Ethical Volunteering Principles
Skills match: Does your skill genuinely contribute? Teaching English is useful if qualified.
Long-term over short: 2-week programs rarely create lasting impact. Minimum 1 month.
Community-led: Designed around community needs, not what volunteers want to do.
Avoid orphanages: Well-documented problem — many children have living parents. The industry creates perverse incentives.
Legitimate Programs
Elephant Nature Park (Chiang Mai): Volunteer weeks for conservation work.
ReachOut (Cambodia): Education programs in Siem Reap.
Volunteer Nepal (Kathmandu): Community development, 2-week minimum.
Teaching English
Worth doing if: 1+ month commitment, established school, genuine teaching interest. Not worth doing for 2-week tourists.
Community-based tourism experiences are available on Klook.