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Alexander Cui

Feb 17, 2015

I think that while the volunteer tourism industry enriching experiences for volunteers, the ethics of the industry can be drastically improved by starting to understanding 5 key lessons to avoid cultural imperialism.

Adapted from this webpost from Idealist http://www.idealist.org/info/IntlVolunteer/Ethics

1. Come into volunteering with an open mind - don't think that you know how to do things more effectively when you should be immersing yourself in their culture, and learning about their culture. They may not share your social ideas on gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, age or physical mobility. You should attempt to be sensitive in your conduct and attentive to the concerns of others.

2. Your involvement doesn't necessarily mean that you will complete rejuvinate the community. Instead, expect youself to offer your "time and skills as additional assets to local know-how and expertise while recognizing you have as much to learn as you do to give".

3. Have realistic expectations about what you accomplish - you are part of a long continuum of international volunteers, and you should be focusing on assisting the community with their vision for their future.

4. Understand how the mission of your project was established. The community needs to help lead the development process, from planning to execution, so that the project fits into what their cultural context, as well as their aspirations. In addition, the community should be hiring locals

5. Learn and ask questions about the history, politics, and social norms of the host community, without falling into stereotypes. Learn from people who are living or who have lived in that community, and can help you understand what to expect.

Be mindful of what you pack. Having much more expensive gadgets, clothing or gifts can visually exacerbate the inequality between yourself and the community.