I was recently chatting with someone about why I don’t support voluntourism. This person wanted me to explain it to her through Instagram, and it was in that moment that I realised I didn’t have my answer written down in the one place, so anyone can quickly understand the basics. …
It’s time to change how we change the world
“If we can understand how complex it is to solve issues in our own country, why do we feel we can go to another country, one we often know very little about, and solve their problems on a short-term trip?” – Rebecca Klaassen If you only watch one TEDx talk …
Take a look at this long-term volunteering checklist before volunteering overseas
I am not an expert in travel, so I have no idea what is going to happen post-COVID. Some people say that travel will never be the same again. And I hope it isn’t. I truly hope that there is a shift away from voluntourism, and an understanding that ethical …
Exposing children to abuse as voluntourists
The Cambodian women shuddered as the photo came on the screen of young foreign women holding Cambodian children in their arms. “Sally, we would never want other people to hold our children like that,” they told me. We continued through the slideshow of photos showing voluntourism activities, and they tutted as …
That school trip to volunteer overseas isn’t ethical
I was recently a guest on the ABC Radio Sydney Focus show. I had been invited on as a recent recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia to talk about voluntourism. Voluntourism is short-term or one-off volunteering overseas, and it has many benefits. People often say it gives …