The Student Room Group

People who volunteer in Africa do it for themselves.

I was planning to write some mini essay here about what I think, but then I found this: http://joshblackman.com/blog/2014/02/27/the-inefficiency-of-volunteering/ (Article in spoiler if this link doesn't work for you)

Sums up my thoughts pretty well... what are yours?


...well, back to revision.


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(edited 9 years ago)

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Of course they do it for themselves. :rolleyes: It fulfills some people and they see it as their life mission. If they hated it and didn't enjoy it, why would they do it?

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Reply 2
Original post by czechmishaout
Of course they do it for themselves. :rolleyes: It fulfills some people and they see it as their life mission. If they hated it and didn't enjoy it, why would they do it?

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My point is why do so many people seem oblivious to this? Or have they realised and are they just in denial?

I remember a really cringe-worthy self-righteous assembly my Head Teacher and the group he took with him gave at my old school. :facepalm:
In all fairness, they shouldn't treat it so much like them doing anyone a 'favour' it's more so them helping people while having a holiday, so long as they actually do a decent job, who cares if it isn't as efficient as giving the money away to charity, chances are when you give consideration to the money they would have otherwise donated to charity as opposed to going on holiday, the end result is more beneficial to the people wherever they go if a group of unskilled students do go and put a bit of effort in although it may be pretty much a holiday than if they were to simply donate money.
It is CV filling for Rahs.
pretty true
Reply 6
Completely agree.
Reply 7
Original post by Bounce00100
In all fairness, they shouldn't treat it so much like them doing anyone a 'favour' it's more so them helping people while having a holiday, so long as they actually do a decent job, who cares if it isn't as efficient as giving the money away to charity, chances are when you give consideration to the money they would have otherwise donated to charity as opposed to going on holiday, the end result is more beneficial to the people wherever they go if a group of unskilled students do go and put a bit of effort in although it may be pretty much a holiday than if they were to simply donate money.


If you look at my post more carefully, you'll see I'm moaning about the fact that hardly anyone seems to accept these trips are pretty much a selfish endeavour. Nothing wrong with it being selfish if people who went on these trips admitted that. It's just that everyone seems to deny that it is... selfish.

That is never how the people who go on these trips sell it though.

Outstanding understatement.
(edited 9 years ago)
Depends what you're doing out there. Obviously if you have no skills in the field you're volunteering in then yeah, it's about self gratification. However if say you're a Healthcare student or medic and you're going to volunteer in a clinic or hospital then you have the skills required and even if the ultimate reason to go is to feel better about yourself, you're still helping people along the way. What's the problem with that?
Reply 9
Original post by LavenderBlueSky88
Depends what you're doing out there. Obviously if you have no skills in the field you're volunteering in then yeah, it's about self gratification. However if say you're a Healthcare student or medic and you're going to volunteer in a clinic or hospital then you have the skills required and even if the ultimate reason to go is to feel better about yourself, you're still helping people along the way. What's the problem with that?


This is just anecdotal evidence, but from what I've seen an extremely small percentage of people who go to volunteer actually have useful skills to contribute. And an infinitesimally small percentage of people have skills that can't be matched by a local worker for a cheaper price; a good example (where the skill can be matched) is a builder heading off to help build a one floor library, when there are plenty of competent laborers in the local area.
Original post by TheGuy117
This is just anecdotal evidence, but from what I've seen an extremely small percentage of people who go to volunteer actually have useful skills to contribute. And an infinitesimally small percentage of people have skills that can't be matched by a local worker for a cheaper price; a good example (where the skill can be matched) is a builder heading off to help build a one floor library, when there are plenty of competent laborers in the local area.

To be honest I rarely hear of people doing building work on a gap year :/ maybe that's because I'm a girl? Most people I know have either worked in schools helping to teach English, been helping in orphanages or helping to look after animals in wildlife parks. Obviously people in the area could do those things but they're usually understaffed and it's cheaper to get volunteers in that it is to pay another member of staff.
Reply 11
Original post by LavenderBlueSky88
To be honest I rarely hear of people doing building work on a gap year :/ maybe that's because I'm a girl? Most people I know have either worked in schools helping to teach English, been helping in orphanages or helping to look after animals in wildlife parks. Obviously people in the area could do those things but they're usually understaffed and it's cheaper to get volunteers in that it is to pay another member of staff.




