subject: Benefits of voluteering abroad and gap year abroad [print this page] Benefits of voluteering abroad and gap year abroad
Volunteering abroad can be described as practice of people working on behalf of others or a particular cause without payment for their time and services in a foreign country. There are many benefits of volunteering but Iam going to focus on volunteering abroad and there are various organizations to volunteer with but if you decide to volunteer in kenya you can consoder The Maralink Eco-Volunteers organization for volunteer as well as voluntour(volunteer and tours in Kenya)
Career benefits & options
Volunteering abroad shows your character, interests and motivation and adds to your rsum and to differentiate you from the rest. Your experience in the fields of teaching health, social services, or education is significant and invaluable. An example of a survey carried out by showed that among 200 of the UK's leading businesses
73% of employers would recruit a candidate with volunteering experience over one without94% of employers believe that volunteering can add to skills94% of employees who volunteered to learn new skills had benefited either by getting their first job, improving their salary, or being promoted
You can leverage your volunteer abroad experience as a stepping stone to international development work. But there are countless additional ways to apply this experience to your professional development, such as communicating with people from different cultures, teambuilding, adapting to dynamic environments, critical thinking, and more.
Have fun & Travelling
After the of volunteering activities you have the chance to visit the attractive sites excursions and safaris during the weekends we can organize safaris and tours to for the full country and cultural experience(e.g. Masai people in Kenya) like in Kenya where For example the Masai Mara game reserve is home to the biggest animal spectacle on earth, the annual wildebeest migration.There will also be other volunteers where you will be able to mix with them and have fun with them. This is an opportunity to meet other people, to learn other cultures and also to have fun after a hard day's work.
Networking & Meet new people
Volunteering abroad brings together a diverse range of people from all backgrounds and through the stay in the host country; the volunteer will get to know people from the host family to the people who they will work with in the programs. Other volunteers will be working there with you in the host country. Volunteering also offers an incredible networking opportunity. Not only will you develop lasting personal and professional relationships but it is also a great way to learn about people from all walks of life, different environments, and new industries. Networking is an exciting benefit of volunteering and you can never tell who you will meet or what new information you will learn and what impact this could have on your life.
Motivation, sense of achievement &build confidence
While volunteering abroad you willexperiences, challenges and develop new skills.This challenges and experiences can help you to build confidence and additionally you will meet diverse range of people from different countries and personalities and the ability to get along and communicate with them will assist you build your confidence.
New interests and hobbies
Sometimes life becomes like a routine and monotonous and volunteering abroad can give that escape to everyday routine and create a balance in our lives. Finding new interests and hobbies through volunteering abroad can be fun, relaxing and energizing. The energy and sense of fulfillment can carry over to a work situation and sometimes helps to relieve tensions and foster new perspectives for old situations. Sometimes a volunteer abroad experience can lead you to something you never even thought about or help you discover a hobby or interest you were unaware of. You can strengthen your personal/professional mission and vision by exploring opportunities and expanding your horizons.
Cultural experience
After arrival in the host country, the volunteers accommodation are home-stays and hence volunteers are immersed immediately in to the culture from the first day. In the case where the volunteer stays with a family in a home stay, they get firsthand experience of the culture. In that they will live, and eat like the local people. In some occasions they may be asked to participate in some social activities like weddings. There aremany tribes and each one has a unique culture and unique traditions. In the home stay you will learn about the culture of the home. If you are living in a group home with other volunteers or in a hostel you will still get to experience the culture. You will experience it when you are working together with the locals. You will be able to feel their work ethic and standards
Make a difference
There is a social effect felt on the lives of the volunteers as well as the people they are serving. The fulfillment of helping others is twice as felt rather than helping out people around you. Most of the people the volunteers help are in desperate situations .The lives of the people you touch are forever changed. There are people who are in dire need of help and are grateful to anyone who try to help. As the volunteer you will help people who are in the local communities. Their gratitude will overwhelm you.
Editor's Note: Jeremiah is the director of The Maralink Eco-Volunteers volunteer organization in Kenya.
For more information and low cost volunteer abroad programs and tours Kenya visit http://www.themaralink.com
