Volunteering: How can it benefit your career?

So the million dollar question – why volunteer? Career Savvy spoke to The Great Projects, who offer award-winning volunteering projects worldwide for those who want a truly enriching and rewarding experience. They gave us a rundown of why they feel volunteering is so important, as well as a brief explanation of what you can really gain from it.

School/university is out and you’re wondering what on earth to do. As the inevitable scramble to apply to universities or graduate jobs begins, it can be wise to consider all of your options. If you want to take a break from the stress caused by your A-levels or

Gain a real sense of adventure and fun With 37 projects in 16 countries, including Bolivia, Uganda and Zimbabwe, joining The Great Projects provides you with the chance to explore parts of the world you otherwise may not have the opportunity to see. You’ll make new friends (both with humans and wildlife!), have enormous fun and spend quality time away from the norm in the process.

Become independent Immersing yourself into a completely new and unknown culture can be intimidating to begin with. But adapting to your often rustic surroundings, gaining confidence through your experiences and coming out on top is something that really says something about you as a person – particularly to potential employers.

If you would like to join ‘The Great Projects’ on one of their once in a lifetime adventures, please don’t hesitate to get in contact via their website here (www.thegreatprojects.com). Alternatively, you can contact them via email (info@thegreatprojects.com), phone (+44(0)208 885 4987) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/thegreatprojects).

‘This summer I spent four weeks volunteering in Sarawak, Borneo. I was part of a fantastic team and we worked hard – you name it, we did it. Though it was hard, the reward was seeing projects progressing and, in some cases, completed. Watching the animals benefit from our work and witnessing the dedication of the full-time project staff made me feel very privileged to be a part of the team – even for a short time. I have already booked to go back!’ Sinead, 2013.

Help make a difference and give back All of our projects offer volunteers the opportunity to really help in integral wildlife conservation for some of the globe’s most endangered animals – including orangutans, whale sharks, tigers and cheetahs – as well as help many local communities. What’s more, you will be able to work under the guidance of renowned wildlife charities on many of the projects, including International Animal Rescue, Born Free and Wildlife SOS. You will see how they are run and how they tackle head on the ever current issues of poaching, deforestation and hunting.

Learn valuable life and leadership skills As Karren Brady, Vice-Chairman of West Ham United says: ‘Not only does volunteering give you invaluable experience that you wouldn’t otherwise get, but it also makes you eminently more employable. I would seriously consider a candidate for interview if they had committed to volunteering’. Sound advice there Karren! With projects offering volunteers the chance to tackle a range of issues, including human-animal conflict, coral reef conservation and animal rehabilitation, the life skills that you can learn and use to your advantage in your CV and during interviews are endless!

Being able to be near, feed, and help look after such magnificent animals – including cheetahs, lions and baboons – was something I will never forget. What’s more, you really feel as if you are benefiting the local people as well as supporting vital wildlife conservation of endangered species. For anyone questioning going – just do it!

You certainly won’t regret it!’ Catherine, 2014.

‘Truly a once in a lifetime experience… if you want to give back to wildlife conservation, get off the beaten track and do and see things that you never would as a regular tourist, then these are the people to book your experience with.’ Kirsty, 2013.

degree, then a gap year could be just what you need. Aside from the excitement of travel opportunities and having extensive ‘time off’, gap years offer students and graduates the opportunity to learn new beneficial skills for your CV and have incredible life experiences – all whilst having a lot of fun of course!