Gap-year students told to forget aid projects

Date posted: Monday 3rd September 2007

<b>The Times 14/08/07</b>

<b>Gap-year students told to forget aid projects</b>

One of Britain's leading charities has warned students not to take part in gap-year aid projects overseas which cost thousands of pounds and do nothing to help developing countries....

<A HREF="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article2253726.ece">View the full article</A>

<b>Latin Link response:</b>

Sir,

I feel that your front page headline ('Gap-year students told to forget aid projects') did not fairly represent the article below it or the VSO report it quoted, which was concerned to encourage discernment to those applying to spend time abroad "“ to avoid badly planned, unhelpful or over priced projects.

Many charities use short term experience as a taster for longer term involvement at a deeper level, in our case with churches in Latin America. We work to agreed standards of best practice for the sector and aim to look after our volunteers and respect our partners on the ground, as well as make a vital contribution to the projects they invite our involvement with.

So please do not throw the baby out with the bathwater! Many charities have well planned, helpful and good value projects that can open the eyes of participants to partnership in a world of need.

Yours faithfully,

Alan Tower

Latin Link Team Leader for Britain and Ireland

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