Volunteer tourism is on the rise and besides the not for profit organisations, many tour operators are taking up the challenge of managing volunteer trips to satisfy the increased traveller’s demands.

Yet, without a worldwide standard in volunteer tourism ethics and control, travellers looking for volunteer are often left to the biased advice of the organisations and operators, with only very little information and literature for further research on this relatively new travel concept.

As a result, their projects fail, the volunteers feel their efforts wasted and the communities’ dreams unfulfilled. Unethical operators simply using these trips as a source of income and neglect the real needs of the communities, and those projects doing real work are left without recognition.

Volunteer: A traveller’s Guide to Making a Difference Around the World is a book many have been waiting for: a thorough guide to what exactly is volunteering and discuses the ethics of volunteer tourism.

The team of authors at Lonely Planet have teamed up with previous participants of volunteering projects for their opinions, and subject experts in the field for their detailed analysis of the concept.

The book starts with an overview informing the reader on the definition of volunteering. The authors discussed why people volunteer and list the types of volunteers organisations take. The section is followed by advice on choosing a trip, and deciding if volunteering is a suitable option for the reader. Further on, the book details the requirements and practicalities of a volunteer trip and a well researched list of organisations and operators that offer volunteer programs.

Covering from volunteering solo to volunteering with partners and friends, as well as different types of projects from community building to nature conservation, the advice provided in the book is well-intended and thoroughly researched to ensure accuracy, and aims at giving the reader a realm for reflection, on their choice to volunteer and the way they can ensure their trip will be ethically and beneficially worth while.

In full Lonely Planet style, the book is un-biased and an interesting read with use of simple and straight forward language as well as a format that does not bore the reader. There are many interesting debates and facts surrounding the topic of volunteer tourism that keeps the reader interested, and raises many important questions such as “Do you have what it takes?” and “Is International Volunteering the New Colonialism?”

Why read the book?

Volunteering is a great way to immerse into the local communities while giving something back to the world. In Christina Heyniger’s “The Complete Guide to Volunteer Tourism”, she defines how to find and evaluate volunteer trips. If volunteering is on your mind after reading many of Brave New Traveller articles on this topic, then head to the book stores and get your copy.