Why Should You Volunteer Abroad? 8 Reasons and Benefits

Have you been thinking about signing up to do some volunteer work abroad? First of all, good for you, it can change your life! Not only does it help you with personal growth, but it’s also so much fun and puts you right at the heart of local communities, giving you a chance to engage in culture, all while meaningfully giving back. 

Whether it’s a gap year adventures, a break from work, or simply something an experience you’ve always wanted to have in your life, there’s so much to volunteering that you can take away with you. You can transfer skills and lessons personally and professionally when you return home too. 

No matter your age, volunteering is for you! We've picked out some of the biggest reasons why you should give volunteering abroad a try:

New People, Ever-Lasting Friendships

When you embark on the trip of a lifetime to a foreign country, it can be a big step for some people. However, when you arrive at your volunteering destination, friendships with new people are quickly formed; and it often feels like you’ve known them for a lifetime!

We know people who have travelled alone and left with truly amazing friendships can feel frustratingly temporary at times. Spending part of your trip doing volunteer work abroad is a guaranteed solution: it may sound obvious, but you really get to know the people you work with every day. Sharing what can be an intense experience of charity work abroad and working hard for a community, all with restricted resources is a wonderful way to forge friendships that last the test of time.

Even if you’re volunteering with a friend or a few people that you know, being able to share this type of experience is truly second to none! You could actually end up being closer friends because of this unforgettable trip.

Feeling Like You’ve Made a Difference

Volunteering for a charity abroad is an awesome way to give yourself a real feeling of accomplishment. You might feel a sense of accomplishment when you nail a deadline or work hard constantly at your job, but nothing feels better than when you know you’ve changed people’s lives for the better. Volunteers can often come away from their time abroad with a passion for something new too.

It’s Loads of Fun!

Volunteering can be hard work and there are things you need to do while you’re there, but overseas volunteer work is so rewarding, which simply helps it to be such good fun! Trying new things, soaking up new experiences, meeting new people – it’s got everything!

Transferable Work Experience Skills

It can be hard to land yourself a role that you want when you finish uni, but having overcome some of the challenges that you’re faced with when you volunteer abroad, as well as being able to include your trip on your CV can help you to get ahead of the competition.

Experts have stated that for people who volunteer, it increases their chances of getting the job they wanted by a significant 27% compared to those who haven’t volunteered.

It’s Ideal for Networking

When you’re in a new place and there’s a whole bunch of interesting people to meet and talk to, you never know what can come from this. This is basically an informal way of networking and when you’re meeting people of all ages and form a whole range of backgrounds from all around the world, connections can be made that could change your life!

Advance Your Language Skills

Immersing yourself in amongst people who live in a different country is hands down the best way to hone your language skills. Whether you’re a polished multilingual or you only know your native tongue but want to expand your language skills, this is the way to do it.

Develop Your Teamworking

Being a volunteer in a foreign country means that you will have to communicate with others, and ask for help too. teamwork makes the dream work, as they say, so having the opportunity to closely interact with a diverse range of people, both locals and other volunteers, will develop your team-working ability.

There’s Nothing Quite Like It!

Lastly, there is simply nothing quite like being an overseas volunteer. Working abroad and being among amazing small communities is a superb way to get a true experience of the country you’re visiting and the people in it. Volunteering has become more and more popular over the years, but everyone adventure is unique, so when you sign up, it will be just that too.

Want to know more? Check out the programmes and adventures that we offer!