It received a whole page in my scrapbook that fall, the glossy certificate that says I helped count mountain lions in Arizona’s Tucson Mountain District during a Sierra Club-sponsored outing.
The year was 2005, just as “voluntourism” was becoming one of travel’s fun new catchphrases, but to us the mountain lion tracking and count was a service trip chosen because of our annual treks to the area for hiking. It was time to give back.
As service trips went, it wasn’t the most strenuous, even with a back-breaking day of pulling obnoxiously invasive buffelgrass. That distinction had gone to a trails restoration a year earlier in Dominguez Canyon for the Colorado Environmental Coalition.
Nor was it the most rewarding service trip — that was definitely Rebuilding Together New Orleans last year, where a group of travel editors worked on reassembling a back porch for the house of a man who had lost his wife in Hurricane Katrina — or the most photogenic, like the turtle release at Estrella del Mar Turtle Sanctuary in Mexico in 2007.
But it was the most memorable, because it wound up being heart-wrenching and the last of its kind that the Sierra Club would offer — in the end, it turned out that there were hardly any mountain lions left to count.
We haven’t been alone in our annual desire to get more than an umbrella- topped chair on a beach, spa pampering or an endless supply of piña coladas in exchange for our hard-earned dollars and diminishing recreational time. In fact, that same year I stalked lions, the U.S. Travel Association — formerly the Travel Industry Association of America — identified volunteering while on vacation as one of the fastest growing travel trends.
But now we’re in a travel slump, with international trips taking a nosedive, and even staycations feeling the squeeze. One possible exception to the travel downturn: volunteer-based trips.
, a nonprofit that since 2003 has aimed to work with all of the parties involved in service trip endeavors — including the traveler, the host community and tour operators — conducted two surveys over the past year and a half. In early 2008, 6 percent of respondents said they definitely were going to take a volunteer-based trip, while 77 percent were unsure and 16 percent were not.
In the second survey, taken during the latter part of 2008 and the beginning of 2009, 16 percent said they definitely would be taking a volunteer trip, 6 percent said definitely not and again 77 percent were unsure.
David Clemmons, founder of , points out that the second set of surveys was done “well within the range of the economic downturn.”
Anecdotally, indications within the industry point toward the volunteer travel sector as the area least affected by the economy. “I’ve been looking at this very issue closely,” says David Krantz, a manager for the Center for Responsible Travel, a non-profit research institution whose stated mission is to monitor and evaluate ecotourism and sustainable tourism practices.
“In the spring I talked to a tour operator based out of the U.K., and he predicted this,” Krantz says. “He said that he expected continued strength in the voluntourism market because when things are tough, people pitch in and want to do their part. I think the first quarter of 2009 has shown that to be true.”
Jason Halal, a marketing manager for Sierra Club Outings, says that there is a waiting list for many of that environmental organization’s most popular trips, and that their feedback continues to be that the trips remain booked because they are a way, as Halal puts it, “to take a vacation that’s affordable and also to ‘give something back.’ ” His co-worker, Didi Toaspern, trip leader and chairperson of the service subcommittee of the National Outing Committee, says there were no trips dropped this past year from their domestic roster, with the exception of a few in Alaska. “The international trips, those took a hit,” she says. “But there was no drop in sign-ups. It’s been a strong year again.”
Krantz says that recently he heard from a tour operator in Canada who told him she had all the business she could handle right now. And in Florida, he says, the numbers CREST is collecting show that Orlando attractions are facing weaker attendance over 2008, while nature-based tourism and trips to areas such as the Everglades and other natural environments are up.
“The kinds of authentic experiences that include a conservation message, light science and adventure markets, those are all still doing really, really well,” Krantz says.
While boomers currently make up the majority of voluntourism ranks — USTA reports that in their last survey, 47 percent of those considering a volunteer-based vacation were age 35-54 — the percentages are shifting slightly, especially with the economy forcing younger retirees and the unemployed to rethink their free time.
“We’ve seen a definite uptick in interest from younger travelers and recent graduates,” says Krantz, “And there’s strong anecdotal evidence that the president’s and Michelle Obama’s calls to service in terms of volunteering and community giving back have sparked even more interest in this kind of trip in the last year, definitely. And there are some people who are thinking, hey, I don’t have a job, I might as well do something good. There’s been a lot more of that.”
