Coaches Round Table

Animal/conservation related volunteering (UK)? Hello - was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction. I would like to do an extended volunteering placement for an animal/conservation related scheme, but i don't know where to look. My intention would be to go and live in free accommodation and work there full time for no payment for a couple of month or so... Maybe go as part of a group of people interested in the same thing. Does anyone know where i could find stuff like this - UK based or abroad is ok, but i don't want to have to pay out any large amounts of money for travelling and accommodation. Thanks

Do you have to pay to be a wildlife/conservation volunteer thesedays? I am in my 30s and am seriously fed up with my current career. I am and always have been interested in wildlife and conservation. I am considering a return to university to study Zoology as a mature student. Before I do I would like to take a year out and I was hoping to go abroad and volunteer on a wildlife/conservation project. However, giving a year of my time, free of charge, doesn't seem enough thesedays. The only volunteer programs I can find are charging silly money for short placements. So my question is this; Is there anywhere or any organisation in the world where I can volunteer to work with wildlife or on a conservation project without paying for the privilage? I am happy to support myself but thesedays it seems you have to be a spoilt little rich kid to help save the planet. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

What is the best way to raise funds for a volunteer placement abroad.? I am volunteering as a teacher in Thailand for a couple of weeks in July however i am struggling to raise the necessary funds. Can anyone suggest any ideas or possible some companys who might sponser me? Thanks Ideas for fundraising is what i am after just to clarify

How can volunteer abroad ? I would like to volunteer in Africa through a local NGO. I am interested in a volunteer placement to work on the environment, water and sanitation or natural resource management. What organisation can arrange for me a work placement in Africa.

I'm looking for information technologies volunteer placements abroad, working for a charity or NGO. I've completed 2 years of a 3 year degree (hons) in 'Design for Digital Media' at the Leeds College of Art and Design and I'm differing the third year, picking it up in a years time. I'm looking for potential charity groups and NGO's that work with IT training in foreign countries for placement. Such as the OLPC group who send laptops to children around the world, I'm sure they need technicians to help train the children in the use of the machines. I've visited India before with my father who works with charities and NGO's who set up sustainability projects in rural communities and I would quite happily work on projects such as these. I am, however, looking at this point for organizations that work with IT schemes in rural areas. IT connectivity is one of the greatest opportunities the world has for mass freedom of speech and education, I'd love to donate my skills towards this end. I'm sure there must be groups who take on college students and I'm looking for anyone's opinions and advice. Has anyone done a placement like this before that they could recommend? Or perhaps you could point me in the direction of someone who might know? Thank you to everyone that helps. I look forward to reading your replies. Jak Sorry to be over poetic about the IT connectivity. It's worth having a little passion sometimes though, no? :) Thanks for the reply Miranda, your right I did forget a few key details. My details are: DOB: 1987 Residence: UK Languages: English (only) I will check out those links dreckly. I'd never considered Macedonia, but S'Africa I certainly had. I've got a few contacts who work in the Gambia who also mentioned a few groups worth getting in contact with.

I want to volunteer abroad but im not sure where to start looking? I dont want to work just for a year or a month or so i would like a permenant placement, preferably one that doesnt charge a monthly fee!

Volunteering abroad! any funding possible? Hi, next summer i i will be hopefully volunteering in nepal for about 4 weeks teaching english to Tibetan kids in a monastery! :) though the placement is about 300 quid (covers accommodation) and flights are about 600 pounds!! so is there any grants i can apply for to help slim this down? I have only been told about the Churchill Trust. Any help greatly appreciated thank you :)

Is taking a gap year sensible if I want to get into a good medical school? I want to take a gap year before going to University because I really want to do some volunteering abroad. I have tried to find under 18 placements but they are very limited (in availability as well as the period of time spent over there) so I was considering taking a gap year to fit this in (so I will be old enough and have more time) but will this affect my chances of being accepted into a good medical school? Thank you in advance for any advice.

Which of these 4 options (summer work) do you think sounds better? hi I am a university student and I need something to keep me occupied during the (4 month) summer vacation. These are my options: 1) Stay in the city where my university is and look for a paid part-time job (e.g. waitress, retail assistant, kitchen assistant). Will be away from my family but could go back and visit every fortnight. Will have 2 friends for company, and the gym I paid for will be nearby 2) Go back to tiny boring home-town where I have no friends and no gym, but a loving family who I love spending time with, and hope that my old job at a supermarket will give me some hours on the tills (hate the job but will get to be with my family) 3) Take a volunteering project/placement abroad e.g. business in China, conservation in Brazil etc. - no pay, will have to pay a lot of money for flights, but interesting experience 4) Book a week long package holiday to Ibiza/Tenerife etc. (a mediterranean clubbing resort) to try and look for season work , no guaruntee will find a job so could be a waste of £400! Season work e.g. bar-work , PR, waitressing, etc. I NEED something to do over the summer because I'm trying to get over my ex boyfriend and I find that as long as I don't have "idle mental time" I'm ok. When my uni exams finish this semester I'll have nothing to focus on and I don't want to relapse and get all depressed again! I should mention that I'm studying Anatomy and Human Biology, but don't want a career in this field. I'm 20 years old and have lived a fairly-sheltered life..I've never been abroad on my own. Can you please tell me what you think would be best? x

IT / Computing career path for charity or international development work? I love my job in in IT (tech support & projects, mostly manufacturing / finance sectors up to now). My partner is studying International Development, so may get posted overseas down the track. I have always wanted to get a VSO placement, one day, or find a career that helps people (rather than just increasing company profits). Can anyone suggest a IT career path, or specific IT skills which would help prepare me for work in developing countries, or the not-for-profit sector? I'm especially keen to hear from IT professionals who have worked for e.g. VSO, Australian Volunteers International, UNV, Peace Corps, Volunteer Abroad or similar.

