You know about tourism, and you know about volunteering, but have you ever heard of voluntourism? Voluntourism is a term created to represent tourists who travel and volunteer at their destination. Voluntourism is popular all over the world, with tasks in agriculture, education, physical labor, and health care. A very popular form of voluntourism for English speakers is teaching English within developing nations.
When voluntourism is done ethically and sustainably, it can have a great impact on the communities being served. Good voluntourism involves working with the local community and listening to their needs, rather than taking jobs away from locals.
For example, volunteers can work with local English teachers to improve their English and support their classrooms, rather than taking away the job from the local teacher. This is a great way to build communities up and help them succeed in the long run. It also helps bring money and resources to struggling economies when volunteers buy local goods while they are staying in the community.
Voluntourism can also have an unbelievable impact on the volunteers, as they get to experience a new culture through true immersion. By working with local community members, volunteers learn about the real people behind the culture, and sometimes they form really deep connections. This humanizes tourism in a beautiful way, making the world a more integrated and connected place to be.