We find out more about overseas volunteering opportunities…
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
Planning a gap year can seem like a mammoth undertaking, especially if your bank balance hasn’t quite recovered from T in the Park yet. It’s no surprise then that a new, fully-funded international volunteering programme is proving popular with young Scots eager to do something meaningful and challenging with their time off.
International Citizen Service (ICS) is a three year government-funded scheme which brings young people from different countries together to work on a development project in some of the world’s poorest countries. 18 to 25 years olds spend 10 to 12 weeks in Africa, Asia or Latin America working alongside local volunteers on projects that have been specifically chosen to benefit from the energy and skills they bring.
ICS is open to everyone regardless of qualifications and experience – motivation is the key ingredient. While each volunteer is expected to raise funds as part of their experience, they will be helped every step of the way by professionals to ensure they meet their goals.
“ICS had a huge impact on me. It changed my life and drastically improved my career prospects. Volunteering in a developing country made me see the poverty and inequality we have across the UK and the importance of volunteering at home.” – Ceridwen Williams, ICS volunteer
ICS is run by six of the UK’s leading international volunteering charities and the programme covers flights, visa’s, travel and medical insurance, medication and vaccines, food and accommodation and a living allowance while overseas. Volunteers also receive extensive training and support.
Apply now to be overseas in the next six months. For more information, visit www.dfid.gov.uk/ICS or www.facebook.com/ics
BEN’S STORY
Ben Kirley, 22, from Crieff took up the ICS challenge earlier this year volunteering for three months in Sierra Leone.
After living as part of “Mama” Kosia’s extended family and even having a baby boy named after him, the hardest part came when it was time to say goodbye. “I was welcomed with open arms and it felt like a real privilege to be there. It was an intensely personal and emotionally enriching experience. For the first time I could step outside of my own background and see how different life can be.”
Ben worked as part of a group helping tackle intimidation issues that arise during elections. “We held community meetings where we used drama and audience participation to get across our message of freedom of choice and freedom from intimidation. We visited several towns and went on the radio twice to spread the word about a new electronic voting system and encourage young people to vote.
“If you’ve ever thought about volunteering in a developing country, then do it while you have the chance, and do it with ICS.”
