Volunteering and Tourism

A growing evidence base has consistently highlighted the negative impact on children of living in institutional care such as orphanages – especially when parents or close family members are still living nearby. The increasing trend in volunteering in or visiting these facilities compounds the issue and the impact on children. Not only does it encourage the expansion of orphanages, but it also makes children vulnerable to abuse in those areas where regulation is lax, creates attachment problems in children who become attached to short-term visitors, and can heighten the risk for unregulated inter-country adoption by well-intentioned volunteers who form a bond with a child and want to take them home.

This section highlights resources focused on international volunteering, tourism, and donations in residential care centres.

Key facts about orphanages and orphanage volunteering

Millions of children worldwide live in residential institutional settings such as orphanages – yet an estimated 80% are not actually orphans and have at least one living parent
Poverty is one of the main drivers for a child to be placed in an orphanage – to access basic services including education and health care
Decades of research show that living in orphanages is harmful to children – the effect continuing into adulthood
There is now a global response to move away from orphanages towards strengthening families, to prevent the needless separation of their children
Well-meaning support for orphanages – through donations, volunteering, tourist trips and faith-based mission – is challenging care reform efforts. This support would be much better directed if channelled towards strengthening families
Despite the best intentions of volunteers and short-term mission teams, the transient nature of orphanage volunteering is harmful to children. Without a family to make them feel secure, children are quick to form relationships with arriving volunteers, only to feel abandoned once again when they leave.
Sadly, our desire to help children overseas has resulted in a rise in orphanages in some countries – to generate income from donations and volunteers. This has resulted in children from poor communities being exploited and trafficked to pose as orphans to attract donors, volunteers and tourists.

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Razones para decir NO al Voluntariado en orfanatos

Better Volunteering Better Care, 2016

Este documento provee una explicación detallada de las razones que Better Volunteering Better Care está desalentando el voluntariado internacional en orfanatos (centros de atención residencial).

Transition vers le placement familial pour les enfants : Manuel d'Orientation

Beth Bradford, Kerry Olson, Sarah Gesiriech, and Daphne Fowler - Faith to Action Initiative, 2016

Le présent Manuel d’orientation fournit des informations et des outils utiles pour les églises, les organisations confessionnelles, les donateurs et autres acteurs qui font passer la garde des enfants du placement en institution au placement en famille.

Protecting Children in Short-Term Missions: A Guidance Manual and Toolkit for Churches and Christian Organizations

ACCI Missions & Relief, 2016

This manual from ACCI International is designed to be used by those in the Christian Faith Community who are engaged in Short-Term Missions (STM), including those who send or receive STM teams. The manual is focused on protecting children and families during STM programs.

Transición al cuidado familiar para niños: Manual de Orientación

Beth Bradford, Kerry Olson, Sarah Gesiriech, and Daphne Fowler - Faith to Action Initiative, 2016

Este Manual de Orientación provee información y herramientas útiles para iglesias, organizaciones religiosas, donantes y otros que persiguen transferir el cuidado de niños que son atendidos en residencias al cuidado en una familia.

Volunteering in Orphanages: Official Position Statement of IAIM Australia Inc.

The International Association of Infant Massage Australia, 01 Jul 2015

The International Association of Infant Massage in Australia has launched a position paper on volunteering in orphanages in order to address the problem of untrained volunteers being encouraged to conduct child care and infant massage practice in residential care centres, particularly in developing countries.

AMT Position Statement: Orphanage Volunteering

Association of Massage Therapists, 01 Jul 2015

In this position statement, the Association of Massage Therapists (AMT) of Australia clearly states that it does not endorse orphanage volunteering, referring to the positions of the Better Care Network, UNICEF, Save the Children and the ChildSafe network.

Potential Short-Term International Volunteers’ Perceptions of Children’s Residential Care in Cambodia

James Farley - Friends International, 2015

The aim of this study is to identify the perceptions of potential short-term international tourists concerning children’s residential care in Cambodia.

Orphanage Voluntourism In Nepal: What You Should Know

UNICEF Nepal, 2015

This short flyer from UNICEF Nepal answers the questions: What is orphanage voluntourism? Are the children in orphanages actually orphans? How can orphanage volunteering be harmful? Why is there greater risk following the 2015 earthquake? What are the risks to children of residing in orphanages? What is the solution for children that are genuine orphans? And how can you help children in Nepal?

Orphanage Tourism in Cambodia: The Complexities of ‘Doing Good’ in Popular Humanitarianism

Tess Catherine Guiney - Thesis, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Otago, 2015

This thesis explores orphanage tourism within the context of Cambodia, adopting a critical geography approach to investigate the intricate and contentious aspects of tourism within this space.

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The political economy of orphanage tourism in Cambodia

Tess Guiney & Mary Mostafanezhad - Tourist Studies, 30 Dec 2014

Taking a Polanyian political economy approach, this article illustrates how the emergence of and response to the orphanage tourism industry represent, in Karl Polanyi’s words, a ‘double movement’ between the neoliberalization of orphanages and the corollary protective countermovement by antiorphanage tourism campaigns that challenge the industry’s morality and legitimacy.

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