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International Volunteering

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Code of Good Practice. The focus is to ensure overseas volunteering has a positive impact for the three main stakeholders: the volunteer, the sending agency, and the local project and community. Additionally, it reflects a number of core values. These are: partnership, quality, security, encouraging appropriate volunteer attitudes, valuing volunteering, sustainability, development education, solidarity, and the importance of contributing to development. The Code of Good Practice (CoGP) has been developed in close consultation with Irish volunteer sending agencies (VSAs), returned volunteers and with a range of partners that host international volunteers. While the number of principles in the 2012 edition of the CoGP remains the same, work has been undertaken to revise and clarify the indicators and evidence required.

What is Comhlámh’s history with good practice standards in volunteering abroad? Who can use the Code of Good Practice? Ireland or Northern Ireland for over a year; How was the CoGP developed? International: International Volunteerism Resource Center. Home - IESC. Peace Corps.

UNV Online Volunteering Service. Ethics and Voluntourism. Tourism Concern - Orphanages. Volunteering in orphanges is bad for children Tourism and volunteering in orphanages is fuelling the demand for "orphans", and so driving the unnecessary separation of children from their families. In the past decade the number of orphan children has declined worldwide however the number of orphanages in many developing countries has risen in response to the demand from tourists and volunteers. Orphanages have become a tourist attraction and a ‘bucket list’ volunteering opportunity.

Whilst we appreciate that many well-meaning volunteers may wish to volunteer at an orphanage our view is that looking after vulnerable children should be undertaken by local, full-time, professional staff and not by short-term volunteers, no matter how skilled or qualified. Tour Operators must stop sending unqualified volunteers to orphanages Google finds 505,000 results for ‘volunteer orphanage aboard’ – most are marketed by holiday companies and tour operators. Sign our Petition and donate to our campaign. Volunteer Abroad | International Volunteer Programs.

Voluntourism Gal | Notes on the Voluntourism Industry. Responsible Volunteering-choosing a placement. Assess your interests and needs Once you have decided that you would like to volunteer abroad, the next step is to find the right placement. A good starting point is to spend some time thinking about what you are interested in doing and what is important to you during your time overseas. It is also important to think about what your basic needs will be in terms of facilities and level of support as this can vary a great deal. It may help to ask yourself the following questions. The answers to these will help you when you are searching for the right placement: What are you hoping to gain from the experience of volunteering?

Types of Placement There are many different categories of volunteering placement to choose between. Conservation Conservation projects allow you to contribute to valuable scientific research and protection of endangered animals and ecosystems. Teaching Working with children Another popular volunteering placement is caring for children in a home or orphanage.

Healthcare.