I’ll be honest – I don’t tend to take the time out to reflect on achievements. I suppose many of us don’t, as our lives are usually go, go go. However with such a huge year wrapping up, I decided …
‘It’s Not About Me’ now available as an e-book
Today marks the release of ‘It’s Not About Me’ in e-book format. I have pushed for an e-book release to make it accessible to people across the globe. Voluntourism is a global issue, and I want people in all countries …
Resources on voluntourism
Voluntourism (short-term volunteering overseas), at first glance, is a wonderful thing. But when we delve further, things aren’t as they seem. If you want to know more about the unintended consequences of voluntourism, and why it isn’t the best way …
Exposing children to abuse as voluntourists
The Cambodian women shuddered as the photo came on the screen of young foreign women holding Cambodian children in their arms. “Sally, we would never want other people to hold our children like that,” they told me. We continued through the …
It’s time to rethink voluntourism
Reposted from Thrive Global. What keeps you awake at night tossing and turning? Is it worrying about your children, that upcoming work presentation or the incoming bills? For me, it is voluntourism [short-term overseas volunteering]. I know what you are …
Rokhak Women Handicraft
When I was visiting Cambodia this past April, my friend Sreylin and I were contemplating what we should do for our customary ‘day of fun’ that happens every time we get together. The issue was, we had pretty much been …
Are you looking for a different type of trip?
“The Purpose & Philanthropy Field Trip to Siem Reap in Cambodia is one of the most cherished and memorable experiences of my life. What I appreciated the most about the trip was getting to see some of Siem Reaps local …
That school trip to volunteer overseas isn’t ethical
I was recently a guest on the ABC Radio Sydney Focus show. I had been invited on as a recent recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia to talk about voluntourism. Voluntourism is short-term or one-off volunteering overseas, …
Four questions to ask yourself when volunteering long-term abroad
I know several organisations in Cambodia who have received a constant supply of long-term volunteers. Staying for anywhere between six months and two years, these volunteers help with fundraising, marketing, program management and other tasks. However, there is no consistency. …
How to be an Ethical Traveller
As someone who advocates for ethical tourism, I am often asked what it takes to be an ethical traveller. It can sometimes be a very complicated issue, which is why I always suggest people do their research first. Look at …