Career Break Advice

Tips for choosing a voluntary placement

Introduction

There are huge numbers of career break possibilities out there, but which is right for you? It can be hard to choose so here’s a guide to help narrow down your ideas and find your ideal sabbatical. There’s no right place to start – some people think about their placement first, while others choose a country – relax and focus on what you want out of your break; you’ll be surprised how easily it’ll come together.

What to do? Picking a placement

Think about your career so far – some placements can provide you with great experience that you wouldn’t have been able to get in the UK. This might seem a little selfish, but it’s definitely not - many less economically developed countries lack skilled professionals, and your help will be invaluable. If you’re a lawyer, consider working for a human rights organisation, or if you teach or tutor in the UK, you can transfer your skills to a classroom in Africa, Asia or South America.

However, remember that your placement doesn’t have to complement your current position – is there something you’ve always been interested in but never had the chance to try? A hobby, perhaps, that you’d like to take further or a skill that you’d like to develop? Maybe you just want to spend some time doing something completely selfless? Look at your sabbatical as a chance to really do what you want for a change.

Where to go? Choosing a country

If you haven’t got somewhere specific in mind, choosing a country, or even a continent, can be difficult. Don’t get too bogged down – try and regard your break more as part of your travelling life, not as a one off trip of a lifetime, even if it turns out that way. Now’s the time to get specific – if you don’t have an idea of your perfect place, think of different factors that might interest you in a country. Here are some you might consider:

Environment – firstly, do you want to be based in an urban or rural setting? If urban, then would you like to live in a town or city? If rural, would you prefer desert, savannah, jungle, coastal, mountainous setting? In a village or a camp?

Culture – do you want to see a specific landmark, like the Pyramids, or are you interested in type of music, dance, art or literature? Would you like to experience nomadic or tribal lifestyles?

Cuisine – what sort of food do you want to eat? Curry, chilli, hot and spicy? European influenced? Do you have a special dietary requirement (if so, discuss it with your gap company)?

Religion – do you want to experience a certain religion, such as Buddhism, Islam or Hinduism? Would you like to meet followers of animist faiths? Are you interested in a certain temple or belief system?

Sports – do you want to learn to dive? Perhaps you’d like to hike or trek, or go on safari? Every placement will give you time off, even if its just weekends, so think about how you’d like to use yours.

Language – Speak another language, or want to learn one? In many countries on the gap trail French or Spanish are spoken, or you might want to learn Chinese, Hindi… the possibilities are endless!

Still not sure?

• Go down to your local bookshop and flick through the guide books for different countries or areas.
• Watch a nature or travel TV show that focuses on an area you’re considering: anything that really brings it alive.
• Search for your chosen area on the net to see what you can find out.

If you’re still no closer to working out your perfect placement try and look at more general attributes of placements:

• Would you love or hate something really hands on, like building a school?
• Do you want something intellectually challenging, like using your travelling experience to learn another language or work for a newspaper or TV station?
• Would you rather work with kids, adults, animals or the natural world?
• Have you always been interested in the environment & conservation, archaeology or sports?

Still stuck? Then you need to speak to a gap company or to volunteers who’ve been on the placement(s) you’re considering. They can give you the expert advice you need, and will be willing to talk you through any dilemma, big or small!

Remember, too, that wherever you go you can always visit the neighbouring countries, or plan a longer trip – it’s up to you. The country of your placement might be the one you get to know best, but it’s also not your only option, so don’t go mad trying to decide! By the time you’ve finished your break, you’ll probably be a confident and seasoned traveller, and a bit travel mad, so it’s unlikely you’ll never get the chance to visit other places or maybe even do another placement.

Good luck!