consequence, it was this: a wonderful surge in the recognition of the value of volunteering, and that the best way to fight back against such violence is by reaching out to others, both domestically and internationally. Volunteer vacations, becoming commonly known as “voluntourism,” are one of the best ways to promote the benefits of international understanding and cooperation. Through personal, one-on-one exchanges and dialogue, individuals around the world, including people from diverse communities of the United States, will better understand and appreciate their global neighbors.

Voluntourism can take two different forms. The first refers to individuals who take a “volunteer-minded” trip and devote most or all of their vacation to volunteer activities. The second form of volunteer tourism takes on a lighter tone, in which the individual is largely vacation-minded, but spends a small portion of that time on volunteer work at the destination. These brief encounters have often proven to be the highlight of the individuals’ vacations.

Making a difference
When elementary school principal Steve Foster returned from his first mission trip with Ambassadors for Children, an Indianapolis based non-profit organization, his life was altered. “It was the most rewarding, emotional, positive trip I’ve ever experienced. A life-changing opportunity, which will be in my thoughts and all that I am yet to be,” Foster offers. “I know that we’ve touched the lives of so many, but mine has been touched equally by the beautiful children of Mexico.”

Growth in voluntourism isn’t just with individuals. More employers are encouraging their employees to step out of their comfort zones and head into the world to take a break from the office and see if they can make a positive change.

This growing trend reflects the notion that people are wanting to do more than just visit exotic locales; that there is a growing desire among many to make a considerable impact in their destinations of choice. “Voluntourist” vacations might include heading to Guatemala to work in an orphanage or jumping on flight to Uganda to help build a school – any activity that has a lasting benefit on a community in need.

Voluntourism began appearing on travelers’ radars nearly 10 years ago, with the advent of organizations such as Voluntourism.org. Founder David Clemmons had worked in the hospitality industry and spent significant time doing volunteer work.

“Companies have to look at it as an empowerment issue about team building and partnerships,” Clemmons relates. “Employees are coming back from these trips with a new set of skills that they might not have had before.” Clemmons contends that volunteering abroad as part of a corporate initiative leads to better productivity and higher morale.

Employee reward
McClain Finlon, a Denver-based advertising agency, has nearly perfected the venture of bringing voluntourism into the office. Three years ago, CEO Cathey Finlon helped develop the “Global Do Good Program” with the hope of providing her employees a chance to make an impact in the world. The grant provides an opportunity for one employee a year to take a two-week, all-expenses paid trip to anywhere in the world with the intent of doing meaningful work.

After three years, she has no regrets. “It lets people in the office feel like they’re a part of something bigger,” Finlon says, “and it’s non-traditional job training; everyone learns about themselves in this environment.”

While Finlon’s grant program is out in Colorado, the voluntourism trend is catching the eyes of business executives here in Indiana.

Dennis Bassett, CEO of Chase Bank operations in Indiana, traveled to Kenya last January with Ambassadors for Children. The trip made more of an impact on him than he’d expected.

“The fact that you get to do what you’d do as a tourist, as well as learn about the culture and issues of the area, like getting to work with kids who are victims of the AIDS crisis … brings home the idea that we live in a global society, that we’re all connected,” Bassett discloses.

Like Clemmons, Bassett also believes that there is a place for this type of initiative in the business environment.

“It would be a great reward for a top performer to take a trip and have a volunteer experience,” Bassett contends, “and the idea of bonding and camaraderie would lend itself nicely to a team-building experience.”

Authors: Sally Brown, Ph.D., is founder and president of Ambassadors for Children (AFC), a non-profit that offers short-term humanitarian trips around the world to serve children. Trevor Nelson Shirley is journalism major at Indiana University and trip leader for AFC. Learn more at www.ambassadorsforchildren.org

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