Posts Tagged ‘volunteer’

Top 10 Reasons to Try Experteering
Monday, February 22nd, 2016

When you look back on your life will you regale your friends and grandchildren with “that month you were slightly more productive at your corporate job”…or that time you “helped a Brazilian non-profit save a virgin rainforest from a logging company”?

Are you an engineer, lawyer, graphical designer, or IT professional thinking about taking a Career Break? Now you can finally volunteer in your area of expertise around the world! Experteering allows you to make the most of your career skills by volunteering for causes that matter to you, while exploring exotic places in ways most travelers could only dream.

Enter our Experteering Contest

Use your professional skills on your career break! Sign up to win a MovingWorlds.org membership in partnership with Meet Plan Go, and Experteer around the world for FREE. Make your career break count.

Here are ten of the many reasons you should seriously consider Experteering for your next adventure.

1. Travel the world

See Experteering Opportunities around the world.

Finding a project in one of your bucket list countries will allow you to combine two of the best experiences: travel and making a difference in the world. Experteering gives you the reason and road to get the places you’ve dreamt of exploring.

2. No donation required

While volunteer opportunities like building a house or volunteering at an orphanage can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, Experteering rarely costs any money at all, and some even provide travel stipends. MovingWorlds’ organizations desire your skills and passion much more than your money and connects you to immersive local experiences in exchange for your skills.

3. You will make lasting change

No matter what your skill set, from accounting to graphic design to finance to copywriting to social media to engineering to blogging, you can help make an organization stronger than you found it. MovingWorlds has a multi-pronged approach to help you make the most of your Experteering opportunity, and removes any unnecessary stress from the process.

4. Cultural immersion

Integrate with the local community! Photo by MovingWorlds.org

Unlike a traditional vacation or even a backpacking trip, you will be fully immersed in your destination. You will get to know your local grocer, barista, bus driver, and co-workers and undoubtedly be welcomed into the community. It’s the fast track to truly “live like a local!”

5. Build your resume

Anyone who has been on a job interview in the last 10 years knows that it’s all about differentiating yourself from the other candidates. Come to the table with a unique and memorable story…and what better story than your experience Experteering half-way around the world, making a positive change while honing your various skills.

6. Make wonderful friends

Experteering and volunteering are naturally self selecting, so you will be interacting with like-minded folks who love travel, altruism, and thinking outside of the traditional social confines.

7. Change things up at work/life

Sometimes a little stir of the pot will bring out a bunch of new flavors, and life is no different. If you are going to work thinking “what am I really achieving here, am I making anyone’s life better selling more X, Y or Z?” then maybe it’s time to try something fresh and fulfilling.

8. The gift that keeps on giving

Work with business peers in other countries. Photo by MovingWorlds.org

When you realize that your skills can make a supremely positive change on an organization, and you get to explore a fascinating region of the world, you will want to repeat the experience. The good news is MovingWorlds allows you to sign up for unlimited future projects, without any extra admin fees.

9. Learn a language

You will have the opportunity to practice the region’s language as much or as little as you wish, and undoubtedly come away with improved communication skills.

10. Life is short. Carpe Diem. You only live once. Follow your dreams.

The list of clichés could go on and on…and you could share them all on your Facebook wall, pin them to your Pinterest inspiration board…or you could put a plan in motion to make your dreams your reality.

*CONTEST* Meet Plan Go is giving away a MovingWorlds membership to someone who would like to try Experteering in 2016. If you are interested you can enter the contest here.

If you would like to learn about the opportunities available for career breakers, simply visit the MovingWorlds website, enter your skills and the regions of your world you would like to visit. There is no cost to browse the website and review the numerous opportunities, and the projects do not require any monetary donation. The only cost is a one-time administration fee when you decide to start an application so that the MovingWorlds team can guide you through the Experteering process and provide you personal support as you need it (and even that is discounted for MPG members at checkout). If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me!

