Can travel volunteers be trusted?

1, the significance of volunteer travel

It is really a wonderful thing to make your trip meaningful. It is also very close to our idea of carrying an extra kilogram. At home, although we all think that China's tourism industry (I mean big tourism, including self-help tour and group tour) is very mature. When it comes to technical content, no man's land and Snow Mountain have rich experience and top talent team. In my opinion, in a word, spiritual civilization cannot keep up with material civilization. China tourists are still in the initial stage in understanding the meaning of travel. We travel for things, while others travel for people. A deep understanding of different cultures and ideas around the world, including traditional cultural concepts and trendy ways of thinking, is the real meaning of travel. Foreigners like volunteer travel for four reasons: First, giving love. Second, have a deep understanding of local culture. Third, make friends with local people from different countries and cultures, and learn about different cultures and different ideas. Fourth, release yourself and live a plain life in a beautiful environment.

2. Development of volunteer tourism abroad.

Volunteer travel has been developed abroad for a long time and is very mature. Volunteer travel can be divided into two types according to the object of help. The first goal: people, help some people in need, vulnerable groups in China and poor children in developing countries. For example, go to African countries to help some poor children study, go to the tsunami-stricken areas in South Asia to help rebuild, and give spiritual help to some orphans, the disabled and the unemployed. The second object: non-human, nature conservation and historical protection. For example, go to some big forest parks to pick up garbage, maintain historical buildings and inherit intangible traditional culture.

In developed countries, social enterprises have developed very well, and they have a very perfect system to support society. In some places where government resources are scarce, social enterprises have made an excellent supplement. For example, in some developed countries with small populations, nature protection needs the participation of volunteers, especially foreign volunteers. At the same time, the beautiful natural environment is also a selling point to attract foreigners. While supporting their own countries, social enterprises also spare no effort to developing countries, using their rich resources and networks to promote and help travelers from developed countries to volunteer in developing countries. Secondly, the support of the state is also an important driving force. In some developing countries, due to the limited government resources, trying to attract foreign tourists to help poor communities is one of the ways to alleviate the pressure. Due to these factors, voluntary travel has developed rapidly and well in both developed and developing countries. On the one hand, travelers want to go to a place with beautiful scenery and strong cultural atmosphere to offer their love. On the other hand, due to the shortage of human resources, society needs a lot of voluntary labor. With the guidance of social enterprises, the relationship between supply and demand has just been connected.

But only in China, this aspect is still blank. Although some foreign and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan social enterprises have carried out some short-term volunteer travel activities in China, the scale is very small, and almost no domestic travelers are involved. This is very worthy of our consideration.

3. What kind of people are suitable for volunteer travel?

A caring person, a responsible person, a person with group discipline.

People who like to communicate with others and open their eyes to see the world.

People who want to exercise their personal abilities.

People who want to release themselves

2. How does volunteer travel work?

First, how to join

Volunteer travel is not a tour group, but a disciplined organizational project. Although the goal of most participants may be to travel first, their participation in this project means a sense of responsibility. So the way to join the volunteer travel program is not like a tour group. I'll do whatever I want with the money. The project must explain to the volunteers the responsibility of the volunteers to travel. At the same time, volunteers must submit an application to list their own situation, especially why they want to participate in this activity. Just like a written interview. Membership is also a mode of participating in the project. For example, including people who have participated in volunteer programs as members will not only facilitate volunteers to participate next time, but also attract some high-quality volunteers. The membership system can also be extended in other ways. For example, the National Trust of the United Kingdom will automatically become a member when it joins volunteers, and all places of the National Trust (such as forest parks and historical buildings) can stay for free.

B. expenses

Volunteer travel is generally charged. Maybe someone will ask, do I have to pay for volunteering? The answer is right. Volunteer travel is a non-profit project organized by non-profit organizations and enterprises. Because of this, all the expenses of volunteers in the project are naturally borne by the participants themselves. This cost is generally very low, which is closely related to all expenses such as accommodation, food, tools, transportation, etc., plus some necessary organizational expenses, and another cost that is easily overlooked is the cost of insurance. Part of the expenses can also be used as a fund to help local people and things in need. The whole price adds up to very, very low. This is another attraction of volunteer travel. Travel to a place at a very cheap price.

Before we begin.

Because volunteers travel in areas with inconvenient transportation, volunteers usually gather in some big cities and arrange them to their destinations. The transportation fee is included in the total cost. Before the start, volunteers must receive a series of training, including some background information, some places to pay attention to, skills training to be mastered in volunteer activities, everyone's obligations and responsibilities, etc.

D. Scope of work of volunteers

The scope of work is actually very extensive, and it is actually a human resource issue. As mentioned above, building houses and repairing bridges, cultivating farmland, teaching children and even adults all kinds of knowledge, playing with children, introducing advanced technology and so on. This uncertainty. The nature of work is relatively free, and every worker can use his own hands regardless of his ability. Working hours are also very flexible. In terms of time, the practice abroad is to take weeks as the calculation unit and attend at least one week. Work from Monday to Friday is carried out according to normal working hours, and Saturday and Sunday are free time. Of course, volunteers should be repeatedly reminded of their obligations and responsibilities.

E. Extracurricular activities of volunteers

One of the purposes of volunteer travel is to promote cultural exchanges, and some interactive entertainment activities can be arranged on the way. For example, local people teach traditional dance and cooking, or some outdoor horseback riding activities, basketball games between volunteers, bonfire parties, trips to nearby attractions, picnics and so on. Any activity that can make the activity easy can be arranged in advance. These activities can be arranged outside work (including Saturday and Sunday's rest days), or they can be arranged to appear flexibly during working hours.

F. Volunteers' basic necessities of life

Before volunteers report for duty, they must be reminded of the local weather, environmental conditions, clothes and articles they need to bring. If the wind and sand are heavy, remind to wear sunglasses, and mosquitoes should remind to bring protective equipment. The protective equipment needed in the work shall be provided by the organization unit. Food: The organizer is responsible for providing all the materials needed for cooking, including raw materials and auxiliary materials. Then all the volunteers are divided into groups, and two or three people are responsible for the meals of the day. Cooking materials can be discussed collectively the day before, and then the organizational unit is responsible for organizing the purchase. Everyone must take part in cooking. Whether it will or not, it is a very good experience. Can increase the feelings between volunteers, can eat food in different places. Live: There is only one premise, not luxury. Wooden houses, tents, local people's homes. Ok: All the transportation during the activity will be arranged by the organizing unit.