Civic and Community Engagement Commons^™

A Critical Analysis Of Volunteer Tourism And The Implications For Developing Communities, Haley A. Garrison

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The practice of volunteer tourism has recently experienced a rise in both popularity and participation, along with research into the effectiveness of the approaches to service taken in foreign countries. This type of tourism is commonly described as an eco-friendly and economically sustainable alternative to traditional methods of international travel. Participants typically express altruistic motivations behind their desire to travel, as conventional touristic activities are paired with various forms of volunteer work. Though this paper describes significant benefits associated with this growing industry, many critiques have also explored the limitations of a voluntourism approach to community development. In contrast to …

Sustaining A Successful Community Partnership: A Ten Year Retrospective Of Quality Practices And Sustainability Applied To Service-Learning At The Douglas County Department Of Corrections, Donna Dufner, Judith Monarrez Diaz-Kelsey

Presentations

• One of the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s three stated strategic goals is to be “…recognized for its outstanding engagement with the urban, regional, national, and global communities.”
• Starting in fall 2004 the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s (UNO) implemented a service-learning course that takes college students into the Douglas County Department of Corrections (DCDC) to teach basic computer skills to inmates. To date over 200 undergraduates and 600 inmates have completed the course.
• Quality practices (NYLC 2008) such as progress monitoring, duration and intensity, participant voice, partnerships, meaningful service, link to the curriculum, reflection, diversity, planning, and impact used …