Volunteer Resource Site
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Ethical Volunteering
Ethical Volunteering
Understanding the principles of ethical volunteering is essential to having a rewarding and positive brigade. Through these resources, you will gain a basic knowledge of the historical context of volunteering abroad, the common critiques of international volunteer efforts, and how to adopt and ethical mindset on your brigade. Check out the video below for a quick overview:
Understanding Voluntourism
Learn what voluntourism is and how to avoid this mentality on brigade. Watch videos and read articles in the guides below to explore the complexities of international volunteering and develop an awareness of the ethical issues presented when volunteering abroad.
- Read our short guide to the White Savior Complex and GB Blog article “We Are Not the Saviors of This Story” to understand how saviorism can perpetuate the damaging effects of colonialism and overlook community expertise.
- Use this Facilitator’s Guide to lead activities with your chapter which includes a guide to academic articles critiquing voluntourism and discussion questions for the volunteering parody video below.
Making a Sustainable Impact
Global Brigades works to offset the limitations of short-term volunteering abroad by ensuring the sustainability of our programs through community partnership, education, and year-round support. Learn more about why community input and buy-in is a crucial aspect of effective development work.
- Sustainability is critical to the effectiveness of our initiatives. Learn more about sustainability by checking out the Programming Sustainability Presentation and the Brigade Sustainability Resource Guide.
- Use the activities included in this Facilitator’s Guide which includes discussion on the TedTalk below, case studies, and an evaluation of the United Nations Principles for Stakeholder Engagement.
Shaping Responsible Volunteers
When community members welcome brigaders into their homes, they are placing a great deal of trust in you. Learn how to approach this significant relationship with an informed and respectful perspective and attitude.
- Check out our Responsible Volunteer Checklist, a quick reference of important action items and resources to prepare you to engage ethically with GB partner communities.
- Read our GB Blog article “Beyond Good Intentions” for a list of questions to reflect on and suggestions for how to dismantle unproductive attitudes.
- Our Facilitator’s Guide on responsible volunteering includes several activities and videos to guide reflection and discussion on shaping responsible attitudes and actions of volunteers.
Using Social Media to Empower
After brigade, the photos and captions you post on social media will shape other’s perspectives of you, community members, and Global Brigades. Learn how to responsibly share meaningful content from your Brigade that will continue to empower community members and inspire other global citizens.
- Use our Social Media Guidebook as an easy resource to educate your chapter on the basics of ethical social media use.
- Explore Instagram content from GB, parody accounts, and peer organizations to learn what to do and what not to do on social media. This activity and other great resources can be found in this Facilitator’s Guide.
Feedback?
As with everything in our organization, we highly value leader and volunteer feedback. If you have any pieces of feedback or suggestions for additional resources that you have found useful on your campus we want to hear from you!
Please feel free to fill out our Volunteer Education Feedback Form!