Sample Volunteer Abroad Projects — Great Britain
Environmental education and conservation
The Countryside Education Trust (CET) is an educational charity established in 1975. It provides educational programmes for over 10,000 children and adults each year, both residential stays and day visits. The trust headquarters are based on land owned by Beaulieu Estate in Hampshire and comprises of a field studies centre, a residential education centre and a working farm and garden.
Location:
CET is situated in the village of Beaulieu in Hampshire, surrounded by the heaths and woodlands of the New Forest. The New Forest has been a protected area for around 900 years and the unique historic arrangements for grazing animals on the commons are still in place.
Volunteer tasks:
The volunteer will assist with all the main aspects of the work of CET: environmental educational work with schools, work with community groups, and practical work on the farm and garden. It is expected that the volunteer's time will be divided equally between these areas, but the exact tasks and proportion of time can be flexible to suit the abilities and interests of the individual volunteer. The volunteer will also be expected to be flexible to fit with the needs of the organisation and to support staff in the areas needed.
Benefits to the volunteer:
Through the work placement, the volunteer will be able to widen their own knowledge of the ecology of the local area, issues concerning the environment and sustainability, the work of a farm and garden, and will be encouraged to input their own ideas to the project. They will be able to develop or build on skills and experience in environmental conservation work. The volunteer will also gain valuable skills in working with people, especially children, and will be able to widen their experience by taking part in teaching activities as well as practical environmental work, gaining an insight into the lives of local community/school groups and thereby into British culture. The volunteer will also improve their knowlage of the English language, through the daily interaction with staff members and visiting school children.
Volunteer requirements:
The volunteer should have an interest in environmental issues and nature, and enjoy both practical outdoor conservation tasks and work with children and young people. The volunteer should be flexible to fit with the needs of the project and the variety of work to be done. The volunteer should be happy to live in the rural setting at Beaulieu.
The volunteer should have a good knowledge of English in order to communicate with clients and centre staff. They should be of a sociable nature and able to relate well to children and young people. Accommodations are provided as part of this project but meals are not included. The volunteer should allow an extra US$70 per week for meals.
Assisting those with disabilities
Sandpipers is a specialist holiday centre, run by Vitalise which is a registered charity (formerly the Winged Fellowship Trust), that provides planned breaks for people with disabilities and their carers. Holidays at the centre include excursions, activities and evening entertainment.
Location
Sandpipers is situated in the vibrant seaside town of Southport, north of Liverpool. Southport is a regional centre and a tourist resort, with a lively seafront, excellent range of shops, cafes and restaurants and good connections by train to nearby Liverpool and Manchester. The area relies heavily on tourism, attracting millions of visitors each year.
Volunteer tasks:
The volunteer's time will be spent in direct contact with the clients. This will include general care work and personal care of disabled guests and socialising.
Many clients lead limited lives, in institutions or with carers/close family members, and do not always have the opportunity to travel or to mix with people from other countries. Having VIP volunteers working and socialising with them gives the clients the chance to find out about other cultures and enriches their stay at Sandpipers.
Benefits to the volunteer:
There will be many benefits for the volunteer taking part in this project including, gaining work experience in the care sector, develop personal skills and build self confidence, enhance their CV and job prospects. And because the volunteer will spend most of their time working directly with people staying at the centre, they will Improve their knowledge of English, and experience English culture. They will not only make friends with English people but people from other countries and cultures who also work and volunteer at the project.
Volunteer requirements:
In principle, female volunteers are preferred, simply due to the regulations surrounding the administration of personal care to female guests (male volunteers may only care for male clients, female volunteers can care for any client). However, male applicants will also be considered. Volunteers are expected to have some interest in the field of disability and social work. They should also be able to supply satisfactory references and a police check.
Volunteers should have an intermediate level of English as there is not a formal language course attached to this project.
