We asked our very own members and volunteers what made them go to a different country, leave behind the comfort of their homes, parents, and friends and do some volunteer work with people from all over the world. We wanted to know what drove them to volunteer and given a chance, why they would do it again.

After a good number of responses over a few years, this is what they had to tell us!

1. Experience Personal Growth
“The only one you need to be better than is who you were yesterday”

Many volunteers come back from their experience and say they’ve evolved as a person. In most cases volunteers become more concerned and aware of the problems facing the world and once they’ve returned from a trip are usually more independent, more adventurous and more courageous – especially if it was their first independent trip.

2. Stand Out of the regular

If you’re looking to stand out from the crowd, volunteering is a great talking point in all forms of life – from future interviews with new employers to life stories down the pub!

This is something that companies and externals highly value when looking for talent.

3. Use Your Skills to Appreciate Others

“Human need for contribution is fuels the species and it’s progression”
That feeling you get when you KNOW you’ve appreciated or added value to someone else’s life is one of the purest and rewarding.

Skill unutilized is skill wasted.

4. Spend Time – with Quality

Getting bored of your current 9-5? Take a break and volunteer. Not only will you be doing something worthwhile, but you’ll get the chance to get focused about where you want your life to go and you’ll have plenty of chances to explore and see a new land too.

You will feel better at the end of it and will want more.
5. See the Impact You’ve Made – Yourself

Stand back and take a look. Pausing to take a moment to see what you’ve achieved during your time away is an incredible experience. Seeing your efforts manifest into something beautiful is something that only few have the opportunity to see.

6. Better Your CV

It’s as much taking back, when you give. During your time away you’ll find out so much about yourself. You’ll learn new skills and build on your current experience, and all of the above is great for padding out your CV. And as mentioned before, people who are looking for talent are extremely delighted to hear that you are willing to do something without getting paid.

7. New Friendships – Belong

Human is after all a social animal. We seek belonging everywhere we go. Making friends with other volunteers is a strong motive for many of those who choose to volunteer abroad.

Many volunteers make lifelong friendships that come from working through difficulties and exploring new things together.

8. Plus one with Languages

The best way to develop your language skills is to use it day to day in real life situations, and volunteering provides the perfect opportunity to do this. You don’t get very far practicing Spanish three hours a week if when you speak English for the other 165 hours of the week, but when spending a significant amount of time abroad you will be speaking a foreign language twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. 6 weeks of your life.

9. LIVE a new culture

“Travel takes a mute and makes him a story teller”
One of the biggest benefits of volunteering abroad is being able to spend an extended period of time in a new country. It’s a unique learning experience that will see you interacting with new cultures, trying out loads of awesome new food, speaking new languages and meeting new people. As a volunteer you will get a glimpse of the local culture, allowing you to become a traveller, rather than a tourist

10. Do something today that your future you will thank

Life is all about the memories, the people, the experiences and the value you add to others. Everyday. One day, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.

Sometimes, what we regret is those opportunities we did not take. Make sure you’re not one of them. All of us have an initial hesitation towards something new, but once we let it consume us is when it becomes dangerous.