Amanda Turnbull Such a good post - totally agree re. the skills assessment. We've been volunteering our skills

whilst on the road (graphic design/copywriting/marketing etc) and whilst not as useful as medicine or teaching

we help small businesses where we can. We have very fond memories of doing the village trips with Choice

back in 2011, we went twice on that trip and whilst all we could offer was to play with the kids (and make paper

planes!) it was one of our favourite memories of that trip. Keep doing what you're doing because we had heard

of 'voluntourism' and we're reluctant to get involved, but your organisation has been truly inspiring. I can't tell

you how many people I've mentioned it to back in Aus. Thanks for sharing this (Jody is a very good writer!)

Cheers

Choice Cambodia Thanks Amanda, its such a difficult subject to talk about without upsetting serious

volunteers, Jody has done an excellent job.

Tony Balkin I'm suprised you think she has done well Ross. I'm disgusted to say the least and some of her

comments regarding volunteers & donations. If a person brings 10 books well that's 10 kids who now have

books and hopefully another volunteer brings 10 more then so on and so on. The remark about aid workers need

to be ,, highly educated people,, The most famous Saint of all who gave her life to helping the poor MOTHER

TERESA had no medical or social education and held no formal aid qualification. My understanding is that

Choice encouraged tourists to volunteer to join a trip to the village which seeing the poverty first hand in turn

increases donations to help fund there humanitarian work. My Sister is heading over in a couple of weeks to

Choice with a group of people with the sole purpose of spending a few days helping as 3 months is a unrealistic

option for them. I'm sure after seeing it first hand they will come back to Australia and help raise more funds for

your cause. But I hope that they don't read Jody's post before they leave as they all will feel like their not

welcome and only there as Jody puts it to ,,,,,, Ease occidental guilt and then to return to Australia to impress

kith and kin with stories of how they helped. And then she insinuates they didn't.......... Wow what a

comment........ Many of my friends have donated to Choice because I speak highly of the organization as they

do a tremendous job. I'm saddened to see this post up and can only see it having a negative impact on your

charity.

Tony Balkin IF YOU CANT FEED A HUNDRED PEOPLE, THEN FEED JUST ONE ....... Mother Teresa

Ashok Kumar It does take all sorts of people to make this world, hence volunteers too. They are no exception. I

personally empathise with the good piece that has been written n the views expressed within by my good friend

Ross, whom i have a lot of respect for. His dedication to the cause is indeed exceptional. But i would be more

careful about managing the behaviours of some who might not be in line with actions n behaviour our

organisations expect. I have seen volunteers with transactional mindsets n motives taking a transformational

approach once they get into the groove of how the indigent we are helping should be ideally managed. Once

they learn the nuances of becoming better volunteers they would become invaluable assets. Even if not directly

benefitting your org, perhaps some others. The incumbents such as Ross needs to plod on with the big hearts n a

more inclusive paradigm in dealing with quirks that have been spoken for in the article. The ideal mould n

model of a volunteer is an elusive one neverthelesss n is less understood by many well-meaning people amongst

us.

Holger Meuss I like the article very much. I can fully understand that it's very difficult for organizations like

CHOICE to host volunteers for a couple of days, but they do. It was explained to me by Arne: NATO, No

Action, Talk Only. I have to admit that I stayed in the NATO league, but what people really need is a steady

and friendly companionship. Poor people in Cambodia don't need Ghetto tourism with the air of humanitarism.

It confuses. Steady and friendly companionship, that's what Ross and CHOICE do, and that's what people need.

Kate Wilson Well I must say that is a very disappointing post.

Realistically how many people can take 3 mths off work to work on the ground unpaid. These so called

volunteer tourists bring money to these organizations no money, no clean drinking water, no food, no education,

no health service the list goes on, being a steady companion to these needy families is wonderful and they do

need this but you also need funds to improve their lives and personally being one of those volunteer tourist

myself Yes I'm sure I'm guilty of saying many things that were not beneficial but on return of that visit many

generous people of our community raised $10,000 for choice. So honestly who cares mine or anyone else's

suggestions or useless ideas don't have to be acted on, take it or leave it. And Jody I assure you none of these

organizations that these volunteer tourists visit and donate to would say no to the donations they receive. I can

understand some of the points but feel this could've been writen in a different way. Correct me if I'm wrong

your saying CEO, Executive or lawyer are useless and just donate your money and they should let go of the

illusion that their making any difference, gee that's a big call. I guess if certain organizations don't want

volunteer tourist than they should state that and not incourage tourist to come to the village.

I just think your post is unnecessary especially when talking about small organizations who need all the help

they can get.

Tony Balkin I'm glad Kate you see the article the same as me ,, that tourist volunteers like us are not welcome,,

and just a pain in the arse,, I was starting to feel like I was reading it wrong.

Leanne Balkin I am a pop in volunteer…. One of ones that then return to my own country and impress kith and

kin with stories of how I have “helped” the developing world I put photos all over Facebook and tell anyone

that will listen, in fact 10% of the friends on choices Facebook page are friends of mine… My stories must have

impressed some people!

