I share Scary's concerns about the middle class children thing. It is becoming quite well publicised now in both mainstream and academic literature. My DD, who has studied a lot of issues around this (check out Edward Said's 'Orientalism' if you want the roots of my/Scary's/others' distaste, even if it isn't called this) is violently against any such trips.
If a child wishes to do good and volunteer, there are many opportunities in this country. If a child wishes to have a nice posh holiday funded by themselves, their parents or (horror!) the parents of others, then be honest and call it what it is - a privileged holiday for middle class children. In my view (which has hardened from speaking with my own children) these are horrid, harmful things which ought to be challenged in strong terms. The problems of the global south are not going to be solved by parachuting white children in to paint a school; and it isn't benign for those who go either, as they may end up believing they have done some real good.
Universities are unimpressed, by the way.
scary mum wrote:
Can you tell I don't really agree with them? Would I have allowed my children to go? I'm glad they didn't ask, and I do refuse to contribute to friends' children's expeditions. Google "volunteerism" if you want views on the (profit making) programme.
+1 in bold.
My own sons went to a school in East Africa which their school has been helping to fund for decades. Even within this situation (not profit making, a long established link, no one else asked to pay, not done as 'charity' but as a visit to learn) both ended up feeling a bit uncomfortable with the perceived power balances and the inevitable judgements made on both sides.