Part II
(Part I was published on 27th of March at http://sharing4good.org/article/interview-anna-mckeon-communication-cons...)
About Anna
Anna McKeon is representing the Better Care Network and the Better Volunteering, Better Care Initiative. Better Volunteering, Better Care is a joint program with Save the Children UK, also involving Better Care Network Netherlands, ECPAT, Faith to Action Initiative, Friends International, Hope and Homes for Children, SOS Children’s Villages, and UNICEF. Better Volunteering, Better Care aims to discourage international volunteering in residential care centres, and promote ethical volunteering alternatives. Anna has been based in Cambodia for the past 3 1/2 years and is a communications and social change strategist specialising in initiatives focusing on young people and education.
1. What is the Better Volunteering, Better Care Initiative? When did it start? What are the objectives?
In 2013 The Better Care Network and Save the Children UK began an inter-agency initiative to review and share existing knowledge on international volunteerism as related to the alternative care of children in developing countries. This initiative brought together key actors from across the child protection, education, corporate, faith-based and tourism sectors to share their respective experiences. In addition, these actors were encouraged to identify potential global communication and engagement strategies to discourage international volunteering in residential care centres and promote ethical alternatives.
Following a very positive response from a large number of actors involved in advocating on this issue, 2015 sees the initiative move into its second phase. This year, Better Volunteering, Better Care will support an international working group of individuals and organisations who are committed to work collaboratively to raise awareness of the harm caused by international volunteering in residential care centres, and also to maintain a narrative about identifying and supporting ethical alternatives.
2. Who is involved in the Better Volunteering, Better Care initiative?
The initiative steering committee is led by the Better Care Network and Save the Children UK and also includes the Better Care Network Netherlands, ECPAT, Faith to Action Initiative, Friends International, Hope and Homes for Children, SOS Children’s Villages, and UNICEF. In addition, the Better Volunteering, Better Care initiative was delighted to welcome the following individuals and organisations to a workshop in 2014 and continues to collaborate with many of those listed:
Bep Van Sloten
Independent Alternative Care Consultant and Trainer
Member of the working group on Quality of Care from the Better Care Network Netherlands
Britta Holmber
World Childhood Foundation www.childhood.org/
Chloé Sanguinetti
Independent filmmaker www.voyages-solidaires.org
Christine North
Ohio Northern University www.onu.edu
Daniela Papi
Learning Service www.learningservice.info and PEPY Tours www.pepytours.com
Elizabeth Wiebe
Christian Alliance for Orphans www.cafo.org
Emmanuelle Werner Gillioz
Friends International www.friends-international.org
Eric Hartman
Kansas State University School of Leadership Studies, globalsl.org, Amizade Global Service-Learning
Gill Sewell
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts www.wagggs.org
Harold Goodwin
Centre for Responsible Tourism at Manchester Metropolitan University www.crtmmu.org and people and places www.travel-peopleandplaces.co.uk
Iain Disley
VSO/International Citizen Service
Karen Spencer
Whole Child International www.wholechild.org
Lynlee Tanner Stapleton
U.S. Agency for International Development, Global Development Lab
Mara Tissera
Latin American Network for the Right to Live in a Family and a Community (RELAF) www.relaf.org
Mark Watson
Tourism Concern www.tourismconcern.org.uk
Mark Weber
PovertyCure www.povertycure.org and www.facebook.com/povertycure
Martin Punaks
Next Generation Nepal www.nextgenerationnepal.org/
Monica Lindvall
Save the Children Sweden www.rb.se http://resourcecentre.savethechildren.se
Pauline Hyde
Lumos Foundation www.wearelumos.org
Rafia Zakaria
Journalist with various organizations, DAWN (Karachi, Pakistan) and Al Jazeera America (New York, USA)
Rebecca Nhep
ACC International Relief ww.accir.org.au
Richard Welford
CSR Asia www.csr-asia.com
Ruth Taylor
Student Hubs www.studenthubs.org
Sarah Vandenberg
Frayed Passport frayedpassport.com
Shannette Budhai
Comhlámh www.Comhlámh.org
Stephen Ucembe
Kenya Society of Care Leavers
Tessa Boudrie
Boudrie Advisory
3. What were the outcomes of the project in 2014?
The initiative produced a range of documents relating to international volunteering in residential care centres including:
- Collected Viewpoints on International Volunteering in Residential Care Centres: An overview
- Collected viewpoints on international volunteering in residential care centres
- Better Volunteering, Better Care Current activity and initiatives
A global engagement strategy was also drafted, to guide potential future activities on this issue.
