Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
What would you like to do?
There are a huge amount of options, as you'll see in this chapter and the directory section, so
you need to make sure you find the best fit for you. All of the companies we speak to come
back with the same advice: make sure you do your research!
Here's some more advice from Kaya Responsible Travel:
“Really think about what you would like to get out of it. With so many options to chose
from, making a decision about which volunteering abroad project to take part in can be quite
tricky. At Kaya alone we have over 200 projects in 24 countries, in a range of sectors, from
wildlife and environmental conservation to community, health and education work. By tak-
ing a bit of time to consider some questions about what is important to you, and getting ad-
vice from a placement advisor, you can start narrowing down those options and identifying
a project that is the best match for you.
“We also encourage volunteers to do as much independent reading as possible. Looking at
some pictures on Google images or checking out the Lonely Planet guide is a great way of
getting yourself accustomed to the area that you will be staying in.”
Raleigh are a leading charity provider of expeditions and volunteer projects abroad. They
believe there are a huge amount of skills to be learned on the wide number of projects avail-
able to the interested gapper. They told us:
“Once you've made the decision to volunteer abroad, it's important to always do your re-
search. There are lots of organisations that you can volunteer abroad with but you need to
find the right one for you. Find out what you'll be doing, where your money will go, what
support you will get and make sure this fits in with your own goals.
“With most volunteering opportunities, you'll find that you are taken well out of your com-
fort zone into incredibly challenging environments. You could find yourself in charge of a
team of young volunteers in a managerial, decision-making and problem-solving role. Or
you could be working with grass roots NGOs, devising an environmental project plan and
gaining valuable insights into the development sector.
“Whatever you choose, volunteering abroad can help you gain experience in team-building,
coaching, logistics, operations, multimedia or middle-management. With youth and sustain-
able development charity Raleigh International, you'll benefit from a two-week intensive
'Volunteer Manager' induction programme focuses on problem solving, analysing risk, pro-
ject planning, leadership training and logistics. The real fun begins with the arrival of an
army of young 'venturers' who provide the muscle-power for the programme - and whose
development and welfare are overseen by the Volunteer Manager team for the next ten
weeks.
