Gap year : Volunteering abroad

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More in this section

1. Is a gap year right fo…
2. Working abroad
3. Travelling abroad
4. Volunteering abroad
5. Studying abroad
6. Staying in the UK
7. Planning your gap year
8. Travel information
9. Costs and funding
10. Selling your experienc…
11. Contacts and resources

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Enrol on a TEFL course

You can live and work abroad. All it takes is a TEFL course. Learn more today!

Benefits

Volunteering abroad gives opportunities for:

• developing specific skills and gain practical work experience in a variety of areas;
• meeting new people with similar interests, which may lead to lifelong friendships;
• gaining a more realistic understanding of a country and culture than you would be being a tourist because you meet and work with local people;
• pursuing something you feel passionate about;
• experiencing the satisfaction of making a difference when you see the completion of a project or the outcomes of a programme;
• engaging with unique experiences not otherwise open to you;
• personal growth benefits, such as increased independence and determination.

There are a variety of volunteering options including:

• conservation, environment and agriculture;
• development and construction projects;
• social, health and community work.

To research availability of volunteering opportunities, use online databases, such as WorldWide Volunteering (WWV) and Volunteer Abroad. They allow you to specify the area of the world you are interested in, when you want to start, how long you want to stay, how much money you can contribute or raise, and the types of work or causes that interest you.

Using gap year providers

Numerous organisations and companies offer packages for travel, work, volunteering or expeditions abroad. A small selection of gap year providers are listed in contacts and resources, and more extensive lists can be found at Gapadvice and GapYear.com.

What do they provide?

• Expertise in planning.
• Organising activities on your behalf.
• Applying for visas on your behalf.
• Providing support and a network of contacts.
• Peace of mind for yourself and your family.
• Potential to link you with some quality experiences that may otherwise be difficult to source.
• Guidance about what to pack!

How do I choose?

Consider costs:

• Get full information about charges, which can vary from £1,000 to £3,500 for a three-month project.
• Check what you get for your money - e.g., it may include travel from airport to destination, accommodation, food and drink, and sometimes a small subsistence allowance.
• Check what is not included and compare between companies - e.g., insurance, flights and medical expenses are not usually included, so work out how much you will need to add to the project provider’s charges.
• Investigate whether you can organise a similar itinerary yourself at a much lower cost, but take into account the time you would spend doing this, and the possible frustrations involved as a result of not having the most effective contacts.

Ask questions:

• Talk to the companies or meet them at their premises.
• Seek feedback from people who have used the provider to assess the suitability and reliability of the company.
• Go to relevant events, e.g., travel and lifestyle shows such as One Life Live.
• Read relevant press articles.
• Ask your careers service whether know any graduates who have used a particular provider.
• You may want to research the ethical stance of organisations you are interested in. For example, how far is the local community involved in the work and how beneficial is the project to the local area? For ideas about how to establish an organisation’s approach to ethical issues, visit Ethical Volunteering.