Throughout this semester it has become apparent that there are 3 over arching guidelines to ethical service engagement. First, I would like to mention state that the creation of dialogue is absolutely essential for ethical service. I chose this premise because I believe service without effective communication is immoral. That is, without a genuine understanding of the situation at hand, it becomes impossible to create an impact on the community which is both desired by that community and actually effective at solving the problem.
Second, I would like to state the importance of education. That is, education of those who are not part of the country of service or part of the service trip. I think it’s essential to spread awareness of the state of the situations rather than let people assume that stereotypes are real and accurate. Stereotypes prevent advancement and understanding, and are toxic to both the country of service and the people who hold the stereotypes of that country.
Last, but definitely not least, I believe it is indispensible to document the events of service with as little bias as possible. That is, when documenting service, it is important to be aware of any prior agenda. Biased forms of documentation provided to people who did not go through the same experiences as you result in toxic and potentially harmful misunderstandings. You can dehumanize an entire culture, separate them into nothing more than “exotic” with just a handful of photos. And that, is a criminal act.