Working as a volunteer on a career break is an excellent way to spend career breaks for numerous reasons. First and foremost, of course, when you volunteer on a career break you are being a responsible tourist and ‘giving something back' to the country you are visiting. It's important to remember that travel is a privilege many people throughout the world can only dream about - and working as a volunteer on a career break is an ideal way to give as well as take on your travels.
Working as a volunteer on a career break is, however, very much a mutually beneficial two way process - with the volunteers themselves gaining a great deal from the experience. For starters when you volunteer on a career break, although it can be quite challenging at times, it's often a great deal of fun as well. When you volunteer on a career break you will meet other travellers working on the same project - and because you have all chosen the same voluntary work abroad it's highly likely you will have share interests and a similar outlook on life. When you volunteer on a career break you also work closely on a daily basis with local people - providing you with unique insight in to local culture and a much more genuine travel experience.
If you volunteer on a career break, the experience can also help boost your career too. Many people who volunteer on a career break decide to get involved with a project that's related to their profession in some way - thereby enabling them to pick up useful new skills and experiences during the course of their volunteering placement (and some companies even offer paid sabbaticals to do this). Even if you volunteer on a career break project that isn't directly related to your normal line of work it still looks great on your CV and illustrates that you used your career break constructively.
The most important decision you are going to have to make if you plan to volunteer on a career break is which project you are going to get involved with. We have a diverse range of hugely rewarding volunteer projects throughout the world enabling you to volunteer on a career break - so it's not an easy decision! It's well worth putting aside an hour or two in order to read up on all of the various volunteer programmes that are available on the website. Alternatively, if you would prefer to speak to someone in person, you can also discuss how to go about being a volunteer on your career break travel with one of our expert travel advisers.
This academy offers one of the best environments around the globe to be trained in this historic martial art. Situated at the foot of the Mountains of the Fujian Province, South East China, you will study directly from some of the best Masters to be found in China.
Learn to sail, in paradise. Start from scratch or build on what you know to gain one of three certificates. Hands-on experience, expert theory tuition and onboard accommodation make for a comprehensive programme. Minimum age 10 years.
A chance to try some new sports. Learn to surf and kite surf, go white water rafting and take a forest canopy tour. A sunset cruise and Spanish lessons make for the perfect short adventure!
A never-to-be forgotten cruise on a tall ship around the Great Barrier Reef, with the chance to snorkel, swim and discover the area. Learn the basics of sailing or just relax and soak up the sun.
Learn to sail, in paradise. Start from scratch or build on what you know to gain one of three certificates. Hands-on experience, expert theory tuition and onboard accommodation make for a comprehensive programme. Minimum age 10 years.
Janet Horsley had an incredible time on her tailor-made gap year, blazing a trail through Africa, Asia, Australia and Latin America, read her story here.
Gap Year for Grown Ups provide career breaks, volunteer work abroad and adventure travel options for grown up gappers.
If you are looking to become a golden gapper on a grown up gap year, Gap Year for Grown Ups is the leading authority and only specialist source of
ideas and options for an adult gap year.
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