#TTOT Roundup: Volunteer Travel

Every Tuesday it's Travel Talk on Twitter! Follow the #TTOT hashtag to see what all the commotion and Tweets are about! There are two sessions to join, one at 9:30am GMT and the other at 9:30pm GMT.

Here's the round-up of this week's #TTOT: 

Q1 via DifferentTravel: Is voluntourism a good or bad thing, and why?

• MzansiGirl: Voluntourism projects should be set up with an exit strategy, so as not to make communities dependent on volunteers 
• SeeKerala: Voluntourism is good thing.It helps tourist to build long relationship,gain cultural knowledge & understand community needs
• NileWaveTravel: t's a bad thing if you're being exploited or you are exploiting
• HostelBookers: Do your research. Don't take away paid working opportunities for locals in the area
• AVentureUK: As long as it's well managed voluntourism can be very beneficial. As Churchill said "With opportunity comes responsibility"
• MalloryOnTravel: It is unfortunate that too many commercial organizations have jumped on the money making bandwagon
• charynpfeuffer: Voluntourism can be a good thing because it educates people about communities, cultures and needs arout the world

Q2 via SeeKerala: Can volunteer travel make a difference? How?

• RunawayBrit: Building projects make a long-lasting difference in a community. Handing out food is only short-term
• GotBlogWillRoam: Education on various things is probably the best people have to offer, providing it's objective and doesn't impose opinions
• lloydstravel: You can enrich lives by volunteering abroad. You also make a difference by spreading awareness
• JauntingKerrs: Opens new relationships that can span the globe I appreciate the volunteers who expect no credit or recognition in return
• ae_carhire: Any help no matter how small is still help! If it can make a lasting impact on any given community, then it makes a difference 
  
• AdventuresPlan: It allows you into the real lives of locals that your average tourist will never experience
• TravelThirst: It can make a difference if you believe in what you are doing. Nowadays it has been some sort of "fashion" among many

Q3 via SelenaChanLive: Which websites / blogs can you recommend for finding free opportunities? 

• malloryontravel: Use social media ask the great twitter travel community
• TheTravProject: Universities are a good network too get involved with and for contacts
• mobilelawyer: Sometimes the best opportunties are just found from going to a location and asking around, in volunteering and just travel itself 
• 25travels: AIESEC internship program - great org to start! Lots of great NGO partners
• solotraveler: Another good site is The Ethical Traveler 
  
• DonNadeau: In North America, Sierra Club offers numerous volunteer opportunities usually in natural settings
• travelightly: The site Idealist has tons of volunteer opportunities worldwide. Some are free, others aren't

Q4 via gregoates: Where and how have you seen voluntourism make a positive impact? 

• OysterWorldwide: Turtle conservation with charity&community in Costa Rica. Got food & accommodation in village-total reinvestment into community 
  
• GetawayMagazine: Wildlife rehabilitation
• travel4press: I think things like medical camps supported by unis are great! People with the correct skills are helping others 
  
• hjortur: Did some volunteer work fixing a hospital in Croatia at the end of the war.Seen some environmental projects here in Iceland as well 
  
• redheadedtravel: Tanzania we paid for and helped locals install a rain water tank and guttering on the school roof, they had no water supply 
  
• fodorstravel: Recently in the US, voluntourism really helped comeback of New Orleans & Gulf Coast
• Nomad_Student: Not in-person, but translating loans for @Kiva entrepreneurs worldwide is one of the most fulfilling things I've ever done

Positive impact = Seeing kids hard at work learning

Q5 via Oysterworldwide: What would be your perfect volunteering experience whilst traveling?

• HostelBookers: Helping to build a village/town for displaced people/refugees. It breaks my heart seeing people forced from their home
• Marilyn_Res: Perfect volunteer job? I'd love to work in an orangutan orphanage in Borneo
• traveldudes: Having a budget for your own volunteer project. Travel & see where you could help. Then stay & do it!
• Travtar: Teaching impoverished children a trade and helping them discover that they aren't limited by their circumstances
• kitwhelan: Anything where I could make a concrete donation to a community, like a house, playground, or classroom built
• hyperren: I think playing with the kids did more good that the actual tutorials, in the long run anyway

Play time can be just as rewarding to you as to the kids you help!

And there you have it, "Volunteer Travel"!

Next week's #TTOT topic is: "Beach Travel" submitted by LifeOutofaSuitc. Submit your questions HERE! And don't forget to tune follow the #TTOT every Tuesday at 9:30am and 9:30pm GMT!

As always, a HUGE travel community thank you to our #TTOT hosts and organizers: traveldudes, roniweiss, toddwassel, traveldesigned, insidetravellab, WildJunket, tbloggersunite and mobilelawyer!

Have YOU got anything to add to the Volunteer Travel discussion? 

© Connie Hum 2011