Working World

A reader named Amy responds to our post on voluntourism:

Voluntourism sounds like an excellent idea….However, I’m about to be graduating from college and I know I would never be able to afford to participate in “voluntourism.” What would your advice be for a broke idealist?

Amy raises an important point about voluntourism and international volunteer work in general: it can be awfully expensive, and thus cost prohibitive for recent graduates on a tight budget. Which seems slightly ironic in that it doesn’t seem like the impulse to give back should bring with it a high tab. But as many who’ve written on this topic point out, you wouldn’t expect a local organization for which you’re volunteering to pay for your transportation and morning coffee—so how can we expect an organization to pay for our international travel expenses?

Idealist and Transitions Abroad offer informative perspectives on why it costs money to volunteer. But to get back to Amy’s question, how can a broke idealist participate in voluntourism or get experience abroad? After the jump, a few ways to tackle this:

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Many thanks to BeGlobal.net for featuring Working World the book and the blog in the Global Careers section of their recently launched website.  Founded by Tim Honey, former Executive Director of Sister Cities International, BeGlobal is an essential resource for those seeking a career in international affairs, as well as anyone interested in finding opportunities to “think locally and act globally.”

A great article in the San Francisco Chronicle on the growing trend of “voluntourism”:

After a decade of unprecedented consumerism, the rise of voluntourism may suggest that the pendulum is swinging toward a more altruistic worldview. But there’s also a certain logic in our workaholic culture embracing the idea of a working vacation. Whatever the reasons, voluntourism seems to be attracting more professionals, families and affluent retirees – just the sorts of people the travel industry must court to stay alive in an era of exploding fuel prices.

This idea of a working vacation is certainly not new to those familiar with alternative spring break trips and similar programs.  Regardless, the idea of voluntourism strikes me as not only a way to give back but also a means to gain short-term experience working abroad.  Highlighted in the article are the micro finance organization Kiva.org, which began “a fellowship program that places trained volunteers with partner organizations for a minimum of 10 weeks,” and the nonprofit organization Global Volunteers, which supports volunteer vacations both abroad and in the United States.