There are students all over the UK that want to make use of their free summers, or gap years, by travelling the world. That can be expensive, especially if you’re on a student budget. Volunteering means you get something back, you can travel, help out and gain invaluable experience which will stand out on your CV, all while having the time of your life in a country you never thought you’d see. Being young, you should make the most of your free time in summer between your Uni years, be it working abroad or volunteering, because you can gain something that you’re unlikely to get out of a full time job after your degree.
Where do you start?
If you don’t know where to start looking for volunteering opportunities, a good place to start looking is a website called WorldWide Volunteering. It is a massive database for volunteering opportunities in the UK and all over the world. You can search for specific programmes that you want to help out in, i.e. orphanages, conservation and environmental work etc.
How much will it cost?
Costs can vary from programme to programme. Typically, volunteering abroad can be more expensive than volunteering within the UK, however some programmes offer the chance for you to apply for a bursary or funding to help you with the cost of your volunteering adventure. Most of the time these applications will ask for referees, so you should ask someone you know that will put a good word in for you.
How can I raise money?
Sometimes cost can be high, but you can do things to raise money for your trip, especially if it’s going to be a long trip or a high risk adventure that you need more money for. If you raise enough awareness of what you’re doing, people will be willing to help you, family and friends will back you up on this one, always!
There are loads of ways you could raise money and have fun. You could bake cakes, or pies, and sell them at work or Uni. Your students union will always help you out if you’re going to be doing something for a charity, so ask them and they’ll help you organise fundraising adventures.
How long can I go for?
Each volunteering programme is different and has different specifications. There are some volunteering programmes you can enter and stay for however long you want, and some you can end up working for if you stay long enough! However some programmes do only want volunteers for a week or two at a time, which can work well if you already have a busy summer but still want to go somewhere and do something worthwhile. Each programme also might require you to have certain skills in different areas, such as teaching, agriculture, media or even DIY.
Volunteering makes the world your oyster and it allows you to take away amazing experiences from the world you want to see, not to mention the amount of new people you’ll meet from all over the world. Put your skills to use, be charitable, do some fundraising and find a volunteering opportunity you’ll love.