Am I being Mean?

Very proud of young people putting others first here or abroad

but very often, "charity tourism" actually doesn't put the communities / environments they're claiming to help first at all…

As an aside! I HATE anyone touching my shopping bags DH is allowed only after intensive training.. LOL

Where we live it is Cubs and Scouts who do the packing at supermarkets. They get to do 2 days each every year. I always pay £2 for my packing as my sons both went to Cubs and Scouts and got a lot from that experience. I have sponsored children I know who go abroad on charity work trips because 1. I can afford to 2. I think it is good for their personal development and 3. They may be doing something beneficial for others. However if I could not afford to I would say no and pack my own bags.

Lineco 56 thanks for the clarification that how I understand these trips work. Wonderful opportunity for young people to learn new skills, become independent and do something worthwhile. Any opportunity for young people to widen their horizons, avoid becoming parochial and develop into decent human beings gets my vote. Money donated owes to the charity they have to fund their travel and accommodation costs so they pay for their own 'jolly'. Very proud of young people putting others first here or abroad

While I appreciate travel broadened the mind and charity work is a good thing for anyone to get involved with, my general mantra is, 'I don't support any Foreign Aid charities other than in times of a natural disaster like a tsunami or earthquake'. All countries in the world should look after their own citizens and not expect hand-outs. The UK government seems to continues to believe it should give out hand-outs and, in doing so, it proceeds to neglect its own, not only that it borrows money to do it putting us more in debt as a nation. If you look at the case of Africa, in particular which was supposed to be 'The Cradle of Civilisation'. So, in theory, they should be far advanced than the rest of the world by now instead they are overburdened by excessive population, corruption, poor management of resources and religious restrictions so, I'm afraid, until they show signs of sorting themselves out I have no interest what so ever in giving any of my hard earned money to them.

I had a friend who had breast cancer and afterwards did do a lot of fundraising which included things like walking The Great Wall of China which I happily sponsored her for

I would totally support someone in remission or in between cancer treatments doing something "big"

However, I prefer it when people call things what they are:
A family friend (who suffered massively financially through the whole cancer process) felt she needed a "big" family trip to look forward to after her "all clear". We fund raised in her name, and friends and family and aquaintances and parents at her DSs school etc all raised enough for her whole family to go away on a dream holiday. She was the charity, and her going on that trip was a worthy cause in itself.

It doesn't have to go through the guise of "charity" (when often it's not doing much for charity at all, and often actually damaging the area travelled to).

People respond well to honesty!
It's the dishonesty of these charity trips that annoy me.

I had a friend who had breast cancer and afterwards did do a lot of fundraising which included things like walking The Great Wall of China which I happily sponsored her for. Sine then I myself have also had breast cancer, thankfully fully recovered from, and have found since this experience I would rather give direct to the charity so they get the full amount. My friend recently did a hang gliding ride for charity which she also had to raise so much before she could do this. I did not sponsor her.

I agree that those requesting sponsorship should both have a good knowledge of what exactly the money will be used for AND make it quite clear as to whether or not they will be self funding.

My ex does all that sponsored stuff in supermarkets, enjoys himself thoroughly at other people's expense.............lovely holidays and everyone grateful to him for giving the charity next to nothing. Also terrible burden on friends who are asked to sponsor him each time. The companies that organise these thing ought to be ashamed of themselves.

Overseas charity tourism is in itself very dubious/contentious too from both ethical and environmental points of view.

The people doing these big "dream trip" charity trips rarely give you much info about the ins and outs of the workings of what they are supporting.

I try to be a concientious charity supporter, there are good and bad charities! And I feel that if you are looking to raise THOUSANDS you should have some information to hand when people ask you the hows and the whys about the charity.. but usually they can't! which tells you all you need to know about their motivations frankly!

I can tell you a hell of a lot about the charities I've run for, and could (and have) engaged in meaningful debates/discussions with people who have questioned the eithics of the charity (including questions about a health charitiys links to "big pharma" etc)

"keen" not "keep"

To address the self funding issue, those of us who do cover the costs of entry are usually pretty keep to let people know that their donations will be going to charity not to cover our entry! So you generally know when someone is self funding and just fundraising above that!

I agree with you 100%

whenever I've done charity runs I've always clearly stated in my fund raising "the admin cost of me entering is ££, which I am covering myself, if you would like to donate, your donation will not be covering my entry/admin"
- always!

