Fundraising Ideas for Volunteers

One of the main hindrances of taking a volunteer vacation is often the cost. Companies that have been around a bit, or are just savvy, have prepared a fundraising guide to help volunteers overcome this hurdle. Have you?

I stumbled upon this PDF from an organization called Group Workcamps – they are mission focused, but if you take out the religious message this is an amazing set of fundraising ideas, have a read and you’ll see what I mean. Hopefully it’s useful to you and to your volunteers.

Group Workcamps Fundraising Guide

Slumdog Promotes Voluntourism in Orphanages: Good or Bad?

See below, a recent article came out in Travel News about a TV program on the slums of India that has increased the number of volunteers wanting to help in orphanages, is this good or bad? It’s probably good for volunteer companies and their bottom line and working with kids has always sold really well BUT is it in fact good for the kids?

We send volunteers to orphanages to paint rooms or play with kids or help ‘educate’ but really who is benefiting the most? The volunteer or the kids? Have there been any studies saying that placing strangers with orphans that only stay for one week help or hinder the abandonment issues that orphans anyway carry with them?

As all of this promotion and encouragement of volunteering with orphans continues I’d love to hear proof from someone that the kids are truly the ones benefiting. The orphanages I have talked to in country always tell me they think teh volunteers’ efforts hurt the kids but they need to smile and make nice with volunteer companies because they are reliant on the funds.

Let the debate begin!

Slumdog TV Promotes Voluntourism

British organisations which offer volunteering opportunities overseas have seen a marked increase in the number of people wishing to travel to India to work in orphanages. Travel industry leaders believe the rise in enquiries for this sort of overseas expedition is as a result of Channel 4’s recent India Winter season.

The series, which drew in record level audience figures, featured programmes including Slumming It, The Slumdog Children of Mumbai and the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire. Spokesperson Marcus Watts, from the independent gap year association The Year Out Group, said he believes the rise in interest from people wanting to carry out voluntary work in India shows just how influential TV programming is. He said: “Channel 4’s India Winter season was something which has captured the minds of many people. Lots of viewers saw the way thousands of young children live on India’s streets and have felt inspired to do something to help them.

Volunteers working overseas really can make a small difference to the lives of kids who have been abandoned or orphaned.” Greenforce, which is a not for profit organisation, and a branch of Gapforce, sends a different group of British volunteers twice a month to India. The average trip ranges from two to five weeks. Volunteers range in age from 17 to 70. Upon arrival in India, Gapforce trains its volunteers to speak basic Hindi before allowing them to work in the orphanage. Volunteers can choose between working in a residential orphanage in Jaipur or assisting in a day centre for orphans and homeless children in Delhi.

Director of Operations Daniella Noykova, from Gapforce, who has herself volunteered in India, said: “Words cannot express how much these children enjoy meeting our volunteers. These orphanages are incredibly stretched when it comes to resourcing so having additional support is always welcome. “ The work which volunteers carry out in the orphanages is varied. It can range from helping building the children’s confidence and integrating them into the community, tutoring in home work, teaching vocational skills, organizing games and recreational activities and most importantly providing much needed individualised attention. For more information about Gapforce’s volunteering opportunities, visit www.gapforce.or

Trip of a Lifetime Report 2010

OK – so this isn’t entirely voluntourism focused, but the below is a cool report I just finished with GeckoGo and iExplore – some interesting findings in here that apply to experiential travel (of which voluntourism is a key part). Let us know what you think! Don’t forget, State of the Volunteer Travel Industry 2010 is coming up – please plan on participating again so we can continuously benchmark changes!

The Trip of a Lifetime Travel Report 2010, a travel study about the motivations and preferences behind vacations that are considered “A Trip of a Lifetime.” This report was conducted by GeckoGo and iExplore in conjunction with Lasso Communications. Given the rise of experiential travel, the goal of this survey was to obtain a snapshot of consumer attitudes globally towards taking “lifetime” trips, what destinations are considered, the importance of travel companions, the price and duration. The survey looks at the difference between expectations for what a trip of a lifetime means, compared against those who have already gone.

