Voluntourism: where’s the harm?

International volunteering – also known as ‘voluntourism’ – has been around for over 100 years, with volunteers often celebrated for their altruism, selflessness and sense of adventure.

Across the globe, individuals contribute time, energy and skills to support causes they value, from helping to provide humanitarian aid to teaching children, among many other opportunities.

The volunteer tourism sector is valued at US$2.6 billion, and attracts around 10 million participants each year. Currently, more than 800 international organisations across 151 countries facilitate volunteer tourism projects, with the US hosting the largest number of such organisations. Most volunteers come from Global North and typically volunteer in the Global South.

At its best, international volunteering offers people the opportunity to connect with others, foster empathy, develop skills, gain new perspectives and contribute to something larger than themselves. 

It can also provide much-needed funding for community-led initiatives. While some argue that this money could be sent without the need for people to visit, firsthand experiences often inspire deeper engagement and a lifelong commitment to development work, advocacy and ethical living.

However, there are concerns, particularly within the international community development, that such trips can cause unintended harm.

Faith-based volunteering

In Christian contexts, international visits are often framed as ‘short-term mission’ trips. While the intention is similar to secular counterparts, trips often emerge from church-to-church connections, focus on specific projects and, in some cases, include a desire to share faith with the communities visited.

International exchanges can provide meaningful, though limited, insights into life and mission in another culture, helping participants to understand global issues more personally. Trips can foster long-term partnerships with host communities, built on mutual respect and shared goals, particularly when the focus is on learning rather than teaching. This emphasis on genuine collaboration is key, prioritising local leadership and supporting existing community efforts rather than imposing external ideas.

However, some would argue that mission is most effective with long-term commitment rather than short-term visits. Sharing and living out your faith is about incarnational living and fostering community through authentic relationships. As such, ‘mission trips’ should be part of a long-term partnership and a reflection of each person’s discipleship journey, rather than a one-off opportunity to see the world.

The Salvation Army in the UK and Ireland has developed Glimpse, a resource that churches can use to organise and run international visits to create the maximum positive impact for everyone involved. So named to acknowledge that short visits are unable to provide the full reality of life in a particular place, the resource also seeks to ensure that visits limit the burden on host communities, and prioritises cultural sensitivity and understanding. The aim being that the support being offered is both wanted and needed, and that long-term partnership and sustainability are at the heart of the experience.

In the broader context, international trips can be transformative for volunteers, who can gain life skills, confidence and personal growth. At a time when we are highly connected yet, in many ways, divided and nationalistic, exposure to different cultures and ways of life can also challenge assumptions and deepen understanding.

At its best, voluntourism can be a powerful tool for encouraging global citizenship and nurturing a sense of shared humanity. However, voluntourism is not without its critics.

When good intentions cause harm

Arguably, the presence of international volunteers can do more harm than good by reinforcing stereotypes, unduly burdening hosts and creating dependencies. Volunteers may also unintentionally highlight economic disparities, whether through good-natured handouts of toys and gifts or the visible display of wealth, such as expensive technology or clothing.

The displacement of skilled local workers is also a concern. Volunteers, in some case unskilled, taking on roles that could be filled by paid staff undermines local economies and inhibits the impact of development efforts.

One of the most extreme examples of this is Renee Bach, who founded the non-profit Serving His Children in 2009. Despite having no medical training, Bach started a health centre in Uganda and allegedly treated over 1,000 children. More than 100 children reportedly died while under the organisation’s care.

The assumption that outsiders are better equipped to solve problems, as well as volunteers positioning themselves as ‘rescuers’ rather than partners, can perpetuate a saviour narrative that is both outdated and damaging.

Too often, the focus is on the volunteer’s experience, resulting in good intentions being prioritised over good practice.

Rethinking voluntourism: principles for ethical practice

How can we ensure that the positives of voluntourism don’t outweigh the potential long-term harms?

Rethinking how volunteer programmes are designed and delivered is essential. They must:

• Be community-led: Volunteers must listen to their partners to understand their priorities and ensure they don’t pursue their own agendas.
• Keep collaboration at the heart: Volunteers must work alongside those they visit with a willingness to listen and learn, without placing an unfair burden on hosts. Ideally, programmes would prioritise mutual learning and include opportunities for return or exchange visits.
• Provide comprehensive training and preparation: Where volunteering requires specific skills, volunteers must be properly trained and prepared for the context. Cultural orientation, a clear understanding of responsibilities and safeguarding training are essential.
• Hold sustainability as a guiding principle: While short-term volunteering can be valuable, long-term engagement often leads to greater impact. Repeat visits, or partnerships with local organisations, can help to strengthen continuity and sustainability.
• Monitor and evaluate effectiveness: Reviews should assess not only what was done but what changed. By measuring outcomes and learning from experience, voluntourism can become more effective and community focused rather than individualistic.

Ultimately, if voluntourism is going to continue, the sector must commit to preparing and educating volunteers, highlighting the importance of humility, thoughtfulness and a commitment to doing no harm. As the sector continues to evolve, it must move beyond narrow, saviour-complex notions of volunteering and embrace a more ethical, impact-driven and collaborative approach.