Initially, this didn’t seem an appropriate time to announce the arrival of a new website  but considering Thailand’s need to woo back tourists after recent rioting our timing could be perfect.

Thailand’s tourism industry is suffering from the recent two-month-long antigovernment protests, which ended on 19th May with 88 people dead and some of the capital’s most popular shopping areas in flames. Hotels across the country are reporting less than 50% occupancy after many tourists changed their holiday plans to avoid the trouble.

International tourist arrivals and revenues could fall between 10% and 20% this year.  Such a decline would present serious problems for the country’s economy, which relies on tourism for roughly 6% of gross domestic product and for more than 15% of its jobs.

Despite recent events you shouldn’t give up on Thailand, it still has much to offer and  is great value for money if comparing it to other countries. The food alone makes  
Thailand a worthwhile stop for long-haul and round the world travellers. Thailand isn’t the most popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia for no good reason.

If you are interested in doing more with your time than lazing around on picture-postcard beaches or attending full moon parties, we encourage you to checkout a recently launched volunteer orientated website. It aims to promote volunteer organizations in Thailand and help them recruit international volunteers.

Volunteer Work Thailand lists many organizations actively seeking volunteer assistance on projects such as community development, wildlife conservation, and education programs. The site offers something for everyone, whether you are seeking a long term stay or a short working holiday.

Although the site will only play a small part in helping the Thai travel business bounce back from crises, it will undoubtedly provide much needed support to a multitude of community service and conservation projects in difficult times.

If you are looking for a great way to meet locals and experience the cultures and traditions of Thailand, you know where to start looking.

Volunteer Latin America is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Prof harold Goodwin has been leading the campaign for responsible travel for some 15 years. The following is from his blog

The Experience of a Lifetime? The V Word – caveat emptor by Harold Goodwin on Wed 21 Apr 2010 21:12 BST  |  Volunteering should be the experience of a life time, deeply fulfilling, fun. It should be rewarding, a chance to discover yourself, to test yourself and to get to know people and places.

Too often it isn’t.

Do something about it.

For examples of what goes wrong see www.irresponsibletourism.info

There are plenty of complaints about volunteering companies – look on the web. Many of the organisations offering volunteering abroad are for profit companies, but even if they’re not, they still owe you a duty of care – you’ve paid them for a service. Demand delivery of what you’ve paid for. It is time to raise the bar on volunteering companies.

1.    As a volunteer travelling abroad you should expect the UK organisation that is organising your volunteering experience to treat you at least as well as any tour operator would: if things go wrong, you must complain and assert your consumer rights – you’ve bought an experience and they must deliver.  If the operator is in ABTA consider using the complaints procedure. If not, think about complaining to your local Trading Standards office.

2. Ask yourself how much local communities are gaining from your volunteering. How much of what you are spending will end up in the local economy? I hear of cases where locals are sacked to make space for a volunteer. You should check that you will be adding to the resources in a school – you need to be additional, not replacing local labour. Do not assume that all not-for-profits or charities will offer a quality opportunity – ask questions – check the answers. Expect to speak with returned volunteers and check out the web. I have suggested below some sites to check on.

3.    Demand a worthwhile experience: ask some hard questions of the organisation which you are handing a good deal of money to provide you with an amazing and fulfilling experiences. These questions will help – and you should demand answers. There are answers which suggest the kind of reply you many want to hear at

peopleandplaces suggest that you ask the following questions and think about the answers – if you’re not sure, then don’t spend the money. You are buying an experience.

1. How can I be sure that what you’re telling me is true and not just marketing hype?

2. How and where is my money spent?

3. How will my skills be used effectively?

4. I’m only going to be there for a few weeks – how can my input be of any real use?

5. Who decides what my role will be?

6. Who knows about me before I arrive and what do they know?

7. Whose idea was the project and who runs it?

8. Can I talk to previous volunteers? They will be able to tell you how much they enjoyed it, what they got out of it, whether the experience was what they had hoped and paid for.

9.  Can I talk to local people before I travel?

10. Will I be safe?

11. What’s all this I hear about adequate insurance?

12. Is there any continuity?

13. What kind of support is there for me?

 If you are not happy with the answers go with someone else.

Volunteering was something we used to do at home, in our community. In the UK many of us still do, an estimated 20 million people volunteer in Britain every year and it appears from research to be increasing. Colin Rochester  undertook a review of volunteering in 2006 for Volunteering England and identified three kinds of volunteering: unpaid work, activism and as leisure. As Colin Rochester points out these categories overlap.

