Hey everyone I’d like some thoughts on volunteering abroad (I live in the UK). I’ve always wanted to do it, and actually got a place to go to an Eastern Europearn country in the summer, but had to pull out for various reasons. However, I’ve heard (and can appreciate) conflicting views about whether it’s appropriate.
So what do you think? Is it better for me to stay at home, and send over donations? Is the money spent on flights, accommodation etc a waste? It would come from my own pocket, not other people’s donations.
I’m a med student, so would ideally love to be involved in something medical related and inshallah will definitely do so as a doctor. But what about things like teaching English in deprived areas? Or general volunteering? I happened to come across a charity appeal for the Pakistan floods, and it just re ignited this dream of mine. What do you think?
Do it do it do it. I’m considering it, I’ll be taking a gap year and applying for medicine soon. Aren’t prospective medics just oh so cool?
If you’re on a gap year GapMedics offer placements from £1500 to £2000, you can go to India or Tanzania or the Caribbeans, the Caribbeans is by far the best one apparently but it’s also the most expensive one. Also you could check out ActionAid, Oxfam and other charities they’ll totally get you a place, also visit the British Council’s website, they may have advice.
It will be GREAT on your personal statement, will allow you to see people of other cultures and people living in different circumstances which will in-sha’Allah help you once you’re in a career where you face all types of people. My friend did some work experience in the Philippines and loved it. It’ll give you an edge and will also just broaden your perspective, I’m dying to do some this year.
I worked with Islamic Relief, the British Heart Foundation as well and you can just as easily volunteer from England if there’s a problem with going abroad, we raised well over 2 grand for Pakistan and Haiti so it’s definitely rewarding.
About the money there are some charities who will pay for your accommodation and tickets providing you raise a lot of money for them, generally above £3000 I think so where there’s a will there’s a way. I would advise that you do it, and I did loads of research on it all so if you need anything just drop me a PM
I mean is it sustainable in the long term for someone abroad to go volunteer in a country, when the work I do could potentially be done by a local individual anyway.. Plus the price of flights, accommodation, living costs etc takes money away from what could be donated to a charity...
^ It could be done by a local but the point is charity as well as offering you a unique experience, you’re right all the money could go to charity but then you’d never get to go live in a brand new country and experience a new culture. I think it’s sort of a rewarding holiday? I knew a girl who went to the Amazon as well, she loved it, she’s doing medicine now at St. Andrews
If you’re looking for an experience then it’s ideal, also the fact that you’ll be seeing where the money goes will make it that more real. Even when you hand money over to Oxfam or another trusted charity it doesn’t all go to charity, it goes to pay people’s salaries in England, to pay for advertising etc etc, so either way not all the money is going to the poor unless someone in Pakistan is willing to do it all above board with you.
I'm actually already studying medicine (just finished my first year) I never took a gap year: went straight from college to uni, so I never had that chance to go travelling etc. A LOT of people on my course did tho and they really loved it. Thing is I wana do something that is beneficial and viable for the local community that I'd go to so I'm trying to convince my conscience that volunteering abroad will actually be of benefit overall. I'm thinking of either going this September before my uni starts again or perhaps to save up loads of money and go next summer inshallah.
On a separate note, if you want any advise on applying for medicine, personal statement, uni interviews etc just pm me. Alhamdullilah, I got into all the places I'd applied for, so I have the experience and plus I know how stressful the application time can be xoxo
^ Awwwww that's so nice of you, and yeah I'll probably be picking your brain like all the time now, what uni are you at?
I think you should totally do it, actually there's this scheme where uni students can go at a VERY discounted price or maybe even free, not sure, I'll check it our for you. My friends brother is going to Egypt this summer to teach children English, I bet it'll just be a nice change if you've been studying for the past God knows how many years.
I'll post the link here in a few minutes! :)
^That, I think you pay a small registration fee and they help you with health insurance and everything and apparently it’s quite cheap. It’s not a scam or anything 'cause I know people who did it, anyhoo check it out and also countries like Egypt are very cheap right now because of the riots and what not and the places they will send you to will be far away from any danger zones, so it’s worth checking out.
