Volunteering on a gap year or during a working holiday can be one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences you will ever go through.

But one of the most popular projects to volunteer for is one in Cambodia.

Bear rescue involves caring for over 90 rescued bears at a bear sanctuary near Phnom Penh. The bears are a mix of sun bears and black bears which have been rescued from poachers, the black market and businesses who are using them for entertainment.

During this project, it is your job to feed the bears, look after their environment, clean the enclosures and carry out maintenance.

This is a unique opportunity where you not only get to experience what it is like to live and work in Cambodia, but you get to help some animals who are in desperate need of care.

The best thing about these projects is that they are accessible to anyone. You don’t need to be an expert in animal care, or indeed know anything about it in order to apply. You simply need to be willing, enthusiastic and fit. And of course an interest in wildlife and conservation does help.

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Whether you’re looking for some time out of a mundane office job, or you have just finished school and fancy taking a year out, a personal overseas development trip might be just what you are looking for.

With one of these trips, you volunteer to help out on a project of your choice. This can be anything from teaching English overseas, to taking part in a wildlife mission.

Some of the countries that you can travel to under these development schemes are absolutely spectacular and not only will you learn more about yourself and the world, but you will get to visit some of the most beautiful areas on the planet.

One such area is Thailand which is located in the centre of South East Asia. Here, you can volunteer to teach English to Thai children, take part in a wildlife rescue or marine conservation or you could get involved in elephant care.

Projects in Thailand can be completed in one to four weeks and they take place on some islands off the South East coast, or at the animal rescue centre inland of Hua-Hin, or in Bangkok.

Because there is so much to explore in Thailand and the surrounding areas, it is usually advisable that you continue to travel after the project in finished to achieve the most enriching experience.

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After university, there is one thing that you are still lacking: life experience. It’s for this reason that many people head abroad on gap years.

A gap year can be a hugely worthwhile and rewarding experience, particularly if you head overseas and carry out some volunteer work.

By volunteering abroad, you can carry out work which will have a significant impact on people’s lives and while helping these communities, the volunteer is also likely to learn a range of valuable skills which they can put to use when they begin their career.

While living abroad, you will learn about another culture, which will encourage you to develop tact and diplomacy and the challenges you face in an unfamiliar environment will test you, allowing you to develop increased self-confidence and maturity.

While taking a gap year or working holiday might seem like postponing your entry into the jobs market, in reality you’re not losing ground to rival graduates. Potential employers won’t look upon overseas work experience unfavourably. In fact, they are likely to see it as a strong point on your CV, showing you have ambition, independence and are responsible enough to work in an unfamiliar environment and adapt accordingly.

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The European Commission has recently published a paper regarding ‘promoting the learning mobility of young people’. It revolves around how best to encourage young people to take the opportunities available to them in terms of living, studying and working abroad.

Working or volunteering overseas is one of the greatest ways that a young person can improve their employability and personal development. The European Commission recognises that ‘learning mobility’ is of great benefit for individuals and therefore for the businesses that will ultimately employ them as well.

Jan Figel, the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, believes that the skills gained could ultimately lead to a strong and sustainable EU economy.

There have been a great many EU supported programmes which have encouraged study or working abroad over the years. The Erasmus programme has been in place for 22 years and has helped support two million students in these activities.

There are a number of tools and initiatives, which, when combined, can greatly help an individual if they have ambitions to fulfil overseas, but it is still only a minority of students who take advantage of them and the European Commission believe that much more can be done.

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As you may have seen on the news, there has been some civic unrest in Bangkok.  The situation does now seem to be returning to normal and the protesters have dispersed.

PoD is continuing to monitor the situation closely through our staff and contacts in Thailand as well as through the British Embassy in Bangkok.

All volunteer placements are running as normal and we are advising volunteers to continue with their placements as planned.

We recommend keeping up to date with the latest British government advice - please click here for the FCO website guidance on Thailand (www.fco.gov.uk).

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Alex Tarrant, PoD Director

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As you may have seen on the news, there is currently some civic unrest in Bangkok.

PoD is monitoring the situation closely through our staff and contacts in Thailand as well as through the British Embassy in Bangkok.

All volunteer placements are running as normal and we are currently advising volunteers to continue with their placements as planned.  However, volunteers should avoid staying in Bangkok and we can assist with any required changes to travel plans.

