A must read for anyone considering volunteer tourism.
Elizabeth BeckerA manifesto for doing good well, this is an indispensable book for anyone volunteering overseas.
Noam ChomskyThis is recommended reading for all those considering volunteering in a developing country.
Philip GoodwinThe pedagogy of Learning Service is foundational to responsible travel.
Reed HarwoodOrder the book now
This year, over ten million people will go abroad, eager to find the perfect blend of adventure and altruism. Volunteer travel can help you find your place in the world–and find out what you’re made of. So why do so many international volunteer programs fail to make an impact? Why do some do more harm than good?
About Us
International volunteering has grown in popularity, and with so many people going abroad to “serve”, we worry that we are often forgetting a really important step: we have to learn before we can help. If we don’t research our options thoroughly, understand the context and culture of the communities we visit, and ensure that our skills and experience match the needs, volunteering can be wasteful, and at worst, cause a lot of harm.
We are promoting a movement of learning, designed to better prepare young people about to travel abroad for the first time, and travellers of all ages looking to give back through their time, with the skills and mindsets they need to be of “service”, not just for a few weeks on a volunteer trip, but for the rest of their lives.
Videos
We’ve produced an excellent video collection to give you more information. Check out some of the videos on responsible tourism here.
Library
Want to learn more about responsible volunteer travel, but don’t know where to start? We created a few guides to help!
Consultancy
The Learning Service Team offer bespoke trainings and consultancy to travel companies, schools and non-profit organizations. Find out more
From Our Blog
It’s Time to Stop Treating Orphanages as Tourist Attractions
This is a guest post by human rights campaigner Meg Lewis. Earlier this month an orphanage tourism taskforce was launched in the UK by ABTA and Hope and Homes for Children. The taskforce aims to halt the trend of well-meaning international tourists from visiting and...
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Am I Entitled to be a Tourist?
I sat near the window, sipping coffee and observing the workers outside as they loaded all of the luggage onto the plane. I watched intently as a young man in an orange vest heaved my two overweight suitcases onto the conveyor belt. My eyes followed those big, blue...
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Why Communities of Color Don’t Need Saving
I walked into my first class and saw a room full of girls whose appearances closely resembled mine; dark hair, brown skin, and deep, energetic eyes. I sat down at a table with some of them and didn’t say a word. I noticed their eyes wandering around the room,...
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