They have the opportunity to gain an in-depth insight into another culture. Many find that they also develop professional skills in planning, people management or training, says Paula McIlwaine, the VSO Ireland representative. The experience means they ll come home with plenty of fresh ideas that will be in demand from potential employers. VSO volunteers are made up of people coming from a diverse range of cultural and skills backgrounds who believe they can make a long-term volunteering commitment which will be of benefit to host communities. Those who have worked as teachers, for example, will go overseas to teach or work as teacher trainers, and engineers will pass on their engineering skills in a formal or informal training capacity.
Volunteers welcome the challenge of working and living in a very different culture.
According to Paula, they need to be flexible, open to learning and sensitive to the needs of others. Generally they are self-assured and all are happy to work alongside other people. The placements are wide-ranging, both geographically and in terms of job descriptions. A very broad range of opportunities exists from business, teaching, engineering, IT, health and natural resources to community and technical work. VSO provides a financial package that covers the cost of flights and visas, medical insurance and national insurance contributions.