James O’Brien is the Executive Director of the International Forum for Volunteering in Development (Forum), a global network of organisations that work through volunteers to achieve sustainable development. Forum supports sharing and collaboration between its 50 member organisations and partners through research, standards, and convenings including the annual IVCO conference. Before joining Forum, James served in leadership roles with VSO, the Volunteer Groups Alliance, and Dóchas, the Irish Association of International NGOs.
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International volunteering in development: why it isn’t voluntourism and why this matters
The issues raised in a recent Bond blog are important and its recommendations sound. But not all international volunteering is voluntourism – and failing to recognise this risks a valuable aspect of development work.