Altruistic Heroes

"I think that we’re reaching a point in the field [of international service] where we recognize that it’s in our best interests—not only practically but ethically—to generate the resources and focus on community outcomes. It’s self-service if we don’t. We’re just looking then at how working with communities is changing us as individuals. We shouldn’t be engaging in volunteerism if it's not contributing to positive change in the communities."

-Dr. Amanda Moore McBride, Associate Professor at the University of Washington, shares her thoughts on volunteering overseas. As the fastest growing market in the tourism industry, volunteer travel has the potential to become a market based on profit--not on assistance.