Download full report

Key findings of this report Seeing the World Wonders, safaris and rain forest expeditions are the top experiences travelers are most interested in for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. 70% of respondents said they are most interested in visiting natural and man-made wonders on a once-in-a-lifetime trip such as Machu Picchu, the Pyramids or Victoria Falls. Beyond that, 53% said they were very interested in going on safari and 42% were very interested in a rainforest expedition. Extreme sports – like sky diving – proved less popular with only 16% saying that they were very interested. Picking the right travel companion is THE most important consideration when planning a once in a lifetime trip. 50% of respondents felt “who I travel with” is a very important consideration, followed closely by “being able to fulfill a personal goal”, which was selected as very important by 45% of respondents. The preferred travel companion(s) are typically a partner/spouse (59% of respondents) or friends (24%), although 5% of married respondents would prefer to go on their trip by themselves. Travel media plays an important role in decision making–70% of travelers said that inspiration for a trip typically came from books or magazines versus 40% who were inspired from hearing stories from other people or 27% who gained inspiration from TV. The majority of travelers are independent, yet travel agents and tour groups play an important planning role. While 52% of respondents organized their lifetime trip independently, 18% join a tour group, and 16% use a travel agent to organize their trip. The remainder either used a combination of options or let their travelling partner handle the arrangements. A Once-in-lifetime trip does not have to break the bank. 28% of respondents who are planning a once- in-a- lifetime trip reported that they are willing to spend between $2,000-$3,999 (excluding airfare) and another 26% are willing to spend $4,000-$5,999. Download the full report here

Top Trip-of-a-Lifetime Travel Destinations of 2010

1. Around the world
2. Australia / New Zealand
3. Africa (Overland)
4. Antarctica
5. Egypt
6. Italy
7. Peru
8. India
9. South Africa
10. Greece

Should Volunteers go to Haiti?

With most disasters like Haiti everyone wants to help but doesn’t know how. The Red Cross text campaign has worked really well to raise immediate funds but the internet is also atwitter with people wanting to volunteer in Haiti. Is this a good idea? Is money more valuable right now than a bunch of unskilled volunteers getting in the way? Or does Haiti just need bodies right now to help with food distribution and maybe some foreigners to be there showing compassion?

I say keep the volunteers that aren’t especially skilled (doctors, nurses) should stay at home and have them send money to the organizations on the ground that can really get the job done. What do you think?

What has your organization done in response? I found this article from Peter Greenberg to really helpful, maybe consider passing it on to people calling you asking what they can do: How to Help Haiti

Why Adventure Companies Fail with Voluntourism

Having been a part of the volunteer and adventure travel industries for awhile now one thing seems quite apparent to me, most adventure companies that try to sell voluntourism flat out fail (Intrepid is the latest example). But why?

I have consulted on the adventure side for a lot of these companies and peeked my nose into their volunteer product marketing. I see the appeal on their side to merge into voluntourism, similar customer, interactive cultural experience, similar price range – should be an easy transition, but it’s not. Here are some observations on why they fail.

1. They use sales staff instead of ‘advisors’.

Someone looking to volunteer needs more guidance than someone looking to book a Machu Picchu trek. They need to understand the work they will do, the value they will bring, where their money will go and how they will cope with the language/cultural barrier without a group of peers or guide, etc. (to name a few).

The companies that have simply added voluntourism into the product offering and expected the same adventure sales team to sell it have definitely failed.

2. They don’t provide fundraising information.

How many times have potential volunteers called your company and complained that they can’t afford it but would love to volunteer abroad? The majority of volunteer organizations have a ready made solution to hand out for this dilemma, adventure companies are blind sided and lose the lead.

3. The marketing message.

All too often voluntourism experiences are portrayed as yet another adventure, or even worse, an add on. True voluntourists need to believe they are genuinely making a difference and somehow the ‘2 day pet the orphans’ option doesn’t appeal. The marketing needs to not only cover the experience but the circumstances surrounding it.

4. The target market.

Adventure companies are dominated by the 35-55 customer, voluntourists are still mainly 18-25. There is a discrepancy in the marketing and messaging that appeals to each of these customer segments.

5. Profit vs. Non-Profit

This debate rages forever and I can hear a couple of you reading this and cracking your knuckles ready for a reply but needless to say… All adventure companies are for profit, most volunteer companies are non-profit, the perception that volunteering through a non-profit is better still remains.

I could go forever on this and will in a part two blog post, but just wanted to throw this out there and see what comments we drive up.

Volunteers for Prosperity – Call for Action

Just got this from Paul Joss with a plea to pass it around so…

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This past weekend Congress sent legislation to the President requesting formal consultation on the Volunteers for Prosperity (VfP) program within the next 60 days. This review will affect the rules and scope of the program as well as future funding level.

Now is the time for us to act, since many key factors have come together at this time:

1.    VfP Legislative history was established with the passage of the Volunteers for Prosperity Title V of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act late last spring.

