The business of overseas volunteering: a student perspective

Giulia Mazzu is a third year Law student at King’s College, London,  and a summer research fellow at Stahili Foundation.

The combination of volunteering and tourism has grown in popularity among teenagers and university students, especially those who can afford to pay to participate in volunteering trips abroad. I attended a private high school, where the majority of students were from families who could afford expensive overseas volunteering experiences, and my school was not shy to advertise such opportunities. As a result, I have been continuously exposed to offers of expensive volunteer trips, at secondary school and throughout my time at university.

As an aspiring law student while at high school, I picked up a leaflet by a company which advertised internships abroad in “Law & Human Rights”. The destinations advertised included countries in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The company promised first-hand experience in human rights, by “assisting victims of abuse”, for example. This company, and others like it, guarantees law students that they will obtain first-hand experience in human rights law in practice, and characterises the engagements as “internships”.

Inexperienced and aspiring law students are not the only targets. If law isn’t for you, this company also offers several other internships for those without experience in areas such as veterinary and medicine, teaching, social work, international development, business, and nature conservation. Anyone wishing to participate is asked to pay a considerable sum of money to secure a placement.

All the destinations offered have something in common: they are all in poor  areas in developing countries. It seemed to me that this for-profit company was taking advantage of two things: first, the precarious conditions facing people living in poverty in developing countries, and second, the desire of young people in richer countries who are looking to expand their CVs in order to gain experience and stand out in college applications. One company proudly advertises this opportunity with the phrase “no qualifications required”. How could it be that solving complex problems doesn’t require experience or qualifications?

I never took such a trip, despite the immense popularity of these programmes among my peers. I realised very early on that my CV could benefit best from a long-term commitment to learning and then ultimately helping vulnerable communities from a position of skill and knowledge. One thing I inferred then, and now know, is that no reputable NGO would allow a 16-year-old high school student, who has never attended so much as a law lecture, to handle a sensitive human rights case. The same could be said for performing a medical examination or working with vulnerable children.  

The double standard troubles me even more now that I am a university law student and human rights advocate. It raises the question as to why companies, and even some NGOs, encourage students to engage with vulnerable people and children, given their limited experience. There is a general perception that these companies are doing amazing charitable work and “making a difference”, but not enough acknowledgement that they are ultimately profit-making organisations. Too often these companies are offering – or selling – “experiences” which are not suitable for young people without expertise, and which can even be harmful for the communities involved. As a result, everyone is being taken advantage of.

I believe it is up to students and academic institutions to research and thoroughly vet these companies. Students should be encouraged to make responsible decisions before parting with large sums of money to work on volunteer projects which could be of dubious value, and which may not lead to sustainable solutions for children, families, or communities. Would-be voluntourists, as well as schools and universities, need to be more critically aware that companies sell volunteer experiences using similar techniques to how others would sell a beach holiday, and that these experiences are not always what they seem.   

There is indeed a better way. As a fellow at Stahili, I use the skills law school has equipped me with – research, writing, advocacy – to actually help the very people most voluntourists would like to help by being part of an organisation which campaigns for children’s rights and supports families and communities. You don’t have to volunteer directly with children to make a difference.