Academics and commentators have shied away from leisure volunteering because of the association of leisure with amateurism and hobbyism, and particularly overseas volunteering, with frivolity and fun.

Increasing numbers of people are volunteering abroad, some for months others for a week or so, some for a day or a few hours. Some of the latter are tokenistic, little more than feel-good-photo-opportunities.

There are probably three main motivations for volunteering abroad, they all have altruistic elements, but in many cases one suspects that the altruism is pretty limited

1. To build a cv and get experience – particularly relevant to gappers

2. To learn more about what life is like in another society – a deeper form of experiential travel which is increasing rapidly in importance

3. To put something back – to make a contribution in someone else’s place where the needs appear simpler and more worthy; and the impact which one volunteer can make is large.

So remember – it’s your money, your time, your dream.  Caveat emptor – you deserve a worthwhile experience

Check out the project you are thinking about, you may find these sites useful
www.abroadreviews.com
www.thestudentroom.co.uk

www.voluntourism.org

planeta.wikispaces.com/volunteer

people and places is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

It all started with the Tsunami in 2004. Many people who saw the stories of loss and devastation wanted to help – they wanted to get out there, roll up their sleeves and just help. For most people, this is an instinctive and apparently rational response – that same response is being shown following the Earthquake in Haiti.

HOW CAN I HELP?

people and places – the award winning volunteer organisation – has the following advice:

“Few of us have the skills needed now by the people of Haiti. They need hard skills – people who are experienced in disaster relief and crisis response – whether they’re doctors, water engineers, logistics and distribution experts. Haiti’s infrastructure cannot yet deal with emergency relief, and will certainly not be able to cope with the care and management of well-meaning travellers with a plethora of skills that are more appropriate for development work.

“If you want to help in Haiti right now, send money to a reputable aid agency. If you can be patient, wait until the crisis is over – which is likely to be years, rather than months – and travel with a reputable and responsible organisation with a clear strategy on the ground. Please don’t just turn up – local resources will be fully stretched for some time,” said Sallie Grayson, programme director at http://www.travel-peopleandplaces.co.uk 

“You can register your skills for future use on these sites:
www.haitivolunteer.org/ 

www.cidi.org/reg_off.htm

www.onlinevolunteering.org/en/vol/index.html

http://www.healthcarevolunteer.com/

“We’ve been approached by a number of people who feel the need to help in Haiti. As we explain, our volunteer programmes look to use the transfer of skills to enable local communities to build the future they would wish for themselves. These will be the very skills Haiti needs in the future.”
And if you want to donate be careful – be wary of opportunism!

• Donate to recognized charities that you have given to before.
• Do not respond to any spam. Only open attachments from known senders.
• Be wary of charities that ask you to wire money through services like Western Union.
• Don’t give or send cash
• Ask for identification if you’re approached in person

For further information email sallie@travel-peopleandplaces.co.uk

people and places is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Why should I believe you? Where’s the proof?

 Award winning volunteer recruitment organisation, people and places, wants all potential volunteers to ask these questions.

 The people and places team are an odd lot. They actively encourage their volunteers to comment, question and criticise – and then share that criticism with future volunteers!

 They keep as little of the volunteers’ money as possible, also telling volunteers upfront how much that will be!

 And now they’ve done something else that’s pretty radical – they’ve invited an independent auditor to come and check out their claims.

 “The main reason we started people and places was that we knew volunteering should be a win-win situation, for communities and volunteers alike – and we wanted to prove that it could be. We’ve been surprised, and were somewhat naive perhaps, to see how some organisations have adopted the current  buzz words of ‘responsible’ ‘sustainable’ and ‘community-driven’ to create a smoke and mirrors effect, confusing potential volunteers.

 “And the sleight of hand used by many organisations when explaining where funds are used often takes our breath away.

“So now we want potential volunteers to say ‘PROVE IT’,” says Sallie Grayson, programme director.

 people and places has undergone an independent audit of the claims they make in their responsible travel policy – here are just a few examples:

• 80% or more of volunteers’ monies reaching host countries – confirmed
• volunteers know where and how their money is spent  – confirmed
• all volunteers are screened  – confirmed
• matching skills to need  – confirmed
• comprehensive preparation -  confirmed
• local projects run by local people – confirmed

Undertaken by The Responsible Tourism Partnership – http://www.theresponsibletourismpartnership.org/ – this audit is a good workable alternative to a code of practise. The biggest problem with a code of practice is policing – who polices it and how? And where’s the encouragement for organisations to continue to improve?

