Volunteer Tourism: An Exploratory Research into International Youth Volunteering in the Global North
Author
Nørager, Anika
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2020
Abstract
This study addresses an overlooked angle in volunteer tourism by examining why international youth choose to volunteer in Denmark through a cultural exchange program, focusing on motivation, self-development, and cultural understanding. Using an exploratory research design, nine qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants recruited via ICYE Denmark, which provided the framework for the study. The analysis identified nine themes shaping participation: self-development, making new friends, cultural outcomes, altruism, fun, macro social factors and accessibility, volunteering through an organisation, Denmark as a destination, and past travel and volunteer experience. These themes clustered into internal and external factors that were dynamically interrelated, with all respondents influenced by multiple drivers at once. Participation was associated with greater independence and self-confidence, as well as heightened awareness of cultural differences and acceptance of others—traits linked to the notion of the international citizen. The study contributes nuanced insights into volunteer tourism in the Global North by foregrounding individual motivations within a cultural exchange context.
Denne undersøgelse adresserer et overset perspektiv i frivilligturisme ved at undersøge, hvorfor internationale unge vælger at deltage i frivilligt arbejde i Danmark gennem et kulturudvekslingsprogram, med fokus på motivation, selvudvikling og kulturforståelse. Med udgangspunkt i en eksplorativ forskningsdesign blev der gennemført ni kvalitative, semistrukturerede interviews med deltagere rekrutteret via ICYE Denmark, som alene gav rammerne for studiet. Analysen identificerede ni temaer, der påvirker beslutningen om at engagere sig: selvudvikling, nye venner, kulturelt udbytte, altruisme, sjov, makrosociale forhold og tilgængelighed, international frivilligturisme via en organisation, Danmark som destination samt tidligere rejse- og frivilligerfaring. Temaerne fordelte sig i indre og ydre faktorer, som hang tæt sammen og påvirkede hinanden; alle respondenter pegede på flere samtidige drivkræfter. Deltagelse var forbundet med øget uafhængighed og selvtillid samt større bevidsthed om kulturelle forskelle og accept af andre—elementer, der relaterer sig til idéen om den internationale borger. Studiet bidrager med nuanceret viden om frivilligturisme i det Globale Nord ved at belyse individuelle bevæggrunde i regi af en kulturudvekslingsorganisation.
[This apstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]