We recommend keeping up to date with the latest British government advice - please click here for the FCO website guidance on Thailand (www.fco.gov.uk).  The current advice is: “We advise against all but essential travel to Bangkok. British nationals should also review travel plans to other parts of Thailand.”

We hope that the situation will be resolved as quickly and peacefully as possible.

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Alex Tarrant, PoD Director

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Thailand is a popular tourist destination thanks to its tropical climate, unique atmosphere and delicious cuisine. It’s also well known for its miles and miles of coastline, with hundreds of islands, both in the Gulf of Siam and in the Andaman Sea off the west coast.

You can experience this aspect of Thailand by doing some voluntary work in one of these areas. There are many projects available and some will allow you to spend time in some of the most beautiful spots on earth while contributing to the local environment in some way.

One project allows you to carry out marine conservation off Koh Tao – an island in the Gulf of Siam. This area boasts of a number of tropical reefs and the project aims to increase awareness of them while simultaneously looking for ways to protect and even restore them.

Obviously the project involves a good deal of diving and Koh Tao offers some of the finest you are ever likely to experience. You will take the PADI open water or advanced diver course prior to starting and after that you will be able to assist in various underwater reef surveys and information gathering.

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If you’ve been thinking about visiting Cambodia, you might also have considered doing some volunteer work while you’re there.

While Cambodia’s past has been violent, it is becoming an increasingly popular destination as it slowly recovers from the after-effects of the Khmer Rouge and the genocide that happened during their period of rule. The Angkor Wat temple complex is one of the best-known historical sites in the world and the capital, Phnom Penh has much to offer.

One option for volunteer work in Cambodia is working at a bear sanctuary near Phnom Penh. The sanctuary looks after sun bears and black bears within five to six hectares of their natural habitat. Work involves feeding the bears, cleaning their enclosures and managing their habitat.

Volunteers at the bear sanctuary stay in a village a few kilometres away in an area of the country that would ordinarily be little-visited by tourists. Phnom Penh is about 10km away and can easily be visited at the weekends.

Volunteering is a great way of experiencing a country. Staying in one place for a longer period, living in smaller towns and eating the local food gives you a feel for the area and being able to contribute to a worthwhile project at the same time can be greatly rewarding.

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If you’ve made the decision to volunteer abroad, one of the most difficult decisions is where to go. With the whole world to choose from, how do you narrow it down?

Belize is one option. Belize, which used to be known as British Honduras, is in Central America, between Guatemala and Mexico. A great advantage for volunteers from the UK is the fact that Belize is an English speaking country, although Creole and Spanish are also widely spoken.

With lowland forest, highland plateaus and flat, swampy coastal plains, the habitat in Belize is quite varied and the wildlife reflects this. The Belize Zoo and Tropical Eduction Center is one place you can do some overseas voluntary work. The zoo houses over 125 animals and they are all native to Belize and kept in their natural habitat. There are even a number of big cats, including jaguars, pumas and ocelots.

There are many different sorts of roles you can carry out when volunteering abroad and if you have specialist skills, you will be greatly in demand. Belize zoo can accommodate landscape designers, carpenters, builders, plumbers, electricians, marketing professionals, artists, web designers and photographers.

Volunteering abroad can be a very rewarding experience for you as well as the place where you’re helping out. If you fancy spending some time in Belize and doing something worthwhile while you’re there, why not give it a go.

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One of the most important sets of documentation which you will carry with you during your gap year is your passport and if you are embarking on a working holiday then your visa also.

It is essential that you take good care of these and take every precaution which is necessary to safeguard these items. In this article, we will provide you with helpful tips which will elicit piece of mind in relation to these very important documents.

First of all, it is a good idea to jot down your passport number, place of issue and the date of issue and keep this in a secure place. It is advisable that this should not be in the same location as your passport is kept for obvious reasons.

Secondly, ensure that your passport is in date for the full length of time of your trip as the last thing which you would want is for problems like this to arise on your journey home. Following on from this, it is important that you add the full details of your next of kin to the back of your passport incase this is ever needed in an emergency.

Finally, it is a good idea to take a copy of your passport and leave it with a close friend or family member at home. Also make sure that you take an alternative proof of ID with you for added security.

The chances of your passport becoming stolen or lost overseas are remote, however if the worst does come to the worst then it is imperative that you make this known to the British Embassy or Consulate as soon as possible and they will be able to help you.

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