Short-Term Volunteering
and Vulnerable Children

This series of studies explores the phenomenon of short-term international volunteering intended to benefit vulnerable children.

Misguided Altruism:
The Risks of Orphanage Volunteering

This study provides research-based rationale as to why certain types of volunteering may be harmful to children, and offers data-informed recommendations for alternative models of engagement.

Creating a Baseline: An Examination Current Practices in Short-Term International Service Trips

This study will provide preliminary data on current practice in short-term international service trips.

The study examined the pre-trip preparation and requirements, in-country activities, and post-trip perceptions of preparation of volunteers that have participated in international trips serving children in residential care and orphanages.

[This Study is Currently In Review]

Transitioning Short-Term Volunteering

As programs learn more about evidence-based practice for children outside of parental care, they are altering the way they engage with short-term volunteering.

This study explores this transition and what elements increase likelihood of success, and will offer data-informed guidance for programs intending to transition their short-term volunteering practices.

This study is currently ongoing. If you represent a program that has transitioned away from short-term volunteering, please complete the survey below.