My name is Lorena Schwab De La O and since I did my first Voluntary Service in 2013–14 with ICYE in India, I have been involved in activities like workcamps and mentoring of volunteers. Later, I did another year of volunteering in Mexico in 2017–19. I took a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Latin American studies and then studied my master’s degree in Human Rights. I now work as a Programme Adviser in a human rights organisation in Oslo, Norway.
Throughout these experiences, I have been discussing with my peers and reflecting on the implications of volunteering. I believe that we need more debates about how volunteering can be re-imagined to make sure it really does contribute to a more equal and inclusive world – and I also believe that there is a lot of potential!