foreign aid work - anyone done / doing it?
Discussion
throwing this one out to the wealth of experience & knowledge that is the p&p.
basically i'm in the midst of making some hefty work/life decisions and considering a few options where to base myself for the next few years.
one option i'm knocking around is to get out of the 9-5 completely and pursue something more worthwhile and possibly have an adventure at the same time.
i'm considering foreign aid work with the VSO or similar. volunteering for a year or so to see if i am suited to it. i can rent out my house and take a 12mth career break with my current company which would provide a financial safety net, but would hope to carve a career out if it with NGO's or even the UN.
have had a look at a few websites and things like the UN's jobs database. it seems experience is key and the first posting will be hardest.
i was therefore just wondering if any PHers work or have worked in aid or for an NGO?, how you went about it, and whether it was worthwile. i am in my late 20's and most of the less qualified jobs seem to be for university interns. i would hope that my engineering background would be a benefit and would aim to be getting as close to the 'front line' as possible. i would be looking for a career out if this but also some transferable skills for if it doesn't work out and i need to re-establish a career in the uk.
any thoughts?
basically i'm in the midst of making some hefty work/life decisions and considering a few options where to base myself for the next few years.
one option i'm knocking around is to get out of the 9-5 completely and pursue something more worthwhile and possibly have an adventure at the same time.
i'm considering foreign aid work with the VSO or similar. volunteering for a year or so to see if i am suited to it. i can rent out my house and take a 12mth career break with my current company which would provide a financial safety net, but would hope to carve a career out if it with NGO's or even the UN.
have had a look at a few websites and things like the UN's jobs database. it seems experience is key and the first posting will be hardest.
i was therefore just wondering if any PHers work or have worked in aid or for an NGO?, how you went about it, and whether it was worthwile. i am in my late 20's and most of the less qualified jobs seem to be for university interns. i would hope that my engineering background would be a benefit and would aim to be getting as close to the 'front line' as possible. i would be looking for a career out if this but also some transferable skills for if it doesn't work out and i need to re-establish a career in the uk.
any thoughts?
shirt said:
throwing this one out to the wealth of experience & knowledge that is the p&p.
basically i'm in the midst of making some hefty work/life decisions and considering a few options where to base myself for the next few years.
one option i'm knocking around is to get out of the 9-5 completely and pursue something more worthwhile and possibly have an adventure at the same time.
i'm considering foreign aid work with the VSO or similar. volunteering for a year or so to see if i am suited to it. i can rent out my house and take a 12mth career break with my current company which would provide a financial safety net, but would hope to carve a career out if it with NGO's or even the UN.
have had a look at a few websites and things like the UN's jobs database. it seems experience is key and the first posting will be hardest.
i was therefore just wondering if any PHers work or have worked in aid or for an NGO?, how you went about it, and whether it was worthwile. i am in my late 20's and most of the less qualified jobs seem to be for university interns. i would hope that my engineering background would be a benefit and would aim to be getting as close to the 'front line' as possible. i would be looking for a career out if this but also some transferable skills for if it doesn't work out and i need to re-establish a career in the uk.
any thoughts?
I once met a guy who was off to Phuket to help build houses, after the Tsunami. I gently pointed out that the £600 he was spending on a ticket, and the hotel money, and food money, might be better donated to one of the quality charities who was active in the area. basically i'm in the midst of making some hefty work/life decisions and considering a few options where to base myself for the next few years.
one option i'm knocking around is to get out of the 9-5 completely and pursue something more worthwhile and possibly have an adventure at the same time.
i'm considering foreign aid work with the VSO or similar. volunteering for a year or so to see if i am suited to it. i can rent out my house and take a 12mth career break with my current company which would provide a financial safety net, but would hope to carve a career out if it with NGO's or even the UN.
have had a look at a few websites and things like the UN's jobs database. it seems experience is key and the first posting will be hardest.
i was therefore just wondering if any PHers work or have worked in aid or for an NGO?, how you went about it, and whether it was worthwile. i am in my late 20's and most of the less qualified jobs seem to be for university interns. i would hope that my engineering background would be a benefit and would aim to be getting as close to the 'front line' as possible. i would be looking for a career out if this but also some transferable skills for if it doesn't work out and i need to re-establish a career in the uk.
any thoughts?
Local Thais can build houses far quicker, far cheaper, and with far less personal expense than any British chippie. Plus, they won't need a 3 star hotel every night, and they won't collapse from heat exhaustion during the first day, and they can eat dirt cheap local food......
i have had that conversation already and i know what you're driving at but this wouldn't be a gap year making-myself-feelgood type of thing. it'd be making use of my abilities with the end product being to help people or nation rather than getting goods to market.
was thinking logistics, water/sanitation, or construction.
the only UN job i've seen that i'm actually qualified for is to do the m&e draughting for their office refit in nairobi!
was thinking logistics, water/sanitation, or construction.
the only UN job i've seen that i'm actually qualified for is to do the m&e draughting for their office refit in nairobi!
Do it !
I spent just 10 days in Kosovo this Easter gone, delivering food, clothing and toiletries to people and computers to schools and hospitals and it was both one of the hardest and best things I've ever done.
Its emotionally a trial, so make sure you get time on your own to let your emotions go. I thought I was tough but some of the things I saw put a very very big lump in my throat (and still does), but its also very rewarding too and I wish I'd done it years ago.
If you're not sure about going whole hog you could look for an organisation who organise aid trips and see if you can get on one of them.
The group I went to Kosovo with are just finishing this years 'Winter Convoy' (sadly I'm sat in a boring UK office though) but their website might be food for thought. Have a read of the Winter Convoy and Easter Convoy reports on the right of this page
http://www.hopeandaiddirect.org.uk/
I spent just 10 days in Kosovo this Easter gone, delivering food, clothing and toiletries to people and computers to schools and hospitals and it was both one of the hardest and best things I've ever done.
Its emotionally a trial, so make sure you get time on your own to let your emotions go. I thought I was tough but some of the things I saw put a very very big lump in my throat (and still does), but its also very rewarding too and I wish I'd done it years ago.
If you're not sure about going whole hog you could look for an organisation who organise aid trips and see if you can get on one of them.
The group I went to Kosovo with are just finishing this years 'Winter Convoy' (sadly I'm sat in a boring UK office though) but their website might be food for thought. Have a read of the Winter Convoy and Easter Convoy reports on the right of this page
http://www.hopeandaiddirect.org.uk/
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff