Schools' charity work – who benefits?

Abstract

The number of trips state schools is on the increase. Some of these trips are going further afield, out of Europe to Africa and Asia. Due to the rise in number of people going abroad to volunteer their services for a short time in some way, a new term has been coined: voluntourism. Lyons and Wearing suggest that volunteers who have the opportunity to mix with the local communities and take part in different activities change their whole perspective about who they are and how they fit into the wider world. When leading a team of young people going abroad to do charity work, it is important to link with a reputable organ-isation that has effective links with the country and an ethos of supporting a community with worthwhile work. However, by travelling to the country several young people developed as individuals.