– Mike Howard, Mike@MovingWorlds.org
Ambassador, MovingWorlds.org
Founder, HoneyTrek & RTW Packing List

Need help planning your career break trip? Check out the following articles and resources:

Tags: contest, volunteer
Posted in Benefits, Cultural, Featured, Uncategorized, Volunteer | No Comments »

MovingWorlds March Giveaway
Sunday, February 21st, 2016

Enter to win a lifetime membership to a network of free, life-changing volunteer opportunities

What is MovingWorlds? If you’re looking to make a real difference on your next trip, and you don’t like the idea of having to pay to “volunteer,” then it’s the perfect time to check out MovingWorlds.org. MovingWorlds connects people who want to travel and volunteer, with social impact organizations around the world. They selectively source and qualify social impact organizations working in the field so you can be confident your skills will make the most impact. “Experteers” have access to MovingWorlds exclusive training, resources, and planning guide to help ensure safe, high-impact engagements.

See our Top 10 Reasons Career Breakers Should Include Experteering in their Itinerary

What is this giveaway? Meet Plan Go has partnered with MovingWorlds.org to share the awesome work they are doing in the volunteering space around the world. They have given us one Full Membership (with unlimited phone support) to giveaway to the Meet Plan Go family. See Terms and Conditions

Explore MovingWorlds.org: If you would like to check out the various opportunities on MovingWorlds, they have provided us a link that allows you to review the complete details on every single opportunity they have available (and if you don’t see the perfect opportunity, they will reach out to their global partners and find one that fits your criteria). Follow this link, http://MovingWorlds.org/MeetPlanGo, click “Join Now” on the top right, and you will have unfettered access to the site, and never be asked to pay a thing until you find the perfect opportunity (and when you do find that perfect opportunity MPG members simply pay an administration fee of $112).

How to enter this giveaway:

Meet Plan Go will be giving away one full MovingWorlds Membership PLUS additional support to someone who is interested in volunteering in 2016 (value: $300)
Everyone who would like to enter should email Mike@MovingWorlds.org with the following:
– Your First Name, Home Country & the Email you used in your MovingWorlds profile
– Link to your favorite 1 (or) 2 MovingWorlds “Experteering” opportunities
– A few sentences telling us why you would like to volunteer for this organization in 2016
– Confirm that, if you win, you are willing to share your experience with the Meet Plan Go audience via a few blog posts
The email you send will earn one entry in the contest, and is mandatory for anyone who wishes to enter
Optional: If you would like to earn a second entry in this giveaway, post a tweet with a link to the MovingWorlds opportunity you are interested in. You can say whatever you wish, simply include the link to the project and mention @MeetPlanGo & @Experteering in your tweet.
Optional: If you would like to earn a third entry in the giveaway, head over to this Facebook Post, and leave a comment that includes a link to your favorite MovingWorlds opportunity, along with a few sentences about why you want to Experteer there.

Deadline: On March 31st 11:59 PM EST . We will add each entry that meets the criteria (including each Twitter & Facebook entries) on their own row in an excel file, and use Random.org to randomly choose the winner. Winner will be notified by email (via the email address that was used to make the first submission) within five (5) days following selection of Winner. Once the winner accepts, we will mention the winner on social media for both Moving Worlds and Meet Plan Go.

Please read all Terms and Conditions prior to entering.

Questions: If you have any questions about MovingWorlds or this contest please email Mike Howard, Mike@MovingWorlds.org

Tags: contest, experteering, giving back, volunteer, volunteering
Posted in Career Breakers, Contemplating, Featured, Featured Posts, Volunteer, Websites | No Comments »

Volunteer Abroad with a Microfinance Organization
Monday, November 26th, 2012

Fatuma is a talented local carpenter in Makeni, Sierra Leone. His work is extremely popular but his workshop space is small and lacks proper cover, making work in the rainy season very difficult. He also lacks some basic equipment that could help his business to grow. Fatuma does not want a hand out, he wants a microloan that will give him a small cash injection to expand his business.

Microfinance as a concept has been around since the 1970’s. It aims to reverse the age-old vicious circle of low income, low saving and low investment, into a virtuous circle of “low income, injection of credit, investment, more income, more savings, more investment, more income.”

In its most basic and earliest form, microcredit is a single-development intervention, with loans being the sole service provided by a non-governmental organization (NGO) or bank. When microfinance began, the extension of financial services to the poor was truly radical. For the first time, conventional financial tools were made available to populations that were previously denied such access and were often blatantly discriminated against. The concept has since rapidly evolved and expanded. In 2007, 3,500 Microfinance Institutes reported that they were reaching nearly 155 million clients. According to a CGAP survey in the same year, nearly US$12 billion was committed by donors in support of microfinance.

