Answers to questions you may have about Innercredits in general. Please get in touch with us if you have more.
- Wouldn’t it be better to have Innercredits working in New Zealand?
- Why Indonesia and America?
- Is it safe?
- Why is it free?
- Why Innercredits?
Wouldn’t it be better to have Innercredits working in New Zealand?
It is! Innercredits is not about someone giving up a few days to plant trees, or about offering the chance to partake in ‘poornography’ where we can ease our conscience with a token gesture. Innercredits is about setting up the beginning of a lifelong adventure with inspiration and the world.
Innercredits believes that people in New Zealand are already at the stage where they have to decide personally if they are willing to be inconvenienced to make a difference, environmentally and socially. Innercredits calls this stage the ‘convenient environmentalists’ where people are happy to do good for the environment provided the personal cost is convenient.
Innercredits believes that by helping people learn how they can make a difference in a developing country where many things are inconvenient and how inspiring that can be to others, then maybe people will be willing to adjust the level at which they are willing to be inconvenienced to make a difference, in a good way.
As the network is established we will put more and more support into Backyardcredits, where people who have been part of the Innercredits programme overseas continue to be part of the Innercredits programme in New Zealand. But let’s get a few inspirers under our belt and then let’s see what the inspiration can do.
You can find out about Backyardcredits here.
Why Indonesia and America?
Innercredits has been planned and discussed for years. There are a lot of countries out there that could be ideal settings for Innercredits however at the moment Innercredits works with Indonesia and America because:
- Innercredits has good contacts in both countries. This is important as it makes it easy to get things done and ensures we have support structures in place should they be required.
- There is access to good hospitals if needed (i.e. there is easier access to good quality health care in Indonesia than in some other locations around the world).
- Innercredits believes living in Indonesia offers a great chance for people to be inspired by how communities with very little deal with a lot. We also believe that a lot can be achieved by Innercredits with not very much. Innercredits wants inspirers to come up with their own ideas and solutions in conjunction with the community they will become a part of.
- Innercredits wants countries it can return to year after year and build success with. We want to make a difference that lasts not just for three months but for lifetimes.
- Finishing the programme in America provides an ideal opportunity for passing on the inspiration to a captive audience. Working at the summer camp also provides opportunities to network with other people from around the world and for inspirees to earn money that can be put towards further education or travel.
~Henry David Thoreau
Eventually Innercredits may expand to other countries, and bring the world together through an ‘inspire forward’ type of ideal. This is a big dream and it is always nice to have them.
Is it safe?
This is hard to answer in this day and age. Any exposure to the world unfortunately means there may be some risk. However Innercredits would never knowingly place anyone in harm’s way. We believe the locations we have selected are as safe as anywhere and possibly safer than most. Though Indonesia has been targeted with terrorism in the past, so has the United Kingdom, France, Thailand, America and many other popular travel destinations for 18 year olds. Innercredits will always do all it can to keep everyone as safe as it can.
Innercredits has contacts with the local police and security forces and will keep them and ensures its local coordinators know where the group is.
While some of the activities such as trekking, surfing, snorkelling, planting trees, digging trenches and clearing invasive weeds may expose members to risk, as part of a group we will ensure we collectively assess and are happy with the risk before starting.
It is important to note that Innercredits is not a school trip – members of Innercredits are adults and will be treated like it. While instructing at summer camp they will be responsible for children as young as seven. They are at an age where they could be travelling by themselves, flatting at university or fighting in Afghanistan.
Innercredits is not an organised tour group or cotton wool wrapped experience. This is the world, sometimes it is hard, hot, dirty and uncomfortable. This is life and it is awesome.
Why is it free?
We want Innercredits to be an honour, and because it is free then participants are not obliged to get a return, they have not paid to be part of something. They have been selected and we are asking people to put in creativity and energy into being part of something amazing. How can we expect to put a price on that? No one could afford it; they just have to earn it.
Why Innercredits?
No one at Innercredits is involved due to boredom or desire to freeload. We are all volunteers, and our commitment is driven by the fact we really believe in Innercredits and think we all need to do what we can. None of the people involved want to be that person sitting in a cafe and complaining about a problem, from the people who help with design through to government officials our supporters are at the top of their game who believe in inspiring change.
Innercredits wants to inspire people to see how awesome the world can be and how they can be part of it, and that there are adventures everywhere, and that the greatest adventure can be inspiring others. We wish we had had Innercredits before we undertook our years of tertiary study. It is as simple as that. You can learn more about the Innercredits story here.