Gap Year Volunteering
Find out about fantastic volunteer jobs across the world by browsing the opportunities below. Voluntary work with projects abroad in developing countries are a great way to make the most of your gap year, whether you are interested in volunteering with children, or getting work experience in childcare, coaching, teaching, healthcare or the environment.
Gap Year Volunteering
GapGuru
Gap year specialist offering exciting volunteer, travel and internship opportunities across Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. Discover new countries and cultures and immerse yourself in local communities, while helping those in genuine need.
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BUNAC
Established work and travel organisation - Offering volunteer work & travel experience worldwide.
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African Conservation Experience
We provide all ages with the opportunity to work alongside experienced zoologists, marine biologists, conservationists, wildlife vets and reserve managers. Whether you are working as a research assistant out in the field or caring for animals in a wildlife rehabilitation centre, you will be making a valuable contribution to conservation efforts in southern Africa.
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A Broader View
Volunteer Abroad Work Social Welfare & Conservation Programs. 22 Countries 165 Projects
Inspire
Diverse volunteer projects across Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. Volunteer abroad with Inspire to match your skills and aspirations to projects in genuine need. Projects include volunteer teaching, childcare, healthcare, conservation, business and community work.
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Volunteering Solutions
Volunteering Solutions provides affordable International Volunteer Abroad Programs in 18 countries across Asia, Africa and Latin/South America. Since 2006 Volunteering Solutions has provided great volunteering experience to over 3000 volunteers from around the world.
Real Gap
Gap year and adventure travel from just 2 weeks in over 35 countries!
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Sporting Opportunities
Join sports coaching volunteer projects in Africa, Asia and South America and coach sports to disadvantaged children. Receive a FREE brochure and FREE £50 voucher to put towards the latest travel kit.
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The Leap
Volunteering, Summer Gap and Internships in Africa, South America and Asia.
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Personal Overseas Development (PoD)
1 week-6 month volunteer projects in Asia, including Thailand, South America and Africa
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Kaya Responsible Travel
Over 250 projects across 26 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Choose to work with wildlife and environmental conservation or community projects from teaching, sports and medical to building, childcare and other development initiatives. Skilled and unskilled positions from 2 weeks to 6 months. Travel and make a world of difference today.
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Projects Abroad
Fantastic gap year volunteering opportunities in 26 countries
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International Volunteer HQ
International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) provides safe and extremely affordable volunteer trips abroad. We have programs in over 18 different countries and send over 5000 volunteers abroad annually.
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Intrax
Volunteering in Belize, Brazil, Ghana, India, Mexico, Peru, Thailand and more. Projects with children, education, health and the environment. Internships and Jobs in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
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Raleigh International
Unique and challenging adventure, community and environmental projects overseas.
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Think Pacific
Volunteer in Fiji! Building, teaching, sports coaching combined with an island safari.
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Travellers Worldwide
Choose from over 300 exciting projects in 20 countries!!
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Khaya Volunteer Projects
Volunteer and Gap year projects with wildlife and children in Africa
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So How Can You Volunteer in Your Year Out?
Volunteer work can be done almost anywhere in the world and can offer you an experience you will never forget. You don’t have to volunteer for a full year. Most gap year organisations run volunteering projects overseas and in the UK from a few weeks to a few months. If you want to volunteer in Africa, for example, you could get volunteer work building villages, helping in a hospital or teaching in schools. You could even get a position where you work with animals - perfect if you're passionate about wildlife and conservation, or are studying a related subject at university or college.
So what exactly is volunteering? How can you become a volunteer? Volunteering is basically when you give your time free of charge to help an organisation or a project. In return for your help, you get the chance to get involved with something really positive, to make a difference in a community, and add valuable work experience to your CV. You will also learn a lot about working with different people, and working as part of a team. Any employer will be impressed by a really good voluntary placement on a CV.
You can find voluntary work with organisations offering placements in developing countries such as those in Africa or South America, where they really appreciate having young, enthusiastic English speakers who can help out free of charge in communities or on conservation projects. Alternatively, you can volunteer in the UK with a charity, or in European countries if you can speak the relevant language. International volunteering has the advantage of including travel and the possibility of learning a language and about different cultures, as well as giving the chance to build it into a longer term travel plan for your year out. Volunteering with a UK based charity gives you the chance to get some work experience which might be relevant for your career choices. Whether you want to work in an orphanage as a community or medical volunteer or on a nature reserve as a conservation volunteer, the organisations in this section will have something to offer you.
