Effective Date:  24/02/2025

Version: 1.0

Policy Owner:  Luisa Gentile, Pdg Founder and Director

A. Introduction

Professionals Doing Good (Pdg) is a social enterprise dedicated to enhancing the capacity of socially conscious organizations. We achieve this by connecting them with skilled, long-term international volunteers who contribute vital knowledge and expertise.

At the core of Pdg ‘s mission are ethical, sustainable, and responsible volunteering practices. Since its inception in 2017, Pdg has recognized the inherent risks associated with direct international volunteering involving children. Consequently, the organization has consistently focused on “volunteering for children,” rather than “volunteering with children,” through its structured volunteering programs.

To solidify and clarify its stance, Pdg has evolved its Child Protection Policy into a definitive “No International Volunteer with Children Policy.” This policy unequivocally articulates our commitment to prioritizing the safety, dignity, and long-term well-being of children and their communities.

This decision is firmly grounded in the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which emphasizes:

* Equal Protection: All children possess equal rights to protection from abuse and exploitation.

* Collective Responsibility: Everyone is responsible for supporting children’s care and protection.

* Accountability: We are all accountable and must actively work to eradicate child abuse.

Furthermore, Pdg acknowledges and integrates the essential work of the ChildSafe Movement, a global movement empowering people to protect children Specifically, Pdg operationalizes two key principles:

* Children Are Not Tourist Attractions – Let’s Treat Them with Respect: Children, regardless of their location, possess inherent rights and should never be treated as objects of entertainment.

* Volunteering with Children Feels Good, But Look for Better Ways to Help:  Direct work with children necessitates the expertise of local professionals, not short-term travelers. Children require experienced and skilled caretakers and educators who are deeply familiar with the local culture and language. Therefore, the Childsafe Movement advocates for sharing professional skills with local staff and exploring alternative avenues for contributing valuable expertise.

B. Scope

This policy applies to all volunteers, staff, interns, employees, consultants, contractors, partner organization members, and visitors associated with Pdg, irrespective of their location or the nature of their volunteering activity.

C. Rationale: The Dangers of International Volunteering with Children

Direct volunteering with children, especially in vulnerable communities abroad, poses significant emotional, physical, and psychological risks.

• Risk of Exploitation, Harm, or Abuse: Unregulated or poorly managed volunteering programs can expose children to abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The absence of thorough background checks for unsupervised volunteers creates substantial risks of child abuse.
• Normalization of Access: The presence of international volunteers can normalize access to vulnerable children by individuals who would not be permitted such access in their home countries.
• Disrupted Attachment: Frequent turnover of volunteers can disrupt children’s emotional development, hindering their ability to form stable relationships, particularly for those who have experienced trauma.
• Lack of Qualifications: Many volunteers lack the requisite training, cultural sensitivity, language skills, and vetting to effectively work with children, potentially causing unintentional harm.
• Cultural Insensitivity: Volunteers from overseas may inadvertently impose their cultural values or beliefs on children, which can be disrespectful or harmful to the local culture.
• Lack of Sustainability: Short-term volunteering often fails to address the root causes of problems, fostering dependency and impeding local solutions. Projects may collapse upon the departure of volunteers.
• Ethical Concerns: Many volunteering programs involving children, such as orphanage tourism, exploit children for profit or perpetuate harmful practices.
• Commodification of Children: The practice of short-term, unqualified “voluntourism” can commodify children, encouraging them to perform for visitors and solicit donations, thus perpetuating harmful stereotypes and exploitation.

D. Policy Statement: Zero Tolerance for International Volunteering with Children:

Pdg acknowledges the inherent risks and potential harms associated with international volunteering involving direct interaction with children, including exploitation, disruption of family and community structures, and the reinforcement of dependency.

Therefore, Pdg will not engage in any volunteering activity that involves direct interaction with children under the age of 18 in international settings.

This restriction applies to all forms of volunteering with children, without exception, regardless of the volunteer’s skill level. It encompasses, but is not limited to, volunteering in orphanages, schools, childcare centers, or community programs focused on children.

