Graduates who are struggling to find work can benefit from a unique bursary award scheme, to be offered by youth and education charity Raleigh. The bursary will give recent graduates the opportunity to enhance their employability in the current job market by developing the key soft skills that their CV might currently lack.
The scheme
The Raleigh Graduate Bursary Award for Volunteering Overseas launched last year and, over the next year, will offer 300 graduates a place on a Raleigh expedition to Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Borneo or India. Each graduate will take part in a ten week Raleigh expedition which combines community and environmental work in remote communities with a challenging adventure phase.
Why volunteer?
There is no doubt that the job market is a competitive place to be right now. Statistics suggest that there were on average 48 graduates applying for every job opening last year, making it more important than ever to stand out of the crowd.
Volunteering overseas is a great way to gain a deeper understanding of the culture of a country and to explore areas that you wouldn’t get to see on the usual tourist route. For some people, it can also help them to become clearer about their values and career goals.
David Lammy, Minister of State for Higher Education, said: “Volunteering can be a beneficial and life-affirming experience for people of any age, but for new graduates it can also help to develop the communication and leadership skills that are so highly valued in the workplace..
Location, location, location
Employers also value overseas volunteering. In fact new research by Raleigh involving leading graduate recruiters such as BT, Cap Gemini, Costain, IBM and UBS, reveals that employers rated a Raleigh expedition as the second most constructive use of an applicant's time - and believe that having Raleigh on your CV is even more valuable than UK based volunteering, individual overseas volunteering placements or gaining a new skill or qualification.
The Student Experience
After graduating from University, Christine Harry was awarded the Raleigh Graduate Bursary Award for her expedition to Costa Rica & Nicaragua in Autumn 2009:
"Quite simply, receiving the Graduate Bursary and being able to take part in an expedition is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.
"I think that taking part in an expedition as a venturer is an extremely positive thing to have done, both personally and professionally. It builds on a variety of skills, such as leadership skills, communication skills and interpersonal skills. I have incredible memories of my time in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, of the people I met, the places I saw and the work we did for the communities."
How to get involved
So if you’re fed up of the doom and gloom and fancy expanding your horizons and investing in your future, visit our website for more information about this award, and see whether you are eligible to apply.
There are 300 bursary awards available, each one worth £2000. You will be required to fundraise £1000 towards the expedition and pay for flights, vaccinations and kit.
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