Volunteering on a project can enable you to develop new skills!

Even before you start working on your project, you will start learning new skills. Organising and budgeting for your trip will teach you skills that are very useful both in your everyday life and professionally.

On your volunteer project you will have to overcome various challenges. You will be working with people from different countries and cultures, the project work could be difficult or demanding, and you will be living in a new country where you might not speak the language. However, confronting and overcoming these challenges will enhance your skills of adaptability, patience and problem-solving. As you will be working in a team of volunteers, you will also acquire skills such as compassion, teamwork, leadership and communication. After your trip, you will discover that you feel much less anxious or overwhelmed in stressful situations. 

Volunteering abroad will also improve your career opportunities both now and in the future. Having volunteered overseas is something that many employers notice and value highly as it shows courage, independence and determination.

All our projects support the National Skills Builder programme and include certificates in skills assessments using this framework:

  • Listening - using and understanding native and new languages, taking part in group discussions, asking and framing questions, speaker techniques, understand and use active listening, critically evaluate effective conversations.
  • Presenting - creating and giving presentations, taking part in group discussions, explaining ideas and complex situations, adapting communications for different audiences, understanding different cultural norms. 
  • Problem solving - asking for help, giving advice and feedback, researching solutions, analysing solutions, understanding complexity, working with limited resources, explaining issues, working with teams to solve problems, assessing impact and assumptions. 
  • Creativity - use your imagination and/or skills in writing, drawing or acting, create and articulate ideas, using mind mapping techniques, understanding different perspectives, understand the importance of diversity in creativity.
  • Staying positive - understanding emotions, supporting others, working in a team, dealing with difficult situations, working with challenging people, understanding motivations, assessing and mitigating risk. 
  • Aiming high - doing your best, working on something you are proud of, making a difference to people or communities, making plans, setting goals, monitoring progress, giving and receiving feedback and constructive criticism, understanding your strengths and weaknesses.
  • Leadership - working in a team, understanding motivation in others, decision making, understanding strengths and weaknesses in others, conflict resolution, emotion empathy and resilience, understanding and demonstrating leadership in various situations. 
  • Teamwork - working with others, group dynamics, taking responsibility in a group, understanding how groups change, learning to get on with others, solving problems together, overcoming issues and making a lasting impact. 

List of useful links to resources on developing skills:

See our projects