Annnddd me and my friends almost put on a gig for charity and then it never actually happened but if you decide you want to stay in England contact ActionAid they’ll help you get organised and they’ll send you leaflets to advertise and lots of support!
Have fun trawling through allll of that, haha, anything else and just drop me a PM
And ‘xoxo’ to you too<-- that reminds me of Gossip Girl so much!
^ Yep I will go abroad for my elective iA but I wana go before then toooooooo :D And ya, my holidays are long enough as long as I don't have to resit any exams!
Thanks everyone, I'll look through those sites now.
SO the general consensus is to go for it? Awesome.
KKF, I don't think they take students but I'll check anyway. I met a doctor who worked with them and she did a presentation on her experiences and I was just blown away. Inshallah, inshallah, inshallah that would be my dream!! I would love to go travelling with DWB for a year or so, and then settle down in a poorer country and just stay as a local doctor there. I remember reading an article about a white British couple who were both GPs (doctors) who settled in a village in Afghanistan and just set up clinic there. Ah! :D
KKF, I don't think they take students but I'll check anyway. I met a doctor who worked with them and she did a presentation on her experiences and I was just blown away. Inshallah, inshallah, inshallah that would be my dream!! I would love to go travelling with DWB for a year or so, and then settle down in a poorer country and just stay as a local doctor there. I remember reading an article about a white British couple who were both GPs (doctors) who settled in a village in Afghanistan and just set up clinic there. Ah! :D
oh i see. i stand corrected...thanx...:)** my niece is a Psychiatrist and she wants to volunteer also...let's see what happens.** good luck :)
KKF, I don't think they take students but I'll check anyway. I met a doctor who worked with them and she did a presentation on her experiences and I was just blown away. Inshallah, inshallah, inshallah that would be my dream!! I would love to go travelling with DWB for a year or so, and then settle down in a poorer country and just stay as a local doctor there. I remember reading an article about a white British couple who were both GPs (doctors) who settled in a village in Afghanistan and just set up clinic there. Ah! :D
Ages ago there was this documentary on channel 4 I think about a train in India which they had converted into a proper hospital with operating theatres and everything and they would go from village to village and treat the less fortunate, isn't that just so wonderful?
Okay, so I'm totally derailing your thread now, sorry, but yeah, awesome dream, keep it alive! ^^
Ahhh ok that genuinely made me smile A hospital train!! How amazing sA!!!!!! (damn why didn't I think of that) Yeh I'd also love to go back and work for a while at least in Pakistan. Government health care there from what I've seen has a lot left to be desired, particularly primary care. Ooohh I'd love to work with the Edhi Foundation too!
I'm really motivated to do something at least cuz from what I've studied there's an inverse health care law saying that those who who require care the most (i.e. the poorest) are least likely to get it and this principle sadly applies worldwide. But I will stand up against it! iA! Hehehe
All I have to do is pass a million and one exams for the next God knows how many years.. :)
^ I emailed the Edhi Foundation a while ago, I was planning a visit to Pakistan a the time and wanted to do some charity work, they forwarded a number to me but said that they wouldn’t let me work there, only talk to people, which would be good if I was a journalist or something but I wanted to do charity work! So yeah, still email them, you never know.
I know , I love the train too, we should totally have one in the homeland. When I was little I tagged along to a team of doctors who climbed up to this village in Murree completely inaccessible by car and treated these people who had no access to doctors, most inspirational thing ever
And aye, exams are the bane of my life too ¬¬
Okay okay, no more hijacking this thread, so voluntary work… I have loads more websites if you want but check out the thread I posted from the student room, it’s aimed at gap year students but it’s all about charity work abroad. Happy searching!
Edit: If you haven’t watched the Junior Doctors series on BBC three or the BBC children’s craniofacial surgey then do so, they’re amazing. That will be it from me since I’ll probably get told off if I continue to make this a medicine thread. (Also the RAF have a helicopter hospital = coolest thing ever).
I’d like some thoughts on volunteering abroad (I live in the UK). I’ve always wanted to do it, and actually got a place to go to an Eastern Europearn country in the summer, but had to pull out for various reasons. However, I’ve heard (and can appreciate) conflicting views about whether it’s appropriate.
