RELIEF FOR UK-BASED VOLUNTEER ORGANISATIONS
First posted on our Facebook discussion board by Alasdair Harris of Blue Ventures in response to a recent press release fromVSO that was commented on in our post VOLUNTEERS BEGIN TO ASK QUESTIONS
The prominent coverage of the views of Jean Brodie, director of VSO UK, puts into relief a critical need for greater transparency and accountability amongst organisations operating within the UK's largely unregulated gap year and volunteer travel industry.
The proliferation of poorly-planned, spurious and increasingly profit-oriented gap year schemes poses a growing threat to the legitimacy of reputable UK-based volunteer organisations, large and small, working throughout the sustainable development sector.
We represent two non-profit organisations, dedicated to promoting marine conservation in the world's tropical oceans. Year-round our teams work in partnership with governments and local NGOs within resource-dependent coastal communities in Africa, southeast Asia, the Caribbean and Pacific, developing research and conservation programmes to safeguard some of the world's most threatened and biodiverse marine environments.
Amongst other lasting achievements, our projects have trained and employed thousands of scientists, conservationists and volunteers worldwide; empowered local communities in over 10 countries to manage their own natural resources; and succeeded in developing some of the largest networks of community-run marine and coastal protected areas in the world. Projects initiated and led by our organisations have been recognised by the United Nations, the World Conservation Union, and governments worldwide for their efforts to conserve biodiversity and alleviate poverty.
Our work is heavily dependent on support from gap year students and volunteers of all ages from the UK, and we are proud to be associated with this important sphere of the development movement. In light of VSO's remarks, we welcome and encourage closer public scrutiny of all voluntary aid and development projects; such attention is necessary in order that the reputations of truly philanthropic organisations are no longer compromised by projects that claim to benefit communities and environments, but in fact benefit no one other than the travel companies that promote them.
Alasdair Harris, Founder and Research Director, Blue Ventures Conservation
Pete Raines MBE, Founder and CEO, Coral Cay Conservation
The prominent coverage of the views of Jean Brodie, director of VSO UK, puts into relief a critical need for greater transparency and accountability amongst organisations operating within the UK's largely unregulated gap year and volunteer travel industry.
The proliferation of poorly-planned, spurious and increasingly profit-oriented gap year schemes poses a growing threat to the legitimacy of reputable UK-based volunteer organisations, large and small, working throughout the sustainable development sector.
We represent two non-profit organisations, dedicated to promoting marine conservation in the world's tropical oceans. Year-round our teams work in partnership with governments and local NGOs within resource-dependent coastal communities in Africa, southeast Asia, the Caribbean and Pacific, developing research and conservation programmes to safeguard some of the world's most threatened and biodiverse marine environments.
Amongst other lasting achievements, our projects have trained and employed thousands of scientists, conservationists and volunteers worldwide; empowered local communities in over 10 countries to manage their own natural resources; and succeeded in developing some of the largest networks of community-run marine and coastal protected areas in the world. Projects initiated and led by our organisations have been recognised by the United Nations, the World Conservation Union, and governments worldwide for their efforts to conserve biodiversity and alleviate poverty.
Our work is heavily dependent on support from gap year students and volunteers of all ages from the UK, and we are proud to be associated with this important sphere of the development movement. In light of VSO's remarks, we welcome and encourage closer public scrutiny of all voluntary aid and development projects; such attention is necessary in order that the reputations of truly philanthropic organisations are no longer compromised by projects that claim to benefit communities and environments, but in fact benefit no one other than the travel companies that promote them.
Alasdair Harris, Founder and Research Director, Blue Ventures Conservation
Pete Raines MBE, Founder and CEO, Coral Cay Conservation
1 Comments:
What good news it is to hear (the Times Aug 18th) that action is being taken to strengthen the code of practice required for reputable gap year providers, it is long overdue. But let's be clear about the implications, unless adequate funding is available to strictly monitor and enforce such a code nothing will be achieved. Organisations exist that claim to act as a kite mark despite having among their members some of the largest commercial travel agents in the UK; in the context of gap year activities they are self-regulating, without external audit, and have no funds with which to follow up the claims of their members. Even some of the so-called gap advisors are recommending these spurious schemes. Mercifully, there are outstanding youth volunteer providers in the field, among them Blue Ventures and Coral Cay, but their excellent work is being tarred by the unscrupulous. Another issue that needs addressing is the use of the term gap year applying to any age group. It is unhelpful and misleading.
John Vessey
Director, Gap Enterprise Consultants
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