 Only claims the organisation makes for itself are audited – so:

You say you conserve thousands of litres of water a month – prove it.

You say you only employ local people – prove it.

You say 30% of monies are used on project development – prove it.

 people and places , the first organisation to undergo this audit, hopes there will be many other organisations following this example.

“We will most assuredly be using the audit to strengthen our work in the next twelve months. We know that other organisations are already undergoing the same process. The audit isn’t about proving you’re perfect – it’s about proving that you’re doing what you say you’ll do. These are your promises – no-one else’s,” says Grayson.

 The campaigning work of people and places was recently recognised by The Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2009, when they won the award for Best Volunteering Organisation.

 “people and places has exercised leadership in a sector bedevilled by poor practice and established a replicable business model. Committed to reporting transparently on the money that volunteers pay, they ensure that the volunteers meet their full costs and are not a burden on the community; and carefully match the skills of volunteers to the needs of that community without replacing local labour. They have taken the ground breaking step of having their work externally audited and publishing it online.  These four principles set not only a practicable standard for operators to aspire to, but offer valuable guidelines for tourists seeking legitimate and socially beneficial volunteering experiences.”The Judges Citation

For a full copy of the audit go to http://www.travel-peopleandplaces.co.uk/PressView.aspx?id=29

 To read the latest newsletter go to http://www.travel-peopleandplaces.co.uk/userfiles/NEWSLETTER%20MASTER%20WINTER%2009%20(2).pdf

people and places is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Tuesday 13^th October 5.30-7.30pm St. Wilfred’s Enterprise Centre, Royce Road, Hulme, Manchester

Following a week of important demonstrations in over 100 cities worldwide for Global Climate Action Week, Action for Sustainable Living* (AfSL) has so far recruited 24 local volunteers from across the city to become climate change pioneers in their community, but we are still on the lookout for more! If you want to make a difference in your area but aren’t sure where to begin then come along to an informal induction evening at AfSL’s offices in Hulme on 13^th October and find out what voluntary position would best suit you.

AfSL are looking for eco warriors from across the city who can spare some time to help get our exciting sustainable community projects off the ground and generally complement the volunteers who are already working throughout Manchester and Trafford. We are particularly keen to hear from you if you live in Bradford, Gorton North, Ancoats, Clayton, Stretford or Sale.

We want local people who are passionate about making their communities better places in which to live to help us set up and run these unique projects which have so far included community allotments, fair trade societies, energy action teams, composting schemes, local shop campaigns and a whole range of interesting, locally-relevant things.

You don’t need any previous experience and there’s a lot you can get out of it. Volunteering with AfSL is a great way to meet new people, gain invaluable work experience with a local award winning charity, have fun, and most importantly, you’ll be able to see that you’ve made a real difference in your local area.

Action for Sustainable Living supports individuals and their communities to make a difference. We believe that small steps lead to big changes.

“I’m really excited about starting this unique opportunity to make a genuine hands-on difference in my community and help Action for Sustainable Living to inspire even more people to enjoy a sustainable way of life” said Ali Thomas, new AfSL volunteer in Chorlton.

For more information or to book you place on the induction please e-mail volunteers@afsl.org.uk or call 0161 2270377. Further information is available on the AfSL website  http://www.afsl.org.uk/

Only
Fair have a brand new blog (http://www.only-fair.blogspot.com),
a brand new look and we’re now looking for guest bloggers to take
part in our new weekly feature.

We’re
looking for information articles regarding ethical issues of 1,000
words maximum. Bloggers can have a maximum of 50 words about
themselves, their company (if appropriate) and interests, with a
company link and logo. All we ask is that there’s no blatant or
heavy advertising of products or services.

This
is a great way to connect and reach new readers so if you’re
interested in taking part email Kate James at sales@onlyfair.co.uk.

Appearing
this month on the shelves in WH Smith and Borders nationwide, new eco-living
directory BOOK OF GREEN is the most comprehensive guide for everybody to
genuinely and easily green their lifestyles.

With
the general public currently becoming more receptive to living a more
eco-friendly life, this completely free guide points the consumer in the right
direction – it includes hundreds of approved ethical providers in a wide range
of sectors including business services, health and beauty, home and garden,
green energy, travel, parenting and food & drink.  All the companies
in the directory are in some way mostly or completely environmentally friendly,
sustainable, fair trade, organic,  ethical and socially responsible.

Book
of Green is intended to show everybody how to easily reduce their carbon
footprint, live a healthy lifestyle and make  a personal positive 
impact on the environment by integrating truly ethical products and services
into their daily home and family lives.

