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The Important Work of International Animal Rescue

Bear with IAR Logo

Image source: Sky1.sky.com

Here at Journeys for Good, we’re in the business of learning about the connections between volunteers and volunteer organizations. How do organizations find people who are willing to give their time, and their physical and emotional energy for a cause? How do people find the organizations that speak to their hearts? We are also interested in the business side of this equation: how does an aid organization get noticed? This week I was reading about a powerful international organization that manages to facilitate these connections spectacularly well: International Animal Rescue.

The Great Projects: Holding Tourism to a Higher Standard

Two Protected Orangutans in Malaysia

Image source: Thegreatprojects.com

It’s interesting how we compartmentalize our minds. We expect non-profit organizations to be responsible, eco friendly, sustainable, and respectful of local customs and regulations. We expect it because they are designed without a profit-incentive. Their motives are supposed to be 100% pure—based on nothing but altruistic humanitarianism or environmentalism. Of course, this is extremely simplistic, nothing is ever 100% anything, but this is the stereotype. When it comes to for-profit organizations, we lower our expectations considerably. We don’t expect the same level of consideration because we recognize the equation has a business side. Why is this? Shouldn’t we be more concerned when an organization has a profit incentive?

Fight Human Trafficking with Catalyst Foundation

A Catalyst Foundation Advertisement: Not For Sale

Image source: Getphyt.org

There are some things in this world that simply boggle the mind—things that are so terrible, so obviously wrong they seem almost unreal. How anyone can look into the eyes of another human being, then sell that human being like a piece of meat… I don’t have the words. I know desperation makes people do awful things. I absolutely have empathy for those who break the law to feed their families, for example. People who break the law to protect their loved ones are not the problem, they are victims of the problem. The traffickers, however, the people who prey on desperation… I don’t have a shred of empathy for them. What they do is horrific, criminal, and unforgivable. Catalyst Foundation recognizes the multifaceted problem of human trafficking, and they are working with communities to make a difference.

Connecting Volunteer Organizations with Volunteers: VolunteerMatch.org

VolunteerMatch Soup Kitchen

Image source: Flickr.com

What if, somewhere on the Internet, there was a community of people who believed in the power of volunteering to enrich our lives and the world around us?

What if, somewhere on the Internet, millions of good people and good causes could come together to form relationships that serve us all?

What if, somewhere on the Internet, technology was being used to advance the values and partnerships that strengthen our civil society?

– VolunteerMatch.org

Using Social Media to Build Your Voluntour Business

Two Teenagers Who Use Social Media to Find Volunteer Positions

Image source: Huffingtonpost.com

Social media is everywhere. It’s as ubiquitous today as, well… honestly, I can’t think of a single historical precedent for the massive, worldwide interconnectedness we enjoy on the Internet. It’s only natural to see the opportunity in such vast networks, but it’s also problematic. Social networks were designed for people to socialize, not for businesses to advertise. Yes, there have been many attempts at integrating advertising into social media platforms, but often they are met with scorn or aren’t terribly effective. But, voluntour companies are a different breed. For them, social media can be an incredibly powerful tool for outreach and education.