What can I volunteer for and how easy is it?

Question

I'm from England, and I'm 17. I left school with about 10 GCSEs, went to Sixth Form College, but left after just under one year, so for the last 10 months I've been just bumming around, with friends, and I've had one job at M&S which was a temporary contract over Christmas. I've been in the TA for 6 months or so now, and that's the only commitment I have.

I'd really like to help people, and am really quite passionate about helping others and doing good. (I think my mates think I'm a bit wierd at times because of this, but I don't care! lol).

I've helped a friend out in a charity shop for a week or so once while he was doing community service, and it was really good to help people that way, but I'd like to go somewhere like Africa where I could really live the whole experience. I'm very passionate about it all, but don't know how to actually do it. Bearing in mind that I've got no real qualifications and I'm only 17, is it possible, and if so; how?

Thanks in advance. :)

Answer 1

You say you are in England -- are you still there? You also say that you are in the "TA" -- but I'm not sure what that is.

Volunteering is a real commitment. You have to make time for it, and you have to be at the organization you have expressed interest with when you say you are going to be there. A lot of people sign up to volunteer, then don't show up for when they say they would, and then after several months, wonder why the organization hasn't called them again.

Africa is out -- you are too young. Africa needs highly skilled people who can train people in a trade, advise them regarding agricultural practices, provide health care services and training, etc. VSO, which is based in England, released a scathing report last year about fee-based volunteering services there that send unskilled volunteers such as yourself to developing countries for fees, so I won't recommend the fee-based route either.

For now, stick with England. Look for volunteering opportunities here:

DO-IT Home

www.do-it.org.uk/

Environmentjob.co.uk

jobs and volunteering opportunities at environmental organisations, large and small, in the United Kingdom

http://www.Environmentjob.co.uk

Volunteering England

Volunteering opportunities and volunteerism resources

http://www.volunteering.org.uk

Here is a web site that can help you learn more about the skills and experience desired by long-term placement organizations, like VSO, in developing countries, and how you can gain that experience locally, through volunteering and your studies:

http://www.coyotecommunications.com/volu...

Answer 2

It sure seems like there should be a way to- the folks in Africa would probably appreciate any help they could get.

I'd google around- there must be organizations looking for people like you.

Here's an especially great-looking program for you:

http://www.globalcrossroad.com/teach_in_...

Some other links:

http://www.isp.msu.edu/ncsa/volteer.htm

http://www.volunteeringinafrica.org/

http://www.idealist.org/

Good luck in your search!!

I'd be curious to see what you end up doing :)