And without us hard to manage pop in volunteers where would most of the funds come from ?and it would be

interesting to know over the years how many REAL volunteers the highly educated came and stayed for 3

months with the sole purpose of volunteering ?

I am not a doctor nurse dentist CEO lawyer or a highly educated aid worker I work a long 5 day week and save

my annual leave so I can be pop in volunteer as most I cannot just leave my job family and commitment for 3

months.

And your last comment- sex tourists of the world move over. You have to share the “get rid of them” limelight

with the volunteer tourists…… Well I just don’t even know what to say about that !!!

Leanne Balkin

Australia

Lisa Fryar Well said Leanne

Choice Cambodia Kate you have just explained why you Leanne and Tony and many others are not "pop in

Volunteers". People that commit not only to lengthy time in Cambodia but help in other ways such as fund

raising at home selling things to raise money are certainly not "Pop in Volunteers". If only all volunteers were

like this it would be a pleasure running CHOICE. The author is talking about "Volunteerism" its creating

serious problems with the exploitation of children and its growing in Cambodia. CHOICE have recently had

very serious problems caused by a couple of volunteers and looked at ways to eliminate those "Pop Ins" that

want to just tick a box, exploit children, staff or simply take pictures. To do this we increased the price of the

transport from $5 to $15 this has worked somewhat and amended the Code of Conduct for volunteers. For those

that are sponsors, fundraisers or Khmers there is no charge. I have to protect regular volunteers against other

more agressive or stupid volunteers. You would not believe what some volunteers do and how do you seperate

the good from the bad. Matters so serious that I will only tell you in person when you arrive, its an extremely

difficult job, I recently spoke about the problem to Matt the tour leader, he laughed saying he has the same

problem with tour groups, every now and again he gets a trouble maker but at least he gets paid. Remember I

am a volunteer as well. I hope that explains somewhat. Cheers Ross.

Choice Cambodia Volunteer Tourism: Think Before You Volunteer

The trouble with pop-in volunteering

There was quite a mixed response to the post by Jody, some loved it some disapproved, some felt they were

unjustly targeted. I mentioned on the thread that it’s such a difficult subject to talk about without upsetting

serious volunteers.

Firstly both Jody and Alexandra have their own Charity work and live in Cambodia, we are dealing with

volunteers daily. You all know my situation, but the three of us and many more in Cambodia are concerned

about the increase in “Volunteerism” and with some Orphanages being closed (a Government policy) this will

create many more volunteers looking for placement in the future. Many have seen the signs on Tuk Tuks “Don’t

place our children in Glass Boxes”

As you all know the aim of the work done by CHOICE is to help squatter families. We must do this without

exploiting the adults and children, so far we have been successful as I find that the Villagers have not changed

since we first met them. In order to achieve this we have rules in place. The parents of these children trust us,

it’s our duty to ensure these children are treated accordingly. Just this Christmas I denied would be “pop ins”

the right to distribute 100 packs of candy and 100 copies of the Gospel at the Center, the children are mostly

Bhuddist and CHOICE is non-religious. Christmas day was just another school day at the center, I was at the

school and remember it’s not about us.

CHOICE cannot exist without Volunteers of which I am one as are the Committee and you guys, none of us get

any remuneration for our work, we don’t care about that because we are dedicated to help these unfortunate

people. We also have 20 paid Khmer staff that are exposed to westerners, many for the first time in their lives.

The staff must also be protected from exploitation from volunteers. As I have said before the hardest part of my

work is the volunteer factor. We have had about 8 dangerous volunteers over 8 years, a very small percentage,

and at a guess from about 5000 visitors, but enough to severely damage our work.

I do want Volunteers to “Think Before you Volunteer” ask yourself why am I volunteering is it for me or do I

really care, and do your homework on the Organization. Email “what can I bring” the example of 10 books for

40 children is to make people think and don’t waste your money on Candy, I do put the 10 books in the

stationary cupboard.

I break down Volunteers into 3 categories.

1.The serious Volunteer. (provides means for CHOICE to exist) Not only happy to visit many times for longer

periods of time but willing to donate clothing, footwear, money, fundraisers, promote back home, knitting baby

clothes, ideas and follow thru with such as our Handbags being made by the sewing girls, laptops, hairdressing ,

creating support groups such as CFG, CFS, CFA coming. You have CHOICE permanently on your minds and

you do something positive about it to help even in your homeland.

2.The Pop in Volunteer. (no real thoughts before volunteering I just wanna have fun)

A high percentage of these are a worry, they only volunteer for their CV, ticking a box, pictures and to play

with children, most don’t follow rules, care or donate. How do I tell good from bad when I don’t even know

them, often my first point of contact is email. Depending on what they want I block some there, secondly we

have increased the transport costs to casuals, this has worked. Thirdly we have changed the Code of Conduct

Rules. I have to oversee these types almost daily sometimes we do get a transformation from this group to

become a serious volunteer, and sometimes they do a runner at the end of the day to avoid payment.

3.The dangerous Volunteer. (the eight)

Two were peadophiles and are in jail, these types usually have their own agenda, they won’t follow rules, they

get banned by the Committee because they do so much harm. Ross Wright