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
Voluntourism: The Pitfalls of a Broken System
In our book, Learning Service: The Essential Guide to Volunteer Travel, we discuss the many pitfalls of volunteer travel that lead to tokenistic impact or downright harm. We are frequently asked how these pitfalls persist, being repeated by countless volunteers...
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5 Tips for Communication Across Culture and Difference
This post is written by our good friend and intercultural competency expert, Emily Braucher of Refresh Communication, with some ideas on how travelers and volunteers can ensure they engage in mindful communication across cultures and settings. 1. Don’t trust your...
read more![“I Was the Child You Played With”: A Life on the Streets and in an Orphanage [Part Three]](http://learningservice.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/WhatsApp-Image-2019-01-22-at-16.59.06-400x250.jpeg)
“I Was the Child You Played With”: A Life on the Streets and in an Orphanage [Part Three]
Our last two blog posts have been the inspirational life story of Sushil Babu Chhetri (here and here). In this post we asked Sushil to give us his candid thoughts on some of the issues he touches upon in his story. Much of your childhood was spent in orphanages. Do...
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