How to avoid becoming @barbiesavior on your next volunteer trip

When I first came across the Instagram account @barbiesavior, I thought the whole premise was sort of ridiculous. Who has the free time to take posed pictures of Barbie dolls gallivanting through third world ‘Barbie villages’ and documenting their adventures along the way? Not to mention the addition of ridiculous captions highlighting the most memorable points of Barbie’s travel.

At first glance, the premise is a hilarious and rather inconsequential contribution to the social media sphere.

 

But then, I looked again. These seemingly ridiculous posts accurately portray the issues that arise with many volunteers’ trips – exploitation of communities in need. Barbie seems to be taking part in a rather extreme version of volunteer tourism, or ‘voluntourism’ – a multi-billion dollar industry that is taking the world by storm.

Participants pay sizable sums to travel abroad to a community in need. Most of these trips are short term and don’t require much volunteer experience, so they tend to attract participants whose main goal is to travel, not serve.

As a coordinator for Alternative Breaks, a service organization on my college campus that sends students on volunteer trips over the school’s academic breaks, I am technically a contributor to the industry of voluntourism. We put a lot of time and energy into making sure that the experience that we provide centers around the needs of the communities we serve. When done properly, it can be wonderful experience for both the community and the volunteers.

The issue arises when the priorities of the organization are not clear. When conducted incorrectly, the primary purpose for these trips is to provide the volunteer with a positive experience, not to better the community to which the volunteer travels.

Commercialized charity is becoming a pandemic and sometime that can make the issue seem too big to tackle. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to make sure that you don’t become Barbie Savior on your next volunteer trip.

Look for something that matches your skills

Many ethically sound organizations will match volunteers with opportunities that match their skills. Sending knowledgeable volunteers to the area allows higher quality work to be done.

A good rule to follow is: if you are not qualified to do the work at home, don’t do it abroad.

Don’t do something the locals can do

While it can sometimes be beneficial to help locals with projects, it is not uncommon for the local economy to be negatively affected.

Look for organizations that empower the locals to improve their communities.

Separate work and play

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a both a tourist and a volunteer and there are many companies which offer that experience. The important thing is to remember not to mix the two. Work hard, and play hard, but not at the same time.

Define your purpose

Know why you want to volunteer when you begin looking for volunteer opportunities. Are you interested in the cause, or do you need to boost your resume. Thinking about why you’re volunteering can help you choose the most effective organization for you.

Do your research

Many organizations provide information about their practices to the public. Have you ever wondered why some organizations cost more than others? If you come into contact with an extremely expensive organization, you may be dealing with voluntourism. Ask questions and try to find out as much as you can before you commit.

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We all want to have a hand in making the world a better place, but it is easy to get caught up in the experience and forget the purpose. There are opportunities to volunteer ethically and responsibly all around us. All we have to do is look.

All pictures in this article were used with permission of Barbie Savior. Check out www.barbiesavior.com or www.instagram.com/barbiesavior/ for more information.