There are many different options for travellers looking to volunteer abroad, and opportunities are open to anyone aged 16 – 75 so are therefore popular with students on a gap year, graduates and those whom have recently retired. With a variety of choices of activity available, it is likely that everyone looking to volunteer abroad will find something that will make good use of their professional and educational skills and experiences and also provide a feel good factor to their travels.
Internships abroad are a great way for anyone looking to gain work experience and boost their career to make the most of their time away. Internships are available with professional companies in most countries in Africa, South America and Asia, and the industries covered range from Journalism and Business Studies to Medicine and Veterinary Medicine Placements. An internship can last up to 3 months and could even lead to full time employment with the right companies.
Anyone can volunteer to teach abroad providing they are able to demonstrate a good skill set and confident presentation skills. Teaching abroad is a very rewarding experience and a range of subjects can be covered in the classroom. Volunteers can make good use of any previous study or specialist knowledge by teaching particular subjects whilst they are abroad. There’s no need to be able to speak the language of any country that a teacher volunteers in, as the children will speak basic English and be able to communicate. Overseas volunteer teaching experiences are flexible in the amount of time the volunteer takes part, and can be anything from 2 weeks to a year.
Summer volunteer placements usually offer a more mixed experience of projects. Summer projects are usually designed with younger volunteers in mind between the ages of 16-19, as a taster of what it might be like to take a longer time out to work abroad. Summer placements are usually around 2 weeks. There are a variety of experiences available on short summer placements, classroom based projects to offering a helping hand at orphanages and taking part in Sports Coaching. Volunteering abroad is a fantastic experience and for anyone is highly recommended as an alternative break away.