► Volunteering Overseas

Volunteering overseas can offer a completely different and sometimes life changing experience. It can take a lot of courage to undertake volunteering outside of your comfort zone but the rewards are worth it.

Over the last fewyears there has been a huge rise in the number of people wanting to do overseas volunteering. Some opportunities ask volunteers to pay or fund raise large amounts of money and volunteers needs to sometimes ask Where does my money go?

It can be hard to differentiate which organisations are sending volunteers for ethical reasons and those that see an opportunity to make a profit.

Volunteering Overseas Resources and Information

To make sure your volunteering opportunity lives up to it's claims here are few resources to use:

Do-it

This website has a great guide on how to get started volunteering overseas, there are links to ethical volunteering, articles and blogs.

Ethical Volunteering

This website was set up to try and help volunteers distinguish between the excellent and terrible volunteering opportunities abroad and to try and help volunteers identify good opportunities.

Read their Ethical Volunteering Guide

Volunteering England

This website has links to information sheets, websites and directories that can help you find an opportunity that is right for you.

Volunteering Overseas Opportunities

Volunteering overseas opportunities are listed below. Whilst every effort has been made to check the legitimacy of these opportunities we suggest you read the guides listed above to help you make a decision.

UNA Exchange - Volunteer Abroad

UNA Exchange is a registered charity that sends volunteers to local community projects worldwide. The majority of our opportunities do not require special skills or experience - enthusiasm and a desire to learn about other places, people and cultures are the only requirements. Volunteers pay a contribution of around £150 to UNA Exchange and cover their own travel costs but there are no 'hidden extras'.

Check out the website www.unaexchange.org for more information and to find projects in more than 60 countries!

Progressio Empower

Progressio’s faith-based programme, ICS Empower, enables young adults of faith from all over the UK to experience life in a developing country. Working alongside local people, lives will be changed for the better –especially yours.

For 10 weeks, you could be doing anything from providing care and support to people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS to promoting sustainable farming approaches and helping farmers sell their goods. But whatever you do, you’ll know it’s making a big difference to some of the poorest communities in the world. There are opportunities in Malawi, Peru and El Savador.

And that’s not all. When you get back to the UK, you’ll help your own community to take action on global
issues.

To begin your journey, all you have to do is read this and then complete the application form.

Projects Abroad, various opportunities

Volunteer Projects for Gap Years, Gap Months, Career Breaks, Electives & Summer Placements

Projects Abroad organises overseas volunteer work placements. The wide range of projects, including Teaching, Care, Conservation & Environment, Medicine & Healthcare, Sports, Community projects, Business, Law & Human Rights and Journalism, are designed specifically for the needs of the communities in which they work, whilst giving volunteers (aged 16 - 75) the experience of volunteering abroad.

Find out more www.projects-abroad.co.uk

Please note there is a fee for applications to volunteer with this orgnaisation.

Teach English in Thailand, VESL

Looking for a great opportunity to enhance your C.V whilst having the experience of a lifetime?

Then apply to volunteer to teach English in Thailand. Volunteers run after-school games, sports, music & art clubs.

Volunteers live within the local community with a family in a home stay placement and receive pre-departure training and the VESL teaching pack in addition to our volunteer handbook. Volunteers are given comprehensive backup & support from our experienced in-country co-ordinators.

Experience a new and interesting culture in Thailand.
Achieve something worthwhile and gain an experience you will never forget.
Prove to employers you can work in new and challenging environments.

You also have to do is raise £900, but don’t let the cost put you off, as you are given help, support and advice on how to raise the money.

Contact Yael Collins, yael.collins@vesl.org 07857583593, website www.vesl.org

Advertise until 16/12/11