Hoping to Help: The Promises and Pitfalls of Global Health Volunteering (Mt. Carmel 12:30-2:30 PM)

Facilitated by: Dr. Judith Lasker, Author of “Hoping to Help”

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people travel abroad to participate in short-term volunteer programs focused on health services. Churches, universities, nonprofit service organizations, profit-making "voluntourism" companies, hospitals, and large corporations all sponsor brief missions. Given the enormous human and economic investment in these activities, it is essential to know more about them and to understand the advantages and disadvantages for host communities. Dr. Judith Lasker, author of Hoping to Help will discuss her comprehensive assessment of global health volunteering, based on research into how it currently operates, its benefits and drawbacks, and how it might be organized to contribute most effectively.