Let's create continuous conversations about climate change education: Spreading the Sediment of Science!
The Flight Free Podcast: Voluntourism
Provided by: Flight Free UK |Published on: July 8, 2022
Podcasts Grades 9-12
Synopsis
- This podcast explains how "voluntourism," or traveling to far away countries to do unskilled volunteer work, may not be as beneficial, or even detrimental, to the environment and the communities that are supposed to benefit from the projects.
- Students will hear from members of the Ugandan organization "No White Saviors" who explain what they believe are the issues with "voluntourism," focusing on the attitudes and lack of skills of many of the volunteers.
Subjects: Science, Social Studies
Authors: Flight Free UK
Region: Africa, Europe, Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This podcast will prompt students to think critically about their actions, especially those that society generally accepts as altruistic.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should understand how aviation contributes to climate change and the carbon footprint of various individual actions.
- It may be necessary to address how your school approaches volunteer or service work. Some schools organize "mission trips" for students to visit developing nations. Using this podcast in the classroom will push against the narrative that these trips are a good thing.
Differentiation
- This podcast could be used in a social-emotional lesson on how intention does not always translate to impact.
- In social studies classes, students could calculate how far they would have to travel to get to Uganda, how much carbon would be emitted by their travel, and if the money required for travel could directly support social or environmental projects in Uganda.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
Flight Free UK
We are a behavior change organization with a mission to reduce emissions by informing people of the climate impact of aviation and inspiring them to travel by other means.
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.