I absolutely hate the fawning over another friend who does "once in a lifetime" cycle trips in dream overseas locations (at least one every 2 years) which friends and family basically pay for, because whatever they raise over the ££££ needed to get them there and escorted (often in areas of natural beauty where this sort of tourism is actually destroying world heritage areas) is going to some heartstring pulling charity!

Go on flippin holiday to tenerrife or butlins and give the ££££ to charity!

I don't know why I feel so bitter/angry about this, but I do!

I think it's the disingenuity of it, they're not admitting that they're doing it for themselves and their own selfish desire to cycle to the inca trail or whatever it is (which would at least be honest and understandable) it's all "because this charity has touched so many of my friend's lives…. blah blah.."

ON THE OTHER HAND, a friend's daughter needed to raise ££££ for a huge international trip with the scouts, she never pretended it wasn't for her own benefit, she openly said she was raising the money because "I really really want to go" - and I happily gave her odd jobs and extra money on top for that trip

I wouldnt choose to give money to these charity overseas trips either Nannapat1, but the point I was trying to make is that many on here have been quick to criticise, or worse, suggesting that it was all just a jolly being paid for by innocent people giving donations.

Having checked online, it would appear that you can self fund (costs around £2000) and raise any sum you can for your chosen charity, OR raise £4000 and the organisers will pay for your trip out of the money that you have raised.
Personally I would not wish to fund the trip costs for young people unknown to me.

It is a pity that despite the clear explanations given by Constance and Linsco66 that many on here have been a bit over suspicious and even verging on nasty. These teenagers or their parents pay for their own expenses, the £2000 figure or whatever, is the minimum amount that the charity want them to raise, exactly the same as the London Marathon where you have to guarantee to raise £500 as a condition of entry. Although we are of course, all fully entitled to support charities or not, I think these young people are to be applauded for what they do. These trips are life changing for many, and the discipline involved in raising the donations, organising their travel, inoculations etc are all excellent life skills. Those who suggest that this is an underhand and crafty way of paying for a holiday have got it wrong. Support charities as you wish, but do not criticise those who are trying to do it their own way.

hear hear Inge Jones
The head master of my son's school wanted me to sponsor the entire class to sit still without speaking for half an hour. ... the funds raised being used to buy new roof tiles.
I explained that I had anticipated that fees would be set to cover maintenance too
and should I wish to sponsor my son I could not consider paying him to do something entirely unproductive

I feel the same about sponsored parachute jumps and similar. A whole load of the money raised goes to the private company organising the jump or whatever the challenge is. I'd far rather sponsor someone to do something helpful and inexpensive, like tidy a disabled person's garden.

Totally disagree with this method of collecting money, no need to climb a mountain to raise money, FGS just donate some of your pocket money.

I've got mixed feelings about this. I'm all for young people helping others, but £2000 seems such a waste when, as many of you say, it could be spent here. There are so many people asking us for our money these days that, with the best will in the world, it does become annoying at times.

I think there are people just angling for a holiday for gap years, or special occasions and go after crowd funding from friends and strangers! Disgusting IMHO.

I got a leaflet in the post. It offered hot air ballooning, safaris and all sorts. I thought it was a holiday company offering adventure holidays. It was a charity. The thing I then found awkward was a woman at work, who knew me only by sight as she was part time in a big dept., asked me to sponsor her husband for one of these trips.

I had an online expate American friend who did a Nepal walk for education there. She asked for sponsors beforehand, but paid for most of the trip herself. Once there, she met with a poor village's leaders and someone else who was in charge of improving education in remote mountain regions. She ended up having a school named after her!

A couple of years later an organisation was formed. I don't see her as a trustee, but am sure she's still involved.

kasin.org.uk/

I completely agree with you Mauriherb.
Why do you need to go to Kilimanjaro/Nepal/Costa Rica to support this or that charity? It is a fun holiday for the fundraiser and I often wonder how much of the monies actually go to the charity in question.
Also, I think it is rather patronising to fly in, tell people how to live, and then -bugger- go off again, leaving the "charity cases" behind!

Stansgran your link confirmed what I have always believed about this type of sponsorship. I only contribute to certain Charities & none which are outside UK. I know many of you will support Charities outside UK.

I also refuse to be "blackmailed" into giving to "bag packers" at supermarkets, I don't want my bag packed thank you