You volunteered in Africa through Pod Volunteer during your gap year. What about that experience led you to transition from volunteer to employee?
My experience volunteering through Pod back in 2010 has shaped my career. After my initial six month placement as a volunteer Teaching English to primary school children in Tanzania, I couldn’t get enough and soon saved up enough to go back again for another six months!
I met some amazing people, learned a lot about development issues, and my time volunteering sparked a passion that meant I was eager to share the reciprocal benefits of volunteering with others too. Since volunteering in 2010, I’ve gained a degree in Development Studies and African Studies, been invited to join the board of trustees for a grassroots charity, and still love to travel. I was delighted to join Pod and help other people to have amazing experiences too!
Pod Volunteer Specialists Iona, Lucy and Bee at the Pod office in Cheltenham
Can you tell us about your current position?
As a Pod Volunteer Specialist, I get the great job of supporting volunteers throughout the volunteer process–whether they are enquiring about their first ever volunteer trip overseas (like I did what now seems like an age ago!) or have just returned from their second or third volunteer placement. I love helping everyone with their various questions, and helping them to get the most out of their time at a project. And of course I get to hear about their experiences when they get back too! Every day is different and I never know what will be sitting in my inbox when I turn the computer on each morning.
Volunteering as a Teaching English and Sports Coaching volunteer through Pod in 2010
In what ways do you support volunteers in Ghana, Nepal, Thailand, Namibia, Madagascar and South Africa?
From how many pairs of socks you should take or whether there are Pot Noodles in South Africa (yes, we have been asked that!), to what kind of visa you need to get or where to meet your pick up when you arrive, we’re always happy to answer anything volunteers throw at us and make sure they know everything they need before they go. My favorite kind of questions are those that I haven’t been asked before and require a bit of detective work. For our younger volunteers too, we often have parents emailing or calling up to chat through the project their child is going to–which is something that’s often appreciated!
Why are these ideal locations for volunteers?
The great thing about our project locations is that there’s something for everyone. Ghana is considered the ‘Gateway to Africa’ so it’s a great place for first time volunteers to start, whilst our projects in Namibia and Madagascar are best suited for the slightly more intrepid volunteers who don’t mind camping out under the stars or going without electricity for a while. South Africa and Thailand are great places to volunteer if you want to do more traveling before or after your placement too and our projects in Nepal are based in Pokhara–a great travel hub if you’re interested in trekking, rafting, and sports!
On a project visit to the Early Learning and Baby Weighing project in Ghana
How do your own travel experience influence your work today?
One of the questions that we get asked most often is if it’s okay to travel solo. Both myself and the rest of the Pod team have all traveled alone–so we are able to offer volunteers advice from first-hand experience. Traveling by myself is one of the best things I’ve done.
It’s so much easier to make friends when you’re traveling alone! It means you have to talk to people and really immerse yourself in your environment. In my work today, my travel experience means I can relate to the benefits and challenges that volunteers face and hopefully offer plenty of practical tips too!
What makes Pod Volunteer programs unique?
When I was researching volunteer projects myself, Pod stuck out for me as being friendly, professional, and responsible, with honest marketing of what to expect when you arrive at the project. This is something that was definitely reinforced by my volunteer experience through Pod and now working for Pod too!
With Pod, you know you are joining a sustainable project that is driven by a genuine need for volunteers and you are contributing to long term development goals.
Exploring more of Ghana whilst in the country for a Pod project visit
Why are you proud of the work you do?
Every week, we have volunteers returning from their volunteer placements who get in touch to tell us what an incredible and often life-changing experience they’ve had during their trip. Who wouldn’t be proud to be part of that?! This is obviously a valuable part of my job–but it’s also equally important to me that volunteers are joining the ‘right’ projects and doing so responsibly. With a strong policy on ethics, and responsible and sustainable volunteer placements - which Pod have often won awards for - I couldn’t be more proud to be part of this small, passionate, and amazing team!
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
For me, meaningful travel means more than visiting a country as a tourist, ticking off all the top attractions, and staying in fancy hotels. There is value in any kind of travel, but getting stuck in a tourist bubble means you miss out on so much more.
By living with locals, learning about the culture, and volunteering, you gain a deeper understanding of local issues and are able to really get involved and help. You can make lasting connections in places around the world that you never thought you’d have friends in and build friendships that last for years. By fully immersing yourself and giving something back at the same time, you get to have a truly memorable and meaningful experience.
Why is it important for individuals to travel and experience new cultures?
Travel teaches you that there is more than one way of living in the world. By experiencing new cultures, you get to learn fascinating facts that get you thinking and re-evaluating your own culture as well. You get too see new ways of looking at things and experience new perspectives. You’ll find yourself coming back with opinions you never knew you had and memories that you’ll never forget. Despite all our differences though, above all, travel has taught me that human beings are the same the world over!
What hopes do you have for the future of Pod Volunteer programs?
We ultimately hope that each of our projects are eventually able to reach their long term goals, but until then we will continue to help find more amazing volunteers for them!
