How International Volunteering Changed My Life, and My Career.

How leaping into international volunteering helped me find direction, purpose, and a career I love.

International volunteering placements can be life-changing for those involved. As Concordia’s International Volunteer Manager, I know this better than anyone. After all, it was my own international volunteering experience that helped me discover my true calling and allowed me to begin a career in the charity sector.

Tom - Concordia's International Volunteer Manager

Like many young people, it was fair to say I was a bit directionless in my early twenties. I’d finished my formal education a few years earlier and joined the working world, but I still wasn’t sure of what I wanted to do or who I’d like to be. After trying out a few different jobs for a few years, I still hadn’t found one that sat right. It was the decision to book a flight to the Balkans and spend some time volunteering that changed everything.

A typical day involved a mix of kitchen work and distributing meals

My time volunteering was more transformative than I could ever have imagined. What was initially supposed to be a month turned into a year, as I got stuck in, hit my stride, and loved every minute. I was volunteering with a grassroots NGO, providing food and support to refugees in Serbia and Bosnia. The work, a mix of kitchen shifts, aid distribution, and organising activities, was rewarding and taught me a huge amount in a short time. I soon found myself stepping into a leadership role, and before I knew it, I was leading teams of 10+ volunteers to prepare meals for hundreds of people each day.

Lesson number one was how to chop a lot of potatoes!

I built incredible friendships and met so many wonderful people. The memories we made together will last a lifetime. Working with such a diverse team of volunteers helped me build new skills, including communication, problem-solving and adaptability. At the same time, I could see my hard work paying off. This helped me realise that, when I came home, I wanted to continue helping people by pursuing a career in the charity sector.

It wasn't all hard work; going to the Belgrade football derby was an experience I won't forget.

Whether you’re fresh out of school or university, or considering a career change, landing your first job in a new sector can be a challenge. It was my international volunteering experience that gave me the experience and skills to stand out from the crowd. After securing an interview, the confidence and conviction I’d found whilst volunteering meant I was able to speak from the heart with real passion and land the job.

Several years later, I’m now further down the path that international volunteering set me on. As Concordia's International Volunteer Manager, I'm able to help ensure that everyone can have similar volunteering experiences as I did. The team and I use our experience and contacts to find suitable projects all over the world. Before sending anyone away, we carefully check projects to ensure they are safe, ethical, and that volunteers are going to have a great time. I'm also able to use my volunteering and travel experience to guide would-be volunteers to the right project for them, and provide plenty of advice to help prepare them for the adventure of a lifetime.

Not everyone who volunteers will end up going into the charity sector like me, but volunteering can help everyone build experience, confidence and gain a new perspective. Whether you’re just at the beginning of your journey in life, or a bit further down the road, take it from me: international volunteering can truly change your life.

My mission, along with the rest of the Concordia team, is to help make sure everyone can have a similar life-changing experience. From finding the right placement to offering advice and guidance before you set off, I’m here to help guide you every step of the way.

Check out our current projects or get in touch to find out how you can take the leap.