If so, you need to review the key points of The Code’s new policy on voluntourism and orphanages below:
The Code does not accept membership of organisations involved in voluntourism activities which:
- include orphanages and other forms of residential care for children in settings with minimal support or supervision.
- have orphanages and other residential care centres incorporated (or with the possibility to incorporate) in tourism programs or packages.
The Code does accept membership of organisations involved in voluntourism activities that:
- limit child-related voluntourism activities to supervised teaching, sports, day–care centres and that have clear policies and procedures in place to minimise the risks and maximise the benefit to children in these settings
- do not focus directly on children.
Members and applicants that are involved in voluntourism activities are required to adhere to an extra minimum set of criteria, next to the six criteria of The Code.
Please contact your Local Code Representative or The Code secretariat (info@thecode.org) to discuss how these additional criteria can be accomplished, and see below to read the full policy document.
If you would like to read the full policy please click here.
To learn more about alternative care for children, visit the Better Care Network and the ReThink Orphanages Network website.
