Image from [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/wanhoff/2075642162/]Flickr[/url]
On Wednesday August 21st, Givologists from around the world followed the #givchat hashtag on Twitter and joined in on our first #givchat debate.
We wanted to know:[b] Do short-term volunteer trips abroad bring long-term benefits to the community?[/b]
Our participants bounced tweets back and forth for the next hour and shared their opinions. For the whole transcript, check out our [url=https://storify.com/givology/givchat-on-service-trips-abroad/]Storify[/url]. These were the main points that were brought up.
PROS:
[b]A service trip allows a volunteer to see global problems in person.[/b]
Many participants mentioned that the greatest benefit of a service trip was simply being able to see the problems affecting the global community upfront. One participant stated that his trips abroad allowed him "to focus inward for reflection and learning; to focus outward for impact and service."
[b]Volunteers are still helping people. [/b]
Especially if you have a much needed skill set (we had a participant who was a nurse), going abroad as a volunteer could provide some much needed help. One person mentioned that even short term volunteers and teachers could have a massive impact within a community, referencing leadership seminars and the UN. Volunteers could also provide emotional support and instill hope in the community members on a 1 on 1 basis.
[b]Volunteers can raise awareness in their own community.[/b]
Many of Givology's partners were inspired to start their organizations after a trip abroad, and many people follow up on their trips afterwards by fundraising in their local community. 80,000 Hours, a non-profit dedicated to effective altruism, added after the chat that a service trip abroad was necessary before starting a career in non-profit. Another participant mentioned that she gathered information that she used in the US for promotion.
CONS:
[b]Service trips are expensive. [/b]
The cost of a plane ticket is usually thousands of dollars, and many participants questioned the whether the cost justified the impact that they made and whether that money could be better invested directly in the community. Some participants linked to articles that even called [url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/nov/14/orphans-cambodia-aids-holidays-madonna]"voluntourism the fastest-growing sector of one of the fastest-growing industries on the planet.“[/url]
[b]Volunteers are easily replaceable. [/b]
Even though volunteers had a tangible impact on the surface, most of the work (building schools and homes, helping community members, etc.), could have be done by the locals. This would have the same impact without having to invest the time and money of a service trip.
[b]In the end, the volunteer benefits more than actual community[/b]
This is the complete opposite of the purpose of a service trip, but many participants agreed. The volunteer leaves a service trip with a different outlook on life, while to the local community, they're just another volunteer. However, this could easily be reversed if the volunteer also raises awareness in their own community. (see above)
Given these pros and cons, how could service trips be made better? What are the alternatives? Our participants offered these suggestions:
[ul][li]Follow up in your own communities after the trip[/li][li]Do non-replaceable work if possible[/li][li]Volunteer in your local community[/li][li]Help a non-profit with fundraising, communications, and other jobs that don't require a trip [/li][li]Utilize the power of the internet to make an impact[/li][/ul] Our next #givchat will be this Wednesday, September 10th at 7PM EST. We'll be discussing the benefits of basic education versus extracurricular education. Follow the [url=https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q=%23givchat&src=typd]#givchat[/url] hashtag on Twitter to join in, and we hope to have another productive conversation!