Graduate Opportunities

Undertaking volunteer work overseas is a great way to experience living in a different country/culture and gaining work experience at the same time. You also have the opportunity to contribute your time and skills for a cause, a community or an issue that is important to you on a personal level. Not only can the whole experience contribute to your own personal development and self-confi dence, overseas volunteering looks great on a resume.
Employers recognise valuable character traits that OS work experience indicates, such as initiative, passion and sense of ethics.

There are many formal and informal programs which assist Australian students and graduates who would like to volunteer OS. These programs range from two-week work camps to two-year professional placements. Opportunities available to you will depend in part on your skills, current demand and the countries you are interested in or willing to volunteer in.

The right skills

Volunteer skills that are often in demand overseas include building and restoration, childcare, national park track maintenance, teaching English, agricultural work, childcare, nursing/health care and scientific research.

Volunteering organisations and your university careers services will be able to assist you match you skills with potential overseas volunteering opportunities.

Mentally prepared

It is wise to remember that volunteer work is just that, WORK. It is often hard, and most volunteers have days when they wonder what they are doing and miss home (and home comforts).

Before committing to volunteering you should ask yourself a few questions:

• Why am I doing this?
• How will I manage “bad days”?
• Am I prepared to live without various home
comforts/luxuries?
• What do you hope to contribute?
• What can you do to get most out of the
experience?

There are not necessarily wrong or right answers to these questions, but they will assist you in determining whether you are
genuinely prepared for the OS volunteering experience.

What you need

Some organisations accept volunteers with little or no relevant qualifications or experience. In these cases, some organisations provide pre-departure or on-site training. Many organisations, however, will require that you have skills and qualifications that match their specific needs or the needs of the host community.

Costs

Many volunteer organisations charge a fee (which can vary greatly) for assisting you find volunteer work placements. Others offer a small stipend or provide housing or transportation assistance. For these reasons, make sure you do your research and know what expenses will be involved.

What and for whom

Many volunteers are attracted to a specific organisation from the outset; others find themselves confronted by an array of options and have a hard time deciding between them. Consider:

• What kind of work you would like to do
• The skills you have and the skill you would like to develop
• The kind of organisation that you would like to work for (size, private/public sector etc.)

OS volunteering websites

www.aiesec.org
www.ampersand.org.au
www.volunteersearch.gov.au
www.australianvolunteers.com
www.ausaid.gov.au/youtham
www.ciee.org/volunteer.aspx
www.fido.com.au
www.goodcompany.com.au
www.govolunteer.com.au
www.graddirect.com.au
www.idealist.org
www.volunteering.org.au
www.reach.org.au
www.volunteer.com.au
www.thesource.gov.au
www.cv.curtin.edu.au
www.whitelion.asn.au
www.worldvolunteerweb.org
www.volunteeringnow.org,nz
www.volunteer.org.nz/newzealand
www.projects-abroad.com.au