2.    The relevant Obama Administration policy appointees are now in place. A new Administrator for USAID has been nominated and has been briefed on the interest of Congress in expanding the VfP program.  Obama White House officials have also expressed interest in this program.

3.    Congress has set a deadline for action by the Obama Administration. The 60 day deadline for will insure that action is taken to either enhance the VfP program in future appropriations, or ignore it in favor of other priorities.

What do you need to do now?  The BBC has an opportunity to influence this process, and help build the case for expansion and full funding of this program, but we must act quickly.

1.    Become more familiar with the VfP program. If your volunteers need financial support, please see the VfP Website at http://www.volunteersforprosperity.gov/ to determine how you can participate or what problems they may encounter.  It will be most helpful if you can do this within the next few days, or as soon as possible.

2.    Give us your opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of the VfP program. Every member and friend of the BBC should be able to comment on the strengths and weaknesses of the VfP program from the perspective of the mission, priorities, and processes of their individual organization.

a.    Based on your experience in international volunteer work, what do you see as the overriding national interest in expanding the VfP program?

b.    If you have participated in the program previously, please cite successes which will show the benefit of expanding this program as currently designed.

c.    Can this program be improved?  In your view, what works and what does not?

d.    If you have not participated in this program previously, why not?  What needs to change in order to allow you to participate?

I have attached some VfP Review Examples of policy issues you may have, to give you some idea of items to consider.  In the interest of time, please send your comments and questions to me at jameswswiderski@yahoo.com on or before December 31, 2009.

3.    Provide financial support to BBC Advocacy efforts. The BBC is representing your interests and the interests of the international volunteer community at large at this critical time.  You have a responsibility to support the cost of this effort.  I urge that your organization send a minimum contribution of $250 for BBC advocacy as quickly as possible.  For instructions on how to submit your contribution please contact Steve Rosenthal, BBC Chair, at steve@crossculturalsolutions.org, or Paul Joss, BBC Managing Director at pauljoss@engedi-enterprises.com.   Also, please feel free to contact me at jameswswiderski@yahoo.com, or call me at 612-296-2828 with any questions, comments or advice as well.

4.    Consider joining the BBC Advocacy Work Group. To help with the BBC advocacy efforts, please go to http://buildingbridgescoalition.ning.com/group/advocacy2.  We will focus on not only the VfP program, but also on future legislation including the Global Service Fellowship, the omnibus Service World initiative, FY 2011 Appropriations, and other legislative and administrative priorities as they arise.

Can You Trust Your In Country Operators?

Phew, finally back from 4 lovely weeks in Nepal! Time to dust off my laptop and start blogging again…

While trekking I saw all the usual adventure travel suspects passing by with their hordes of clients – Intrepid, GAP Adventures, Exodus, Imaginative Traveller, etc. Most of their porters were carrying acceptable loads but one company’s porters were carrying loads way past the norm. When I inquired among the porter community they all groaned and called out this one company as always making them carry packs that are more than the acceptable limit. This got me thinking…

Each and every one of those companies has a responsible travel statement somewhere on their site and I’m sure they honestly believe they are being responsible, but the in country partner must feel some sort of pressure not to disappoint so they have their porters carry brutal amounts of weight.

So how is your company not falling into the same trap? Can you ever not fall into that trap unless you’re actually based in country like PEPY Ride is for example? How can you be sure that the promises made to you by the in country NGOs are being fulfilled? I’m not saying the NGOs are being deceptive, it’s just how much can the will to please over shadow what is truly responsible travel?

Just a thought, would love to hear some ideas on how companies are working through this issue?

“Exploitation of young gappers and vulnerable communities MUST stop” – or should it?

Sallie Grayson sent me this controversial article – what do you think? I’m off to Nepal so the blog will take a hiatus but let’s keep the debate raging.

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“Irresponsible, lazy, ignorant, insensitive, disrespectful, uninformed and with no purpose”

This is the opinion of people and places – which is a volunteer recruitment organisation! But they’re not talking about young ‘gappers’ here. They’re talking about many of the organisations that recruit these young people for “volunteer” experiences.

 

people and places’ work has just been recognised by the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards – the most prestigious and competitive of their kind in the world – winning the best volunteering category for 2009.

