As accessibility for volunteering abroad increases, well-intentioned projects can end up causing a big negative impact on targeted communities. Therefore, we believe it is essential for us to explain the ways in which EGP strives to ensure that selected projects will not cause adverse effects.
- We only select projects that are proposed and supported by the host community. It is not for us to decide what is best for a community, but rather the people who live in it, and this drastically reduces the risk of projects being unused or abandoned when volunteers leave.
- We only select projects with a clear sustainability plan. There is a huge amount of effort involved in fundraising and project implementation, and we wouldn't like to see that go to waste on a project that has no means of being maintained in the long-term.
- We aim to maintain our volunteers' environmental awareness. This aspect is highlighted multiple times in our training sessions, from encouraging small actions such as minimising waste to reducing carbon footprints.
- We respect the privacy of people living in the communities where projects are carried out. Our Social Media Policy encourages volunteers to gain consent before sharing photos of both adults and children.
- All the money volunteers raise goes directly towards the project. It wouldn't be fair to raise money for personal costs such as flights, accommodation and spending money. When an EGP project receives a donation, all of the money will be allocated correctly towards the implementation of the project.
