Globerovers Magazine, July 2019

Question 2: What are your core
skills?
To really ensure that what you offer as
a volunteer will make a difference, think
about volunteering in a field in which you
have some expertise. There is a need for
accountants, computer technicians and
nurses everywhere in the world! Even if
you don’t feel that you are an expert in
anything, there will always be skills that
you have and can offer – such as being a
whizz with social media or the ability to
edit documents in English.
You may wish to have a stint volunteering
in order to get a break from your normal
work and try your hand at something
new. While there is nothing wrong with
that, be sure that you are clear with the volunteer
organization about your limitations,
and never seek to practice beyond your
skill set. If you are learning a new skill try
to take the position of intern or assistant,
supporting qualified local staff members.
Question 3: What are your passions?
Think about what you love doing.
When do you feel most engaged, connected,
and alive? When were the times in your
life that you have been really enraged about
an issue or motivated about a change you’d
like to see in the world?
Every passion – dancing, programming,
good practice in management, campaigning
to reduce the amount of plastic in the
ocean – can be enhanced and channeled
into supporting a good cause. One of our
favorite quotes is from Howard Thurman,
who said, “Don’t ask what the world needs.
Ask what makes you come alive, and then
go and do that, as what the world needs is
people who have come alive.”
Question 4: What impact do you
want to have on the world?
If there is a change you would like to
see, or an injustice you would like to challenge,
be sure to avoid the trap of assuming
that you know all about the issue before you
have experienced it firsthand. Be open to
learning from local people, changing your
mind, and even “unlearning” some things
you thought to be true. For example, if you
are a huge advocate of organic farming and
have plenty of technical skills from experience
in your own country, it is crucial to
find out how cultural, climatic or economic
issues may affect the perspective of organic
farming overseas.
We also encourage you to think about
how an experience abroad might affect your
ability to make long-term changes, looking
beyond the immediate effects of your trip.
Will you learn skills, such as movementbuilding
or effective fund-raising, which
will enable you to continue to contribute to
this cause in the future?
Considering these questions is a great
first step in deciding how to (and whether
to) take a volunteer trip abroad.
Good luck with whatever you choose!
Learning Service: The Essential
Guide to Volunteering Abroad
is full of advice on how to volunteer
abroad ethically. It is available to
buy from Amazon.
Follow us:
@learningservice
@Learnser
@learning.service
Photo: Pixabay
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