Thinking about volunteering abroad?
Want to jump on the newest bandwagon and take a volunteer vacation? Think about volunteering internationally working with children.
Working with children as volunteers is one of the most rewarding and life-changing things you can do in your spare time: it’s fun, inspiring and, perhaps most importantly, it can allow you to dramatically improve children’s lives. Every year, thousands of people go abroad to take part in various volunteer programs abroad that involve working with children in some capacity. There are so many different, interesting and varied programs available to take part in that it’s impossible to list them all here, but let me give you an overview of working with children abroad.
What types of opportunities are available to work with children abroad?
Whether you decide to volunteer in Africa or go to Asia instead, or anywhere else on earth for that matter, there are a large number of children who need help, so your efforts will gratefully applaud wherever you end up. The first decision you need to make is, perhaps, to decide exactly which country you wish to work / live in. Many people decide to volunteer abroad to see and experience more of a particular area they love, so make sure you consider the location carefully. Next, you need to decide what type of project you want to work on. These projects generally fall under the following topics:
- Work in school as a general teaching assistant, helping with basic tasks such as reading, numeracy, etc. The beauty of this is that no formal training or qualifications are required!
- Teaching English to children of all ages. Usually a TEFL or similar qualification is required, but many schools or programs will only require you to speak English to a native level.
- Running sports programs in various communities for children. If you are active, enthusiastic and passionate about helping children through sports, this is for you.
- Run music clubs and groups to help kids learn new skills, develop teamwork skills and, hopefully, have fun.
How do you go about organizing volunteer programs abroad?
As you can see, there are a large number of volunteer opportunities available to you, depending on your personal interests. To arrange a placement like this, or similar, talk to volunteer overseas agencies and they can help place you in the community of your choice. Look online for agencies that look good on you!