Blurring of the lines
Of course, the sooner you find more people interested in a thing, the sooner the dollar signs start popping up like so much buffelgrass. The increase in trips and incentives from companies not normally associated with voluntourism has prompted questions about what constitutes a service trip, as well as the ethics of some for-profit tour groups blurring the lines between charity work and Third World sightseeing.
Even high-end domestic hotel groups such as Ritz-Carlton and Sage Hospitality are offering room stays or reduced rates in exchange for volunteer hours.
The questions then become what kind of service-oriented trip do you want to take, and how do you find the right one?
“We look at it this way: Are you giving time, talent or treasure? And what are you doing in exchange for that? And then go from there,” Krantz says. “You should be looking at what are the real benefits to the people or place from the work that you’re doing. Look carefully at the volunteer project, look at how much is this for your own pleasure or getting a new experience.”
Krantz says that the biggest problem with so many voluntourism projects is that the human need to do something, anything, without thinking through the consequences, sometimes results in more harm than good — a sort of killing- them-with-kindness effect.
“There’s this place, I’m not going to say where, but when voluntourists come, they so badly want to put a fresh coat of paint onto things, so they actually have a wall there that they let the tourists paint,” Krantz says. “It doesn’t really need paint. It’s just really gratifying for them, and so it gets that out of the way. Then some other really needed, but maybe less visibly rewarding work can get done.”
The most important question, then, should be whether the voluntour you sign up for ultimately does good.
“That’s a tough question,” Krantz says. “There’s a massive mix. Some are doing good, and some are not. Those places where people go and dedicate some of their time and manpower to do projects where their needed skills are being put to good use, that’s good, yes.”
Krantz gives an example of how it’s gone wrong: In Africa, for instance, at AIDS orphanages that accept paying international visitors. “These are kids who are the most vulnerable of anyone, and there’s a tendency for white foreigners to come in for a few hours, and want to take their photos with the kids and feel like they’ve bonded. They walk out of there like, wow, I made a really heartfelt connection, and they get smiles and photos to take back. And then the next day it will be somebody new.”
What you don’t see, Krantz says, is that the kids form a bond, as well, that the caretakers have to help them work through before the next group of white foreigners comes in the next day, only to disrupt the routine and start the difficult process all over again.
“But the orphanage doesn’t want to say no, because these people are paying, sometimes an incredible amount of money for this ‘voluntourism,'” Krantz says. “It’s a tough place to put them.”
Krantz says that CREST has identified several types of voluntourism that work well. “I never want to discourage anyone from volunteering,” Krantz says. “What I think people need to do is really think through the best way to help, though. Sometimes it’s hard not not have it be about you, instead of how it should be about who you’re helping, and in this realm those lines tend to become more blurred.”
Types of service that are successful: those that pair able bodies with under-funded agencies that require a cheap or free and willing labor force.
“One type of voluntourism that I think is a good model is when it is a science-based project, where they do need manpower,” Krantz says. “There are projects out there where you can go to a natural area, where bird-watchers can go to count the species, that sort of thing, and the scientists need that manpower. The community benefits-based ones are trickier to qualify.”
Where’s help most needed?
What’s also hard to pin down is what areas most need help, especially when you’re trying to determine that from far away. Travelers see celebrities visiting areas in need and immediately imagine themselves saving the day.
The reality, of course, is often far less glamorous.
“It’s probably about 90 percent of the decisions about where to do a voluntour trip are made based on the destination first, and then the voluntary service aspects naturally flows from that,” Clemmons says. “Some people will select things with which they are familiar. They see this as no different from a trip to the homeless shelter. Whereas for others this is a chance to really explore something that’s incredibly unique, such as wild animals in Africa. Which I always find incredibly curious. If you haven’t tried this type of travel before, why would you have your first trip to an exotic locale be this emotional setting?”
For those reasons, reputable voluntours and the organizations that work with them recommend choosing carefully and researching the locales and the companies.