Despite the development of microfinance, Fatuma currently does not qualify for a loan because he is illiterate and has not been keeping records of his accounts. He knows his trade and how to run the rest of his business inside out, but he is lacking the business training to qualify for a loan.

Capacity building organization The Collective – Sierra Leone has partnered with Salone Microfinance Trust (SMT) to try and change this. They are bringing talented professionals on a career break to Makeni to train and mentor clients like Fatuma so they can gain access to finance. Volunteers work alongside local staff to deliver a training program to provide skills such a basic book keeping and quality control. Once the loans have been awarded, they will provide a mentoring service so these can be best utilized. Volunteers will work closely with loan officers to ensure that these services can be provided long after their departure. By collaborating with SMT on this pioneering new mentoring and training program, The Collective – Sierra Leone is utilizing the skills of professionals around the world who want to make a positive change. This will expand SMT’s services beyond being just a loan provider, increase their potential client base and reduce the likelihood of people defaulting on their loans.

Volunteering with a microfinance organization provides the perfect opportunity for career breakers to step out of their comfort zone while still utilizing the skills they have gained in the workplace. Projects can give volunteers the chance to meet small business owners, and provide training and mentoring to help their business grow. You do not have to be an ex-finance director to be successful either. Our current microfinance volunteer believes that the ideal candidate should have a banker’s brain and a social workers heart. The most important thing is to have empathy and understand the client’s problems which are often personal rather than financial. A successful microfinance project can also provide invaluable transferable skills and assist you in a change in career path. It will show future employers that you are willing to do something out of the ordinary and are capable of thinking outside the box in a totally different environment.

A career break is about stepping out of your comfort zone to experience life from a different perspective and rediscover what makes you happy. But you often find out most about yourself when you set out to help others. A career break is a chance to utilize your professional skills in a place where you can really make a difference and give people like Fatuma the chance to build a business and support his family.

For more information on microfinance or to learn how you can support business owners like Fatuma, visit www.thecollectivesl.co.uk.

Tags: inspiration, volunteer
Posted in In the News | No Comments »

Ideas for Planning a Career Break
Friday, August 31st, 2012

This post is brought to you by Thomson, which is part of TUI UK.

One of the most amazing things about humanity is that if you walked into a crowded room today and asked everyone about their dream destination, it’s very unlikely people would name the same places. You may have a yearning to go to Tenerife, Paris, Las Vegas, Moscow… but it takes courage, not to mention money, to take a career break and head out into the unknown.

The reasons people go on holiday are often quite obvious: for example, honeymoons, summers, rejuvenation, or family time. But people who travel for a month or more and discover new things go for less obvious reasons and their journeys begin long before they start researching destinations or flight deals.

The problem is that a vague idea of living in Las Palmas and teaching English doesn’t always translate easily into a plan – particularly if you have a family, career and other responsibilities to consider. We’ve compiled a few ideas that may help you:

Book an around-the-world ticket.

So many people begin their careers early, meaning they have less time to travel when they’re younger, meaning they miss out on the traditional gap years in skiing resorts and summer camps that are offered in many countries.

But why should gap years be reserved for young people? There are many temporary jobs available for people who have experience working with customers or with numbers, and if you’ve seen the benefits gap years have provided for your children, you may be encouraged to plan a year away alone or even with your spouse.

Learn something new

If you’re feeling stagnant or tired at work, it may be time to learn a new skill – not at university or by correspondence – but in a new country! Some of the career breaks you might like to consider include learning a new language, working with children, adventure activities such as scuba diving or sailing, cooking, teaching or mountain biking.

Give back

Many people choose to do volunteer work overseas as it has the double benefit of immersing you in local culture and providing you with the opportunity to do more than simply pass through the country. There are companies that provide placements for those interested in volunteering in areas like wildlife, conservation and community. This can include working with homeless children, teaching English, doing environmental work and raising awareness of conservation.

“Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” – Benjamin Disraeli

A wonderful thing about traveling is that every person gets something different out of it, whether it’s wisdom or adventure, and every person has their own preferences when traveling, whether they’re eating in restaurants, shopping in markets, swimming lakes or hiking high up in the wilderness. And there’s no perfect time, bank balance or destination that you need to wait for, just go!

Jane Shelley is an Australian travel writer. She loves venturing to Asia, Europe, Britain and the United States, although when at home she lives in Sydney.

Tags: career break, inspiration, volunteer
Posted in Contemplating | No Comments »