At Hands on Journeys we are committed to supporting and listening to the communities we work with. We have pulled together some of the most common questions we receive, however should you require anything else, please get in touch using the provided form.

What is the difference between Volunteer Tourism and Empowerment Tourism?

Both forms of travel exist to help those less fortunate than ourselves, however as outsiders, it’s not up to us to tell the people what they need. If we truly want to make a difference, we have to have compassion.

Therefore, we ask questions, we open a dialogue, and we listen.

“What do you need?” becomes the most important question of all. This is something that is often lacking with Voluntourism. The trick with volunteering is sustainability. It rarely exists because our privilege tells us to save these people. As the saying goes, ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’

But, of course, it’s not quite that simple. So often we forget that, when a person is starving, that’s not the time to fill their head with knowledge. First you must give them a fish, banishing their hunger, and only then can you teach them how. We cannot save people—that’s not up to us. But we can help people to create something for themselves. Sometimes, all a person needs is an opportunity and a little bit of support. Through providing a small opportunity to the villages, and working with them, if only to let them know that they had not been forgotten. We give them hope and that’s empowerment tourism.

How much money from the tours go to the projects?

With 10% of the tour price going directly to the village, collectively the villages receive upwards of AUS$2000 – $3000 per group tour for ongoing projects like wells, water filters, toilets and showers. For private tour bookings, the figure will be relevant to the number of travellers.

How does the money from my tour help those in need?

That money is used to provide villagers with the tools they need including creating job opportunities, while our camaraderie empowers them to use these new tools to create a better life for themselves.

Why should I pick a tour operator over an NGO or Charity?

An Empowerment Tourism tour isn’t all work – after all, you can’t travel and not go sightseeing! Our travellers spend one third of their time working in the villages, and the other two-thirds sightseeing the country and learning about its intricate past. The concept of integrating volunteering into development and tourism is extremely dynamic and that’s how it should be.

How do you ensure that your project work is sustainable?

We don’t build something then walk away knowing that we have done something good for the locals. We continue support until we know that there is a progression there, be it a change in their daily routine or lifestyle, development in children’s education, improvement of basic hygiene and/or new skills providing them with an income. Hands on Journeys makes it our mission to transform people by connecting them and provide an opportunity to a village who are more than grateful to receive it. What I don’t think they realize, however, is how much more we probably gain from the experience than they do. We learn about ourselves in a world so drastically different from our own.

What vetting do you take of participants to be suitable before a tour? How is our involvement decided?

Being a tour operator, we have our contractual terms and conditions in place governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of that State and courts of appeal from them.

We go through participants booking form to ensure there are no bridging of the health or age requirements and if such was notified and we feel travellers aren’t suited for the tour, we have a full refund policy that is in place.

Do you have a code of ethics you follow?

Our group trips are run by a Tour Escort. The decision of the Tour Escort is final on all matters likely to affect the safety or well-being of any person participating on the tour as well as the local villages we visit. If a traveller fail to comply with a decision made by the Tour Escort, or interfere with the well-being or mobility of the group, the Tour Escort may direct him/her to leave the tour immediately

We request travellers to disclose any unspent past criminal convictions (if any) and we have the rights to refuse participation on the tour.

How were your projects designed? What research procedures have you followed?

We ask questions, we open a dialogue, and we listen.

“What do you need?” becomes the most important question of all. “What can we do to help you?” We may not agree with the locals always but before showing them the light, we listen to them first only then we can show them of a better way or we come to an agreement. Being so grass-rooted, they don’t know what’s best out there but it’s our duty to share our knowledge with them and such occurs after we have listened to them. Sometimes something that’s needed the most (i.e toilet in Siem Reap) may not be a task that can be done until a few months down the track – simply because of weather conditions. So we pen it all down.

How can I ensure my donation has benefited the community? What follow up is there?

By joining the tour, you are donating your time and only then your funds are used towards the projects. After completion of the project, we continue support until we know that there is an upward progression there and a change in their daily routine or lifestyle; children are being sent to school, basic hygiene is maintained and/or new skills providing them with an income.

Does this kind of tour not take away work from locals?

You are at one village about 1.5 days and there is no way the amount of work we have in place can be performed in such a short period of time. We don’t believe in doing something on a short-term basis i.e rushing the job in 1.5 days but prior to your arrival, projects such as buildings start and very often we hire the locals in the village to perform the labour task and also hire professionals (such as plumbers; electricians; builders) to handle the main required task.

I have a particular skill I think would be useful on this trip. How can I ensure it is utilised?

We love when we have professionals that come on-board as this is when we ask whether you will be interested in leading the small projects such as building shelves, stools or women’s empowerment such as knitting for exchange of learning. After you submit a booking form, we submit an ‘Additional Info’ request to you in which we ask you more about your profession and if there is any particular skills you would like to pass on.

Is it safe for travellers to go into places such as the Slums of Delhi?

We work with Local NGOs in each of the country and there is always a tour escort with you throughout your trip as well as a supervisor from the village/The NGOs who will be with you.

What makes Hands on Journeys different from operators?

Hands on Journeys is a business, but the experience the leaders create is real. Simla’s mission was to create a sustainable tour company that would not only provide a platform for people to travel and open their minds, but to pay it forward in the process. Hands on Journeys makes it a mission to transform people by connecting them.