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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Short-term Missions and Volunteering: Safeguarding Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Homecoming Project, 2019

This guide was developed by Homecoming and has been written to help those in the Christian community who are thinking about whether they should volunteer in an orphanage (or residential care institution, children’s village, children’s home or centre).

How filmmaking can support advocacy: The Voluntourist and orphanage tourism

Chloe Sanguinetti - Modern Day Slavery and Orphanage Tourism, 2019

This chapter from the book Modern Day Slavery and Orphanage Tourism draws on the author's film The Voluntourist that has aided in raising the groundswell of objection to orphanage tourism.

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Residential childcare in Ghana: Analysing current trends and drivers

Kwabena Frimpong-Manso, Antoine Deliege, Theresa Wilson and Yvonne Norman - Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, 2019

The paper describes the findings of a geographical mapping and analysis of residential care facilities in four regions of Ghana.

Beyond Orphanage Visits: Resources for Travel and Volunteering Organisations on Responsible Alternatives to Orphanage Tourism and Volunteering

Responsible Tourism Partnership & Martin Punaks, 2019

It is now widely accepted that visiting or volunteering in orphanages is harmful to children. The purpose of this resource is to bring together in one place some the best resources about this issue in order to assist travel and volunteering organisations.

Moving Towards Family Solutions: An Immersive Simulation Experience

Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO), Hope and Homes for Children, and the Faith to Action Initiative, 28 Nov 2018

This resource is free for use by organizations or individuals seeking to explore or learn more about expanding family care options for children.

Volunteer Tourism in Cambodian Residential Care Facilities—A Child Rights-based Approach

Marit Ursin and Mona Lock Skålevik - The International Journal of Children's Rights, 24 Nov 2018

This article analyzes the impact of volunteer tourism on children’s wellbeing in residential care facilities in Cambodia by employing a child rights-based approach.

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The Love You Give

Better Care Network and ReThink Orphanages, 19 Nov 2018

This film tells the untold stories of orphanages, a system that's harming the very children we believe it protects, and how you can choose to be part of the solution.

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Orphanage Trafficking: What does the growing recognition of ‘orphanage trafficking’ mean for Australian charities and churches?

ACCI Missions & Relief, 16 Nov 2018

This briefing note has been written to give Australian charities and churches currently engaging with overseas residential care institutions an overview of the issue of orphanage trafficking and an understanding of how to ensure any overseas funding and volunteering supports the best interests of children in line with national and international legal frameworks.

Trust Conference 2018: Actions - Chloe Setter, Lumos

Chloe Setter - Thomson Reuters Foundation, 14 Nov 2018

This video from the Thomson Reuters Foundation Trust Conference 2018 highlights the "actions" that participants can take to address the issues presented at the conference, particularly actions related to ending orphanage trafficking.

Trust Conference 2018: Actions - Chloe Setter, Lumos

Chloe Setter - Thomson Reuters Foundation, 14 Nov 2018