Break Could Make Your Career

A career break to volunteer in remote parts of the world can give you renewed energy and even a step up in your career. Stacey Adams explains how managers can put their experience to good use with Raleigh International.

Last year, 44% of adults in the UK took part in some sort of volunteer work. Some of those signed up through their employer, with 36% of organisations now operating a scheme that encourages volunteering.

What is interesting is that most people approach volunteering with good intentions of helping their community or the world in some way. In reality, the majority of those who get involved receive the greatest benefit themselves. This is particularly true when volunteering overseas, away from all those creature comforts; living in places where your Blackberry and mobile phone do not work. The challenges and transformational benefits give volunteers of all ages a chance to look at the world and their career in a new way.

Raleigh International is a charity dedicated to challenging people through their experiences on overseas expeditions, with volunteer managers working alongside younger volunteers to really make a difference to the community they are working in.

Every year, Raleigh International sends nearly 1,000 people on expeditions to locations such as India, Borneo, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The expeditions are designed to develop leadership skills and support the personal growth of young people aged 17–24 from all nationalities and backgrounds, including those who are disadvantaged.

Anyone 25 or over can be a volunteer manager. They work with these young people – known as ‘venturers’ – on sustainable community, environmental and adventure projects in remote destinations worldwide. Over the past 23 years, Raleigh International has taken 30,000 people on more than 250 expeditions to over 40 countries.

A WIN-WIN PROPOSITION

There is no single deciding factor that inspires professionals to put their jobs on hold for three months. Some are looking to develop their professional skills in a new arena, some are looking for challenges not normally found in the workplace and others are at a crossroads in their lives and looking for new experiences. Some organisations offer a paid sabbatical, others offer help with sponsorship to raise funds and some take unpaid leave on the understanding that their job will be held open for them.

A carefully planned and well-organised career break can benefit the individual and their organisation as well as communities in the country where they volunteer. Companies who have sent their people on a career break with Raleigh International report that the returning employee is more motivated in their role, more understanding of themselves and the needs of others and that they have developed better management techniques that they can use to good effect.

Career breaks are now being used by employers as an integral part of their corporate social responsibility programmes and are recognising the value that they, and well motivated employees, add to the organisations’ reputation. The results of a recent survey by employer KPMG revealed that 97% of employees involved in volunteering with the company would recommend KPMG as a responsible employer.

PERSONAL GROWTH

Raleigh International volunteer managers are given lots of support and training to help them do everything from digging a long-drop toilet or building a jungle camp to motivating a group of young people who are tired and hungry at the end of a 30km trek over tough terrain.

Raleigh International has permanent staff members in each country who support all volunteers. Roles are allocated according to each volunteer’s experience, strengths and areas for improvement. For example, a volunteer finance manager who wants to develop team building skills may take part in project managing a group of young people while looking after the expedition’s accounts and sponsors.

Of course, not all volunteer managers return to their old posts on their return. For some, the Raleigh experience inspires people to change career and refocus. Our finance director on expedition in Namibia in 2006 was previously working as an accountant in the UK.

On expedition she helped a group of indigenous bushman to set up their own eco-tourism enterprise and so enjoyed teaching the group how to use their computer that she found a job in computer training on her return to the UK.

She has returned to work full of enthusiasm for her new role, as well as with a new found love of volunteering and greater respect for the benefits it can bring.