Caring Causes: Preparing for a Summer of Volunteering with Projects Abroad

Summer season is the busy season for Projects Abroad, as hundreds of students choose to spend their break volunteering abroad to travel and gain valuable experience while helping those in need. Preparing for a summer of volunteering abroad does not go without extensive preparation, so prospective volunteers are encouraged to begin their application process early to ensure they secure a spot on their project of choice.

Volunteering has become a popular way for young people to do work in a field of study or interest, to be added as work experience to their resumes and to benefit people from a developing part the world. Volunteering programs also ensure that participants are able to experience a culture and way of life different from their own, making their time abroad one of personal growth and development. With programs in more than 30 countries across five continents, Projects Abroad programs cater for students with different interests, skills, and degrees of qualification.

"Travel is becoming more affordable and more destinations around the world are becoming more accessible, so volunteering abroad as a travel option has grown tremendously in recent years," says Tom Pastorius, Head of Global Recruitment for Projects Abroad. "What's most encouraging to see is that volunteers want to use their skills and experience to help others, and choose to do so during their summer break."

Whether a student is in high school, taking a gap year, or a college student, Projects Abroad has categorized programs to suit various age groups and qualification levels.

Internships
These programs allow volunteers to work alongside qualified professionals to gain practical experience by observing and helping where needed. On a standard Internship, volunteers are likely to complete between 20-30 hours of work in a week. The types of internships on offer vary between fields of study in Medicine, Law & Human Rights, Journalism, Microfinance, International Development, Business, Veterinary Medicine & Animal Care, and Social Work. By interning abroad participants are able to add work experience to their resumes, improving their applications for college or work.

High School Specials
Volunteering abroad as a teenager is made possible by Project Abroad's High School Special trips. These are fully supervised programs for teenagers aged between 16-19, for durations between two and four weeks. There are dozens of projects to choose from, including options in Medicine, Archaeology, Journalism, Law & Human Rights, Care, and more. High School Specials are great ways for teenagers to make the most of a short time abroad while making a worthwhile contribution in the world and earning community service hours useful for college applications.

Projects Abroad volunteers, irrespective of their chosen program, will be able to make a lasting impact where there is need. Whether it be helping children or the elderly, protecting endangered turtles or pandas, or building schools or teaching in them, volunteering with Projects Abroad is an opportunity to help, learn, and explore.

About Projects Abroad

Projects Abroad was founded in 1992 by Dr. Peter Slowe, a geography professor, as a program for students to travel and work while on break from full-time study. The program had its genesis in post-USSR Romania, where students were given the chance to teach conversational English. After a few years just sending volunteers to Eastern Europe for teaching, the company expanded to sending volunteers of all ages around the world on a wide range of projects.

Projects Abroad is a global leader in short-term international volunteer programs with projects in 30 countries and recruitment offices in the UK, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Holland, Hong Kong, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden and the United States.

For details on volunteering abroad, visit Projects Abroad's web site at www.projects-abroad.org.