“If people come at it with eyes and mind wide open, there can be some incredible learning in these environments,” says Clemmons. “But if you look at it as, oh, I’ve traveled, and this is just an extension of the travel experience, I think you’re in for a bit of a surprise.”
Kyle Wagner: 303-954-1599, travel@denverpost.com,
Voluntourism Insider’s Guide
According to a survey done by , 30 percent of respondents planning to take a voluntour had not volunteered in the year prior.
“That means that 3 out of 10 people had not interacted with a homeless person, had not spent time with a person who was autistic or had a disability, had not worked in a team environment, had not spent any time really focusing on something that is so outside of your own head,” founder David Clemmons says. “So now they’re saying, ‘Yeah, I’m going to go to Africa for the very first time and volunteer for a week. I’m so good I can just go off and do this.'”
Clemmons tells prospective voluntourists that there are three groups who can be impacted by your bad experience: the community, the people running the experience for you and your fellow voluntourists. “How often are you really conscious of the fact that you can really impact that many people if you make a poor choice?” Clemmons asks. “That should be sufficient to allow people to make a conscious choice about whether they are ready for this kind of experience, want it, are in good enough shape for it, or are open to preparing.”
Or, as Didi Toaspern, trip leader and chairperson of the service subcommittee of the National Outing Committee for the Sierra Club, puts it, “Part of my job is doing plenty of team-building activities, to make sure no one winds up accidentally putting a pulaski in the back of someone else’s head.”
Here are some things to think about before you embark on a voluntour.
Do you really want to do this — and if so, why? “Have that sit-down conversation with yourself about your motivations and really ask that question,” Clemmons says. “I don’t know if enough people do that.”
Be prepared to work hard. Even if the trip isn’t rebuilding trails or some kind of physical labor, the hours are likely to be long and the required input from you may be quite challenging. “We know that they are volunteers, and we expect them to work at the pace that works for them and to give what they feel they can give,” Toaspern says. “And we try to be as clear as we can about how much work and hiking is going to be involved. Still, sometimes people are surprised by how demanding it can be. On the other hand, our average age for trips is 50s, and up to 70s, so it’s doable.”
Think locally. Look around nearby to see what kind of volunteer experience you might try more cheaply and easily first before embarking on a bigger, more involved one abroad. “Then they can say, that was a $500 experience: I joined VOC or the Colorado Trail Foundation. I’m only 2 hours from Denver, and I’m not quite sure that I would be able to handle going off to a remote village in Africa,” Clemmons says. “At least they would be able to have a comparison before they commit to something that could have much deeper ramifications.”
What are the costs? Look at the ratio of money to lodging and food and any donation to the community or group you’re helping. If the organization requires a lot of money for your “volunteer” trip, ask why. Most voluntour vacations require you to shoulder some expense, even if the bulk of your food and lodging is covered in exchange for your work. If you’re volunteering at a Third World WWOOF site, the farmer counts on your money to pay for food and immediate materials. In return, your cash and labor provide a ticket into a part of society unseen by the comparatively privileged (and that’s you, if you have ready access to plumbing and electricity). On the other hand, you’re offering free labor as well, and there should be some balance.
How well do you know yourself? Think about how much privacy, hot water, access to regular toilets and other trappings of civilization you require. Are you willing to adapt your personal habits, including putting used toilet paper in a garbage can or washing your own dirty laundry, possibly by hand, without hot water? Are you OK with rising at dawn? Would it drive you crazy if you couldn’t check your e-mail or watch TV? Does your caffeine addiction mean you’d go into withdrawal without a Starbucks? What if you find yourself sleeping on a piece of foam instead of a pillow-top mattress? Are you vegan? Kosher? A picky eater? How do you feel about meals based on grains and beans, with only a little meat from time to time? How do you feel about wildlife, including bugs? Are you reluctant to take on manual labor that might roughen your hands and break your nails? Do dangerous insects or reptiles bother you? Can you deal with using just one suitcase? Do you need electricity, or air conditioning to tolerate a humid climate?
How well do you know the company? Ask a lot of questions. What kind of ratio of service to sightseeing will there be, and how does it line up with what you’re looking for? What are the company’s politics and policies? Is the volunteer work only token, like taking along an empty sack to pick up litter during a hike? What effect will your presence have on your host’s property or community? Are the accommodations dorm-style, or does everyone get a private space?