 

Judges Citation: “people and places has exercised leadership in a sector bedevilled by poor practice and established a replicable business model. Committed to reporting transparently on the money that volunteers pay, they ensure that the volunteers meet their full costs and are not a burden on the community; and carefully match the skills of volunteers to the needs of that community without replacing local labour. They have taken the ground breaking step of having their work externally audited and publishing it online. These four principles set not only a practicable standard for operators to aspire to, but offer valuable guidelines for tourists seeking legitimate and socially beneficial volunteering experiences.”

people and places has been working with local communities in Africa, Asia and South America for the last 4 years, matching skilled volunteers to community needs, with the vast majority of volunteers to date having been over 35, with hard skills to offer.

Now the organisation believes this programme can be extended to the GAP market. As a campaigning organisation, it is keen to bring about change in this least responsible sector of the volunteer market.

“There’s much debate about the validity of volunteering by the traditional ‘gapper’ – post school or university,” says Sallie Grayson, programme director at people and places, “but we firmly believe that these young people have real skills to share, and that with good management and planning, they can help to make a real difference in the communities we serve as well as having a meaningful adventure.

“We’ve worked with our local partners and their communities to design volunteer placements specifically for ‘gappers’, adding a younger element to the larger programme. These young people won’t be replacing local employment and will be part of an ongoing programme that is helping vulnerable communities build the future they want for themselves. We started people and places to campaign for integrity in the volunteer travel market and to promote responsible volunteering – we’re proud that our work has been recognised by such prestigious awards, but we’re not using this as an excuse to rest on our laurels! We see this award as an opportunity to raise the bar and challenge others to do the same.”

Well-run volunteer placements provide true social interaction and can develop a profound understanding among people – they can be life-changing experiences for volunteers and local communities.

BUT, all too often, a volunteer trip can be a recipe for disaster – for both parties.

When host communities are vulnerable and eager for assistance, it is a common occurrence for them to be bullied or exploited by volunteer service providers. All too often, a project has little say in the numbers or experience of volunteers who they feel obliged to accept. This lack of consultation can have devastating results – a school may be sent 10 or 12 young volunteers who find themselves hanging around with little to do, other than get in the way of hard pressed local people; gullible (but not guilty) young volunteers may arrive in their projects to discover that their hosts cannot afford to feed them because they cannot afford to feed themselves; volunteers find out that none of their hard earned money has found its way to these hard pressed communities.

 

There is often equally serious exploitation of young gappers.

 

“We hear far too many stories from young volunteers of abandonment at airports, last minute changes to completely inappropriate projects, placement in communities where no-one knows anything about them or the fact that they’re coming – until they’re “dropped of” by the local representative (who they can’t contact for the rest of their stay.)

 

“Inaccurate information is breathtaking and bordering on illegal – descriptions of homestay families who aren’t real but more of a ‘template’ to give a general idea of where these vulnerable young people “may” be staying.”

 

But how do trusting, well-meaning gappers find themselves in this kind of situation?

 

All too many volunteer organisations sell a smoke and mirrors promise, using all the buzz words and taking advantage of the fact that they can tell volunteers what they want to hear: “responsible, meaningful, sustainable, ethical, community driven – SAFE!”

people and places has developed a list of questions to ask – and they strongly suggest that all potential volunteers should ask these questions of any organisation they are considering travelling with.

“There are good organisations out there – usually with little or no marketing budget to compete with the presence of ‘the big boys’ – organisations like Blue Ventures, Peru’s Challenge, CREES, Azafady. We want to encourage gappers to find them, and we’ve produced the questions as a helpful tool – we also want gappers to search the chat rooms and forums, read newspaper archives, talk to their friends and families about volunteering.

“And if you’ve had a bad experience, post it on the web or contact us and we’ll post it.

“The bottom line is – do your research – use your head, not your heart!”

Supporting Local NGOs

So pretty much once a week an NGO in a developing country comes to me and asks how they can attract volunteers to their project. Some are in it for the money and some genuinely need help, my question to all of you operators out there is: what next?

What do you look for in a NGO that helps you decide if they make a good partner or not? What advice should I give them on how to get your ear if their whole premise seems sustainable???

TIME and Research

In case you haven’t read the TIME article about luxury voluntourism that came out this week – here you go: Room Service and a Shovel: The Rise of Voluntourism – http://bit.ly/2cy7yd

It also seems that there have been a lot of new stats circulating out there about the industry but none of them have been sourced in any way so, here below is a little refresher of the Volunteer Travel Insights Survey we did with GeckoGo as well as the report on the State of the Industry. Not perfectly scientific but they both give a great pulse!

	State of the Volunteer Travel Industry 2009