Working in a developing country

BMJ 1995;311:946 (7 October)

Letters

Working in a developing country

Returned volunteers can advise

EDITOR,--Many of the points that Paul Johnstone discusses inrelation to work in a developing country--and, indeed, the reasonsfor going that he puts forward--also apply to the work of theBritish volunteer programme.¹ The volunteer programme was foundedduring the 1960s by Alec Dickson through Voluntary Service Overseas.

Many of us who have been through that formative experience havefelt the need for some support after our service and have alsowished to go on using the enthusiasm and experience gained tobenefit the Third World. For this reason the British charityReturned Volunteer Action was set up and maintains a networkof local groups. These may also be of value to people thinkingof working abroad, who can be put in touch with recently returnedvolunteers with local knowledge of conditions and needs. Thebenevolent instincts of would be volunteers should be nurturedbut . . . [Full text of this article]