While recognizing the expertise of some types of qualified professionals, such as medical staff, educators, and social workers, who are potentially suitable to volunteer directly with minors, Pdg chooses to focus on a more impactful approach: leveraging the expertise of those skilled volunteers to train and empower local staff. This strategy ensures that the benefits of volunteering are sustainable and culturally relevant, thereby maximizing long-term impact.

E. Our Commitment: Six Actions

• 1. No Direct Volunteering With Children: Pdg maintains a strict policy against any form of direct interaction between international volunteers and children under the age of 18.
• This includes physical interaction, direct care, teaching, or any activity that places a volunteer in a position of responsibility for a child.
• This stance is rooted in the belief that the potential risks to children, including emotional disruption and increased vulnerability to abuse, outweigh any perceived benefits of short-term, unskilled volunteer involvement.

• 2. Skilled Volunteering for Community Empowerment: Instead of direct child interaction, Pdg prioritizes the transfer of skills and knowledge to local professionals within partner organizations.
• Skilled volunteers provide training, mentorship, and capacity-building in areas where their expertise is requested and needed.
• This approach ensures that the impact of volunteering is sustainable, and culturally appropriate, and empowers local communities to address their own needs. Pdg channels the expertise of volunteers into strengthening the infrastructure and capacity of the organizations they serve, focusing on “volunteering for children” rather than “volunteering with children.”

• 3. No Recruitment or Publication for Child-based Volunteering Projects: Pdg actively refrains from promoting or facilitating any volunteer opportunities that involve direct work with children.
• The organization’s website, promotional materials, and communication channels will not feature projects that place volunteers in direct contact with minors.

• 4. Partnerships with Child-Safe Organizations: Pdg collaborates exclusively with organizations—nonprofits, social enterprises, or businesses—that align with its values and commitment to child protection.
• For partners directly supporting minors, Pdg requires and verifies evidence of robust child protection policies, clear codes of conduct, and established mechanisms for reporting and addressing child protection concerns.

• 5. Education and Awareness: Pdg recognizes the importance of raising awareness about the risks and ethical concerns associated with volunteering with children.
• Comprehensive training and resources are provided to volunteers, partners, and the wider community on the ethical considerations and potential harms of international volunteering with children, including the concept of harmful voluntourism.
• Pdg actively promotes alternative, more responsible volunteering practices that prioritize long-term impact and sustainability.

• 6. Continuous Advocacy: Pdg remains committed to staying informed about best practices in child protection and ethical volunteering.
• The organization actively participates in discussions and initiatives aimed at promoting responsible volunteering, safeguarding children, and sharing the dangers of child-based voluntourism.
• Pdg will collaborate with other organizations to develop and promote best practices.

 F. Compliance

• Training and Awareness: All volunteers, staff, and partners will receive comprehensive training on this policy, child protection, and ethical volunteering.
• Consequences of Non-Compliance: Failure to comply with this policy will result in the immediate termination of the volunteering engagement or partnership.

G. Communications

This policy will be communicated on the Pdg website, on social media, in handbooks, and during orientations. The person responsible for the communication of this policy is the Policy Owner. This policy can be requested in different languages.

H. Review

This policy will be reviewed annually, or more frequently as needed, to ensure alignment with best practices. Feedback from volunteers, partners, and communities will be collected through surveys, interviews, and audits, and used to improve and strengthen the policy.

I. Call to Action

Professionals Doing Good invites all volunteers, partners, and stakeholders to join in upholding these principles and creating a safer, more sustainable future for children and communities worldwide.

L. Definitions

• Direct Interaction: Any activity that places a volunteer in a position of responsibility for a child, including but not limited to physical contact, caregiving, teaching, or supervision.
• Skilled Volunteers: Professionals with demonstrable expertise in fields such as technology, business, education, healthcare, or social work.
• Voluntourism: The practice of combining volunteering with tourism, often involving short-term, unskilled work with children in vulnerable communities, which can have harmful effects.
• Vulnerable Communities: Communities facing socioeconomic challenges, limited access to resources, or heightened risks of exploitation and abuse.