KGY Tips

Volunteering Abroad

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Students who have just finished the college entrance exam, or students who are about to graduate from college and are about to get a job, or those who are working and suddenly want to find something special in their daily lives.

There are times when we feel ready to do something new without even realizing it. Some people want to take a break, while others want to be thrown into a world different from their daily lives. Students who have volunteered abroad say that they have been able to experience both of these things.

Park Yeon-su, a participant in the gap year volunteer camp last summer, said this:
I dare say that the gap year camp was a turning point in my life. I used to be busy worrying about how to make a living while being immersed in my daily worries, but through this one-week experience, I was able to remember the things that made my heart beat again. Although the camp is over, I have gained human resources and information that can continuously suggest the direction I should take in the future based on my experience. Through these people, I was able to make my vague dreams into reality, and I gained the passion to do so.

Why volunteer abroad?
One of the most appealing reasons to volunteer abroad is the opportunity to make an impact where it is needed most.
You can teach children in understaffed schools in developing countries, help them reach their potential, provide educational opportunities to impoverished communities, or build accommodations or amenities for local residents. The scope and scope of volunteer work is much broader than you might think.

Your daily routine may change during your gap year volunteering. You may want to visit the world-famous Angkor Wat after volunteering in Cambodia, but you can’t. Depending on the organization, the work schedule and activities may vary. Also, depending on where and what you volunteer, the work may be difficult or easy. You may meet new people and have another vacation during your volunteering.

The important thing is that these vacations during volunteering are quite different from regular holidays. Whether you are staying for a long-term volunteering period or a gap year, gappers can experience and absorb the culture of a foreign country. When you become part of a local community and travel to famous tourist destinations in that country for a weekend, you can see yourself as a member of the local community rather than a tourist. You can understand the difficulties of that country and that region more.

The perspective and value of volunteering abroad
Volunteering abroad can be described in many abstract terms such as leadership, social skills, drive, and self-fulfillment.

Gap year volunteering is viewed positively overseas. For example, the president of an online marketing company described volunteering during a gap year as follows:
Volunteering makes applicants feel more mature than just traveling. Long-term gap year volunteering can be more than just a long vacation; it can show the core of what participants want to gain. And this experience can also show ‘social responsibility’.

When trying to adapt to work and new concepts, I think volunteering projects give young applicants a variety of experiences that help them understand the wider world.

Volunteering, the Beginning
The organization you choose to volunteer with will categorize and provide accommodations, food, transit flights, and travel. The items provided may vary depending on the organization. Generally, organizations provide accommodations for volunteers. In particular, NGOs in Southeast Asian countries often have well-equipped facilities because many volunteers visit their organizations. Before starting volunteer work, organizations conduct orientations on the activities.

There are various opportunities for volunteer work fields and tasks worldwide, and they can be categorized as follows:

Educational volunteer work
Wildlife/conservation volunteer work
Community/childcare volunteer work
Construction and architectural volunteer work
Medical volunteer work
Sports and play volunteer work

Travel during volunteer work
During volunteer work, you can take advantage of your free time other than work hours to go on vacation and travel. The travel expenses for such activities vary depending on the destination and length of stay. When planning a gap year, it is a good idea to plan your budget in advance.

Advice to volunteers
It can be a huge courageous and challenging decision to go abroad alone for the first time. Some who have already done gap year volunteer work advise this.

When participating in long-term volunteer work, you should have a clear goal, a plan for it, and sincerity as an individual or with other volunteers. Also, this long-term volunteer work can be a long-term and sustainable project for the organization you are volunteering for, not a short-term one.

In addition, they say that it is most important to be sure that your choice is one you will not regret, and to enjoy it and create opportunities there.

The definition of volunteer work may vary from person to person, but one thing is certain: gap year volunteer work will help you, but it will also be a time to look back on yourself.
Courage, and challenge. Your dreams. I support you!