Taking that step from being a student to the professional world is scary, right? Sometimes it can feel as though life is coming at you too fast. But you can press pause. You can gain valuable experience and have a life-changing adventure with a volunteer abroad programme.
Stand out in a crowded job market with international work experience
Volunteering abroad as a student or graduate is a great way to kickstart your future career. It will transform your perspective and equip you with real-world skills. There are so many volunteer abroad programmes to choose from. Whether you have just graduated or still studying, Vocational Impact will help you put your degree into practice.
Many people simply get an internship ‘in the city’ or a placement in a local office but that doesn’t stand out. Volunteering internationally will give you an edge and help you stand out to a potential employer. Getting hands-on, shadowing professionals across Africa or in India will equip you with skills that others just do not have.
Like learning from clinical psychologists at a hospital in Ghana, or supporting legal professionals with their casework at an NGO in South Africa. The immersion within these environments will expose you to knowledge that will help you stand out in a competitive job market.
A break between university and your professional life
University is an intense period in your life. You change massively from the start to the end, developing into your adult self. It is understandable if you need some time to find yourself and think about your next steps.
And what better way to do this than by travelling? Why not take the time to do this while you’re young and before you start the 9-5? Our project partners are in incredible cities filled with culture.
You will have plenty of downtime on evenings and weekends to explore vibrant cities steeped in history such as Johannesburg, or bask in the beauty of world-famous sites such as the Taj Mahal in India.
Taking some time out and doing something different is a good option. Combining this with an internship and travel is such a productive way of taking this ‘break’, while also helping out such brilliant causes.
Becoming a more rounded individual
Learning practical skills from locals and exploring new places are important reasons you should consider a volunteer placement. Involvement in a programme like this is guaranteed to facilitate personal growth. Exposing yourself to such an adventure can seem daunting at first. However, allowing yourself to learn from cultures different from ours can only lead to positive developmental experiences.
On top of this, you will be having a real impact on these projects with your work. You will be learning from professionals, and also using your skills to help people from developing communities. Taking part in this meaningful work will only bring you more consciousness and equip you with empathy and understanding. You will be doing something amazing with your time.
The experiences you’ll have will help you in connecting with other cultures back home too. Often times volunteers come with the expectation that they’re going to ‘change the world’ but in fact the biggest change is in themselves. Better understanding of different attitudes to life, faith and family will help you grow as a person.
Learning new skills in a cross-cultural setting
By working with people from different cultures and with different techniques, you will take on new ideas than those given to you by your lecturer, expanding your knowledge beyond the classroom. Your approach could be transformed by seeing first-hand how others live. In a globalised world, it is so important to be able to understand how people from different backgrounds live and how they conduct their work. Taking lessons from people all over the world will give you a more robust and developed mindset for your future career.
You learn the most while out of your comfort zone. Taking yourself out of a culture that you have grown accustomed to and engaging with others will strengthen your sense of self, helping you to grow and mature along the way.
Why choose Vocational Impact?
Unlike some other companies, Vocational Impact is a registered charity. We work directly with longstanding project partners and we’re focused on their success and growth. This means that there is cooperation and aligned goals at every stage of the partnership. The volunteer fees directly support the projects you work on. This helps us to plan for sustainable growth by hiring local professionals and supporting wider charity work in the communities.
The work that you will be involved in will connect you with specialists in their area, so you will gain valuable knowledge to better your skills. You will also be giving genuine help to people who need it. Your work will make a difference.
Ciara, one of our volunteers, said that it was “…a great opportunity to gain clinical experience and make a meaningful impact.” Our programmes are tried and tested, with volunteers seeing real value in their placements. A Vocational Impact programme will benefit you, but also others who need it.
If you want to better your future career prospects, while also giving your time to a meaningful cause, then applying now for your space on a Vocational Impact programme is a must-do. You can apply now via the form below.
Volunteer programmes made for students
Planning your international volunteering placement can seem daunting but we’ll be with you every step of the way.
We’re a small charity that picks its partner projects carefully. This means we can tailor our programmes to fit your skills and goals.
The best way to get started is to fill out our enquiry form. We’ll send you all the information you need to plan your very own volunteer placement.