What are your expectations? Do you want to work on a project that produces tangible results? How much free time do you need? Will you be resentful if you work on a weekend day? Do you feel that your volunteer work (and possibly also paying a daily fee) entitles you to escape chores?
What kind of shape are you in? Is your body up to demanding physical labor, like digging trenches or spending hours yanking buffelgrass out by the roots in 100-degree temperatures? Or would you rather help a farmer by staffing a roadside vending stand? Be brutally honest with the tour company about medical conditions or limitations.
Make a list of creature comforts. Some things to consider: A towel (small and fluffy, or an absorbent backpacking towel); books; a pen and notebook or journal; biodegradable liquid soap that can serve as shampoo, body wash and laundry soap (Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Castille Liquid soap is inexpensive, with the perk of a scent that makes you feel fresh); insect repellant; sturdy work gloves; first-aid kit; extra batteries for flashlights; a photography book showing off your home state or a CD of local music.
Consider simply donating money. Sometimes a destination would be better off if we stayed away and assisted in another way. “If you really care about that issue and want to do something about it, find a good organization and support it with your dollars,” says David Krantz of the Center for Responsible Travel.
Kyle Wagner, Claire Martin
Voluntour info
Here’s a list of groups with which we’ve done successful service-oriented trips and feel comfortable suggesting as possible options for a voluntour experience.
Does that mean you will? Voluntouring is a highly personal experience, and everyone goes in with their own complicated set of expectations, needs and desires. Investigate the sites thoroughly to be sure their goals, destination options, politics and price ranges are in line with your own.
Two good starting points would be and the site for the Center for Responsible Travel (). Both user-friendly sites offer insightful, practical advice and questionnaires to help travelers make an informed decision about the right service trip. Check out VolunTourism’s setup for the traveler that runs through everything from selecting the program to processing the trip afterward. And “Dos and Don’ts of Travel Giving” at should be required reading for everyone about to embark on a voluntour.
WWOOF: World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms () started in the United Kingdom in 1971 and evolved into an international network linking farmers who provide (at little or no cost) food, lodging and education in exchange for a fixed amount of volunteer help.
Sierra Club: Since 1958, the environmentally motivated Sierra Club ( outings) has been running service trips, typically about 80-90 a year, with costs ranging between $295 and $1,975, although more than 70 percent cost less than $600.
Colorado Environmental Coalition: If conservation in Colorado is your concern, the 45-year-old CEC (ourcolorado ) has a restoration weekend in an area near you. You provide camping gear and a sack lunch, they provide two dinners and breakfasts.
Rebuilding Together: Pairing volunteers with homes that have been damaged by natural disasters or low- income families in need of repairs and rehabilitation to their homes in order to make them habitable. Rebuilding () has been a key factor in post- Katrina recovery.
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado: With projects lasting as short as a half-day or as long as a weekend, VOC () offers terrific opportunities for first-time service-trip volunteers to get their feet wet doing habitat restoration, invasive weed removal, tree planting or other work to preserve or enhance Colorado’s outdoors.
Habitat for Humanity: One of the best-known volunteer organizations around, Habitat ( volunteer_programs.aspx) builds homes domestically and internationally, with trips around the world costing $1,200- $3,200. But there’s plenty to do right here in Denver, as well as on 8-day trips throughout the U.S. ($900-$1,900).
Colorado Fourteeners Initiative: Weekend and weekday multiday camping trips are offered to help restore trails and revegetate areas trampled by excessive use along Colorado’s ranges ().
Project Vote Smart: The volunteers at this unique nonpartisan organization (votesmart ) research the backgrounds and records of thousands of political candidates and elected officials to discover their voting records, campaign contributions, public statements, etc., and disseminate that info to whomever requests it.
National Park Service: With more than 400 federally run locations, the Volunteers in Parks (VIP) program has plenty of work and a good variety to keep folks busy ( getinvolved/ volunteer.htm).
Other resources:
America’s Natural and Cultural Resources Volunteer Portal ()
Student Conservation Association ()
United Nations World Volunteer Web ()
Claire Martin, Kyle Wagner
