A growing number of young people from affluent countries choose to do unpaid voluntary work in communities in less rich countries. Reasons why this is happening vary from personal to professional, and I believe both communities and young people benefit equally from this situation.
To start with the reasons as to why more and more young individuals from rich countries can be seen doing voluntary work in underprivileged communities, it is merely a gesture of goodwill by them. Providing voluntary service, whether in teaching, construction, or healthcare, young people demonstrate feelings of compassion and care for people in need, which fosters tender relationships between rich and poor countries, bringing them closer. Being involved in this process makes young people feel accomplished and more importantly, fulfilled. Some young people also sign up for voluntary work in deprived regions to enhance their education and work prospects. This is because voluntary work experience, especially in Third World countries, highlights positive features about a candidate such as empathy and community-mindedness, boosting their college application or resume. As such, there is a growing tendency among young people from rich countries to commit to a period of voluntary work before going to university or applying for a job.
In my mind, both communities and young people gain equally from such voluntary work. From a community’s perspective, they are aided help with their pressing problems like poor education or lack of reliable housing. Qualified personnel needed to deliver quality education or tend to the sick or the homeless is being outsourced with foreign volunteers at no cost. As a result, major problems besetting the community are being tackled effectively and for free. From a volunteer’s perspective, they are able to meet their personal and professional goals having done unpaid voluntary work in poor regions. That is, they experience an elevated sense of personal satisfaction and self-esteem while gaining necessary experience and skills needed for their future studies or career.
In conclusion, the trend for doing unpaid voluntary work in poverty-stricken regions among young people can be explained by desire to nurture positive feelings and improve their future prospects, and it is a win-win situation seeing as both parties have much to gain from this exchange.