Do you know of opportunities to volunteer abroad teaching English? OK I'm going to try asking this question in a different category as I didn't get anything when I asked it in the 'teaching' category. I have been looking on the web for opportunities to teach English in Latin America during the summer vacation (six weeks or so) as a volunteer (I teach ESL in college during the school year). I found a lot of organizations that do placements, but they were all prohibitively expensive for me (I'm a single mother). I was wondering if anyone knew of a way that I can volunteer without having to pay, or perhaps having to pay only a small fee. Serious answers only, please!

Do you know of any programs in Latin America/Spain that need volunteers to teach students English? I am an elementary school teacher in the States and want to use my summers to teach abroad. I have searched and searched online, but many of the programs I've found require pricey placement fees and certificates in TESOL/TEFL (which I'm not even sure is necessary). I'm not looking to make any money- just want to travel, learn Spanish, and donate my time. If anyone has had experience volunteering and teaching students abroad, I'd appreciate your input. Thank you!!

Am I obliged to pay for this one? I wanted to volunteer abroad (teach English) so I found an organization in Argentina who found a placement for me. I paid them a $30 registration fee, and $1000 was due at the beginning of the placement, which included the "program placement," accommodation for one month, and the airport pick-up. I was ill when I was supposed to fly (doctor can verify) and I could not come. On the website FAQ it says that if I cancel less than 20 days before the start of the program, I will need to pay 50% of the cost. I did not sign a contract (I didn't know about the 20 day policy), and I have a legitimate excuse. Am I still obliged to pay them? I was not to be paid for the placement, it was 100% volunteering.

Working abroad. need help. not a joke. please read!!!? Next summer (2010) i want to WORK abroad. specifically russia. I am from the states, i know english only but am considering taking language clases. I do not want to volunteer. I am aware that the language barrier will be an issue. I have childcare experience so i could be an au pair or teach converstional english to a FAMILY (not in a school) the only agency i can find is STA travel and they don't have anything to russia so PLEASE if anybody knows any other agencies.. let me know. ive searched everywhere. I dont need anyone to tell me what i need.. language classes, visas. i know that, i just need a placement agency. please help. this is my dream. thank you =]

where can i dog volunteer? Hi, I have been looking everywhere on the internet to find a charity that needs dogs volunteers abroad (Love dogs to pieces but prepared to work with any animals). The reason why im looking abroad is that Im prepared to get up and leave the U.K and stay for a while and help out,and the only thing i can seem to find is placements that you have to pay to go and stay for like a 4 weeks max and thats not what i want to do i want to be based somewhere and stay for as long as poss that provides accomaddation, even if i dont get paid. Does anybody know of any charities??

Can an international student from the middle east enter an ivy league university? Or politics have little influence in the selection of candidates for higher education? High school GPA 4.0 High school Average : 99.175 % IGCSE "O" Levels in six subjects with the following scores : (A) Physics (A) Chemistry (A) Biology (B) English as a second language (B) Mathematics (B) Arabic as a first language SAT: Critical Reading: 500 Mathematics: 540 Writing: 520 TOEFL (iBT) : 104/120 TOEFL (cBT): 259/300 I am 17 years of age, i speak two languages and am working on the third one =P. i also have secured a company to sponsor my education abroad financially, i also have some extracurricular activities, such as volunteering and a bit of work placement in total ( 331 hours of both ) , i got three great recommendation letters from teachers and my supervisors at work.. please keep in mind i am not an american citizen, and the american curriculum is foreign to me, as one would expect from such subpar SAT scores.. Thank you for your time, patience and any help rendered =)

What is the name of this counselling technique? (If it IS one) (See details)? I suspect it may be a counselling technique, but I'm not sure, hence the question. I was at a workshop for returned volunteers recently. There was a reflection session first thing. We were directed to close our eyes and to think back. Well, my reaction was totally unexpected. I nearly freaked out when we were asked to think back to a time before we went off on our respective placements abroad. Such an innocent question, bizarre response on my part. When we were directed to thnk of our time abroad, I was suddenly fine. Was this a counselling technique? If so, how does it work? Thanks.

Voluntary Work with Animals? Iv been looking at doing voluntary work with animals an really find any good placements. Iv looked at places around where i live (Sheffield area) and not found much choice. Iv also looked at going to work abroad like in South Africa for two weeks and i was shocked to see how much these trips cost. Does anyone know of anywhere near Sheffield that would take on a volunteer or of a site that;s got cheap voluntary work abroad?

Working abroad? need help. not a joke. please read!!!? Next summer (2010) i want to WORK abroad. specifically russia. I am from the states, i know english only but am considering taking language clases. I do not want to volunteer. I am aware that the language barrier will be an issue. I have childcare experience so i could be an au pair or teach converstional english to a FAMILY (not in a school) the only agency i can find is STA travel and they don't have anything to russia so PLEASE if anybody knows any other agencies.. let me know. ive searched everywhere. I dont need anyone to tell me what i need.. language classes, visas. i know that, i just need a placement agency. please help. this is my dream. thank you =]

Working abroad. need help. not a joke. please read!!? Next summer (2010) i want to WORK abroad. specifically russia. I am from the states, i know english only but am considering taking language clases. I do not want to volunteer. I am aware that the language barrier will be an issue. I have childcare experience so i could be an au pair or teach converstional english to a FAMILY (not in a school) the only agency i can find is STA travel and they don't have anything to russia so PLEASE if anybody knows any other agencies.. let me know. ive searched everywhere. I dont need anyone to tell me what i need.. language classes, visas. i know that, i just need a placement agency. please help. this is my dream. thank you =]