With
an initial print run of 30,000, the guide comes in a handy A5 format and is
printed in vegetable inks on 100% recycled paper.  An online flip magazine
version is also available at www.bookofgreen.com 
 Book of Green will be available in WH Smiths this July, attached to the
front of Permaculture Magazine as well as distributed across the UK in high
street eco stores, online eco stores, and at events during the summer as well
as at the Eden Project and the Kent Eco Village, the Kent Show by The
Ecologist, July 17-19.

Book
of Green is co-founded by Sue Jueno (founder of Allthingseco) and Katie Keegan
(founder of One Green Earth),
 whose combined experience of 6 years in the eco/ethical business arena
has given them the experience, knowledge and contacts to create a guide for
green living which everybody can trust.

“Being
green is more than reducing the threat of climate change, it’s also about
ethical trading and personal health.  The companies found within Book of
Green provide solutions across all sectors through their products &
services to help build a positive foundation for your family’s future
generations,”  says Katie Keegan.

“With
credit crunch in mind and a passion for promoting green shoot businesses we
have made Book of Green extremely affordable to advertisers and free to the
public to show off exceptional companies that are solving environmental
problems and that will be leading us into the future,” says Sue Jueno.

Triodos Bank has launched a competition to capture a vision of social enterprise’s more progressive approach to business. And as well as the kudos of winning, there’s a cash prize up for grabs for the best photographer and the social enterprise pictured. The winning photographer receives a £1,000 prize. And the social enterprise featured in the photograph will also win a prize of £500 and a business support package worth £500. Entries from social enterprises themselves are encouraged.

The competition closes on 24 October 2008 when the judges will choose twelve finalists from all entries. The overall winner will be announced at a special event in November.

To find out more, including the rules and how to enter, visit the Triodos website.

Volunteer to help at the Homeless World Cup in Australia 

We are offering a 17 day trip from November 29 to December 15 that gets guests involved at the tournament and then explores some of Australia’s scenic highlights – Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef!

Background to the Homeless World Cup
The Homeless World Cup is an annual, international football tournament, uniting teams of homeless, excluded individuals in a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent their country and change their lives. The event attracts around 25,000 people who take part in training and trials around the world, with the top 500 players from 48 nations competing at the Homeless World Cup.

The impact on participant’s lives is significant, with around three quarters of players changing their lives for the better by coming off drugs and alcohol, getting jobs, an education, homes, training or being reunited with their families. Some even go on to become players and coaches for pro or semi-pro football teams!

Volunteers are needed as:

• Online Match Reporters
• Match Photographers
• Photographer Assistants
• Media Assistants 
• Access Monitors
• Catering Assistants – Competition Venue
• Catering Assistants – Player Village
• Player Storage/Changing Rooms Monitor

The Trip
This meaningful 17 day trip not only gets you making a valuable contribution to the tournament, but you can then experience Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Daintree Rainforest!  

The price per person is £1,590 for 17 days in 3* accommodation throughout, excluding all flights. Click here for more information or to book.

The date for this year is Sunday 5 October from 10am – 5pm. in the Market Hall, Abergavenny. We have backing from Fairtrade Wales as well as local businesses and Abergavenny Council. There will be plenty of local and regional press coverage as well as BBC Wales.

Last year saw a huge attendance and we will increase this year. Stalls last year included – Love Zimbabwe, Goodies from the Gambia, Bag- Age, Bryn – y – Cwm project, Smouldering Sage,Biltong 2 U,Tropical Forest, Fairtrade Abergavenny & Crickhowell, Tools for self reliance, VSO, etc.

We also had fantastic catering from Scrumptious catering and Taste Zimbabwe. We will be having the Fairtrade fashion show again and the drumming workshop from Dave Roberts. Also, hopefully the amazing Chrys Blanchard and Abercapella. We have a school group performing African Dance and hope to be bringing over from Zimbabwe Sam Mtukudzi son of Oliver (Tuku) the most well known Zimbabwean artiste.

There will be a childrens area this year with face painting and a bouncy castle. Music and entertainment will be going on all day and there will be lots more to announce as we get nearer to the date. I realise that it is still relatively early, but it would help us enourmously if those who are interested in taking a stall this year could let me know as soon as possible. Looking forward to seeing you all in October.

Kind Regards,
David and Martha Holman.

Email: fairsfairfairs@mail2world.com
Telephone: 07879400897 / 07774608215 / 01873854055