International Volunteer Head Quarters - A Personal Review
As a note to parents:
I am adding this paragraph because it is parents who email me the most often seeking information about an upcoming trip for their children. Mostly, parents seem concerned with safety and access to substances. IVHQ cares about your child's safety, but they are not babysitters. Beyond telling volunteers what to be wary of and giving them a safe place to stay, they will do little else in terms of protection and monitoring. They are trusting that volunteers are adults capable of managing themselves. This means that your child will be self-reliant in a new environment. Yes, volunteers drink, smoke, use drugs and have sex. I have seen it all first hand. These things are readily available and, regardless of the rules set by IVHQ, are very common. I hope this provides a clear answer with regards to these issues.
My review:
I have decided to add a personal review of my experience with IVHQ. It's a question that has come up again and again from people looking to travel and volunteer. There are many companies and organizations you can choose from, and after some pretty extensive research, I went with IVHQ. (Their website may be found at http://www.volunteerhq.org/) I chose them based on the reviews of past volunteers and because their goal really seemed to get people out there volunteering as inexpensively as possible. Their program fees are often a fraction of other agencies.
From my first contact with IVHQ, I was impressed. The first step in working with them is to submit an online application. Very quickly (they promise within 2 days, but I had mine within a few hours), they will email to confirm the country, program and dates. Once you decide to go ahead with the trip, you pay a US $220 registration fee (it is refundable if you change your mind). It is now official!
IVHQ then sent me a digital book full of information and advice, though I still had lots of questions. I emailed my volunteer travel consultant and got a response very quickly. Other questions were answered by volunteers who had already been to South Africa, who I connected with on IVHQ's Facebook page. I paid my program fees for the month, booked my flight, packed my bags, and off I went.
Once I was in South Africa, there were a few issues to contend with. Several volunteers contacted IVHQ and they sent out someone to check things out. I had the privilege of meeting Jamie-lee, who was also my volunteer travel consultant. I was very impressed that IVHQ was so involved in their placements, and that they responded to concerns directly and in such a timely manner. Now, to be fair and honest here, the people running the placement definitely made an extra effort for our IVHQ guest. Things were spruced up and the food magically got quite a bit better for a few days. Not that anything was terrible before, but they were clearly putting a bit of shine on things for the show of it.
I should note that IVHQ basically acts as a middle man in the volunteer process. They connect with local organizations and funnel in volunteers. While initially it seems like it would be better to work with the organizations directly, my experience taught me that having a governing body ensuring placements meet guidelines is a wonderful thing. IVHQ does the work of finding local organizations, and then they regulate the conditions volunteers stay in. (I have heard a few horror stories of volunteer placements gone horribly bad through unscrupulous agencies, with people staying in slum conditions or having the whole thing turn out to be a scam.) IVHQ also gives volunteers a level of security and protection in that you can always contact them for assistance at any point. And, as my experience demonstrates, they are quick to help in any way they can.
Jamie-lee told us that programs are regularly monitored, and are checked out in person by IVHQ at least once a year. In addition, IVHQ is always seeking feedback about placements and they seem to really care about their volunteers rather than simply arranging placements and then leaving everything up to the host organization.
UPDATE:
As I delve more deeply into the volunteer tourism trade, I do have some concerns that I am not sure IVHQ is able to address. Responsible volunteering is a high priority for me, and while I appreciate IVHQ's mission statement and can see that there have been priorities set for ensuring responsibility, the truth is that on my placement there were clearly people there who had no interest in volunteering at all, they were focused more on the excitement of being away from home and partying in a new environment over helping in any meaningful way.
IVHQ's screening policy is minimal. Some volunteer agencies require multiple references and appropriate screening to ensure the suitability of volunteers. Some programs also work with locally-recognized community leaders, in advance of the volunteer program development, to ensure that the volunteers will work to meet real community needs and that the initiatives which the volunteers contribute to are sustainable. It is then the choice of the local community as to wether or not they accept a placement. The selection and placement process can take several months as community identified needs are matched with skills.
IVHQ has a focus on getting volunteers on the ground, and many of their programs have few requirements other than a volunteer must be over 18. During my experience, I can confirm there is not necessarily any effort given to matching skills requested by the community to an appropriate volunteer. I was witness to how volunteers can simply be more work for locals and communities, as some volunteers bring no real transferrable skills with them and expect to be catered to. Please see my break down of some of the issues in the Pros and Cons section of this site.
In addition, many IVHQ programs have orphanage placements. This is a red flag for me and should be for anyone considering volunteer tourism. Please see Orphanages: Not the Solution for more information on why I view this as a serious issue.
SECOND UPDATE
After my second trip with IVHQ to India, I am doubtful I will travel with them again.
Once again, the registration process was easy and the people on the ground in India were lovely. If anything, the Indian program was much more organized than my experience in South Africa. As a tourist experience, it was great.
That said, I found the practice of using untrained volunteers as teaching professionals to be very irresponsible. This is exactly the kind of issue that people who are against volunteer tourism point to as being problematic. You wouldn't want your child to see an untrained doctor, a volunteer who is there to "make a difference." Why is education so disregarded, so unimportant, that we feel anyone is able to do it? Western societies would not stand for young adults with no training to waltz into our classrooms and take charge of our children's education. Yet, that is what IVHQ is promoting. Worse, there is no oversight and no commitment to doing better. There isn't even any monitoring that volunteers aren't physically harming children (and, yes, I heard tales first hand tales of volunteers doing so).
I am sure the IVHQ trips are great for volunteers. They get a vacation and a feel-good experience. A chance to be away from home and a chance to party without consequences. I am not convinced that placements are great for the communities and people that are suppose to be benefiting.