In addition, there were a range of other unplanned outcomes, which arose organically from connecting individuals and organisations. These included:
a. WTM Responsible Tourism Debate - Panel on Child Protection. Bill Bell, Co-Chair of the Better Care Network and Head of Child Protection at Save the Children UK participated in a panel event on child protection at the World Travel Market.
b. Community-Based and Policy Experts on Orphanage Tourism on Globalsl.org. This web initiative gathers open-access, peer-reviewed journal articles, practitioner tools, and challenging blog posts. Last year, the website featured video seminars, shared with student groups, focused on the issue of volunteering in residential care centres from both a policy and grassroots perspective. Globalsl.org is also launching a Global Service & Ethical Photography Contest, urging contestants to consider the negative impacts of service across cultures, such as the trafficking of children to provide volunteer experiences through orphanage tourism. Follow Globalsl.org on Facebook and Twitter.
c. Next Generational Nepal and UNICEF Nepal Launch Event. Better Volunteering, Better Care members attended the launch of NGN's new report The Paradox of Orphanage Volunteering on 11th December 2014 in Kathmandu, Nepal. Better Volunteering, Better Care consultant Anna McKeon presented on the findings of the project (view the presentation, International Volunteering in Residential Care Centres: An Overview here) and joined NGO representatives in considering potential next steps for addressing the issue within Nepal.
d. Friends International recently published an article in the January issue of Adoption Today on "Understanding the Underlying Impacts of Orphan Tourism."
e. In October 2014, ECPAT/Defence for Children Netherlands and Better Care Network Netherlands organised a Conference on Voluntourism, focused on the question "Is volunteering with children abroad always in the best interest of the child?"
f. Tourism Concern Volunteer Conference. Better Volunteering, Better Care steering committee member Hope and Homes for Children, and project team member Daniela Papi participated in a panel on volunteering with children at this event in the UK in October.
4. What does the Better Volunteering, Better Care initiative hope to achieve in 2015?
In 2015, the Better Volunteering, Better Care initiative hopes to formalise a working group of international advocates on this issue, and continue to build connections and support advocacy to raise awareness of the risk of harm to vulnerable children caused by international volunteering in residential care centres.
5. Which are the latest trends in international volunteerism?
From those we spoke to during the Better Volunteering, Better Care project, many thought that international volunteering – as a “travel product” was actually in decline. This was due to the rise in alternative travel and adventure travel, where package tours, or individual unplanned adventures, would include volunteering for a few days as part of the trips. As such, volunteering placements are being advertised as heavily as perhaps 2-3 years ago, but rather they are being subsumed into other types of travel experience.
People often seek connections when they travel – and some sort of structure – which is why volunteering is so popular. It is unlikely to die away quickly, but more likely to become further unregulated as individuals and organisations are more able through digital media to directly connect with volunteers (rather than going through organisations). This makes mitigating risk – to both parties – even more difficult and raises fresh challenges from a child protection perspective.
6. Last but not the least what advice would you give a potential orphanage volunteer?
Go to the country you’re interested and enjoy it. Buy local products, meet local people, explore your surroundings. Do not volunteer at an orphanage. If you are interested in supporting vulnerable children in that region, contact some NGOs working in the area and ask about the best way of supporting them. Maybe you can drop off a donation while you are there and learn about their work and the children they are trying to help. You can also, separate to your travels, learn more about residential care. Seek to understand why this type of care should be the last resort for any child, and why volunteers shouldn’t be allowed within these settings. Then, tell you friends, your family, your work, your church, your sports team. Children are voiceless within these settings and need advocates. Encourage people to help vulnerable children in their own communities as well as elsewhere through well-thought-through donations, skilled volunteer work at home or overseas in appropriate administrative settings, and also through learning more about what keeps families in poverty – and how as global citizens we can fight for greater justice and equality in the world.
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