Volunteer Checklist
Wanting to volunteer overseas? How ethical are your choices?
If it isn't acceptable for individuals within your own community, should it be acceptable for people within overexploited nations such as Nepal?
Am I qualified? Such as speaking the language, or having a qualification in the focussed specialised field?
Before embarking on my journey, do I have an in-depth understanding of the nations cultural, political and social aspects of society?
Can I commit long-term and develop an understanding of the community’s needs?
Does the organisation meet the minimum standards for child protection and/or working conditions?
Does the organisation have long-term, trained staff who are of the same nationality as the nation I am working within?
Does the project I will be embarking on have long-term strategies? If so, how effective are they?
Does the organisation require child protection policies that cover all staff and volunteers?
Does the organisation have realistic strategies for stable, long-term funding?
Does the organisation have a system that shows it can be financially accountable and transparent?
Do my intentions outweigh my overall impact within the community? And will that impact be negative or positive?
Is my contribution creating a sustainable impact?
Am I taking the potential job of someone who could be employed locally?
Are there any volunteer opportunities within my own community that I can consider participating within instead?
Would donating funds be of greater use to the community than my time and presence?
Is my impact necessary and needed?
How will my impact be received long-term?
If you cannot answer all of these questions adequately prior to your volunteer trip, then it is a clear sign that your impact would be one with detrimental consequences.
Learning From Our Mistakes
Nobody is perfect, we all make mistakes.
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The team at Use Your Privilege For Good have made plenty of naive choices throughout their lives too!
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But the most important thing from these mistakes is to learn from each experience and better ourselves as a result.
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Click below to follow Georgia's journey to development and the mistakes she made along the way.​ After all, when we know better, we can do better; so here we are!
Checkout
"Learning Service offers a powerful new approach that invites volunteers to learn from host communities before trying to ‘help’ them. It’s also a thoughtful critique of the sinister side of volunteer travel; a guide for turning good intentions into effective results; and essential advice on how to make the most of your experience"