It is never cheaper to fly someone halfway across the world every two weeks to fill a vacancy.

(Of course, this is assuming the money from these trips went directly to that area instead; i.e money raised straight out donated)
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by TheGuy117


It is never cheaper to fly someone halfway across the world every two weeks to fill a vacancy. (Of course, this is assuming the money from these trips went directly to that area instead)


The hospitals/orphanages /whatever aren't paying the expenses. They're usually dealt with through travel/gap year companies and the volunteers usually pay a hefty bill to cover costs like accommodation and food. Don't see what your issue is here.
Either way something's getting done out there, it's kind of a win-win situation, the volunteer might hate it but they're still getting the experience/what they want as well as the African's getting whatever job it is they need doing done
Reply 14
Original post by LavenderBlueSky88
The hospitals/orphanages /whatever aren't paying the expenses. They're usually dealt with through travel/gap year companies and the volunteers usually pay a hefty bill to cover costs like accommodation and food. Don't see what your issue is here.


:confused:

That the money raised for these trips would do huge multiples of more good if it was just outright donated instead of sending some middle class kid with no skills or even an adult professional with no skills that can't be matched by a local and that this whole volunteering thing is selfish... the entire point of my initial post! :s-smilie:
Reply 15
Original post by vickyhunt
Either way something's getting done out there, it's kind of a win-win situation, the volunteer might hate it but they're still getting the experience/what they want as well as the African's getting whatever job it is they need doing done


-_-

... Did you even read the article I posted?
Original post by TheGuy117
:confused:

That the money raised for these trips would do huge multiples of more good if it was just outright donated instead of sending some middle class kid with no skills or even an adult professional with no skills that can't be matched by a local and that this whole volunteering thing is selfish... the entire point of my initial post! :s-smilie:

Throwing money at things doesn't always make a difference. Obviously I'm not referring to all cases but in my eyes actually going over and helping out is more beneficial than donating money because you can actually determine where the aid is given. Also with things like teaching English or doing healthcare stuff sometimes they don't have the right people to do the job so rely on volunteers. Plus, like I said earlier, as 'selfish' as you think it is, a main component of volunteering abroad is the experience and a chance to see another culture. If at the very least you help a couple of people and become more aware of their problems surely that's beneficial?
Original post by LavenderBlueSky88
To be honest I rarely hear of people doing building work on a gap year :/ maybe that's because I'm a girl? Most people I know have either worked in schools helping to teach English, been helping in orphanages or helping to look after animals in wildlife parks. Obviously people in the area could do those things but they're usually understaffed and it's cheaper to get volunteers in that it is to pay another member of staff.


People going to tech English in schools for a few weeks are actually causing harm. Getting a new teacher every 2 weeks is not a good way to learn, there is no structure to it and the kids don't end up learning anything.
Reply 18
Original post by LavenderBlueSky88
Throwing money at things doesn't always make a difference. Obviously I'm not referring to all cases but in my eyes actually going over and helping out is more beneficial than donating money because you can actually determine where the aid is given. Also with things like teaching English or doing healthcare stuff sometimes they don't have the right people to do the job so rely on volunteers. Plus, like I said earlier, as 'selfish' as you think it is, a main component of volunteering abroad is the experience and a chance to see another culture. If at the very least you help a couple of people and become more aware of their problems surely that's beneficial?


Yeah, for the first world person that went there maybe!


What you've just said is just outright false, there isn't anything I can say at this point.
Original post by vickyhunt
Either way something's getting done out there, it's kind of a win-win situation, the volunteer might hate it but they're still getting the experience/what they want as well as the African's getting whatever job it is they need doing done

What on earth do you think the normal African person needs that can be supplied by a Made in Chelsea Gap Year Rah ?

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