Beyond School

On completion of their year abroad, volunteers are asked to return to Coll for a debriefing session which allows them to share their experiences with the staff and other participants. We were extremely fortunate to be given the opportunity to attend the debriefing session, and to interview some of the volunteers about their experience.  Read their stories below.

John and Hugo also had the chance to spend a year in Borneo, teaching English and maths at a boy’s hostel. Although neither of them had appreciated learning a language at school (despite John’s mum being a French teacher!), they soon realised they would have to learn Malay, as a lot of the younger boys did not understand English.

John commented: ”We had to pick up some Malay , even some of the tribal dialect, so that we could connect with them better and get a better relationship...”

The experience has even inspired Hugo to learn Mandarin in addition to studying geography at university.

Watch the video to learn more about the boys’ experiences.

Jordan and Jake, like Rosie and Charlie spend their gap year in Guyana, teaching 8 – 10 year olds in a primary school. They were responsible for teaching all subjects, and although English is the language spoken in Guyana, it is a very different form of English.

The boys soon realised they would have to get to grips with the local language, Patamona, in order to integrate themselves in to the community.

Jordan says: “They say that one you have learned one language it is easier to learn the rest … I think it is because you are encouraged to learn the rest because all of a sudden you have opened up this whole new opportunity for yourself and you realise the purpose of the languages…”

Learn how their gap year has changed their perception of language learning and how they were able to use their knowledge to get by in Brazil – much to the amazement of the locals!

Jenny worked in an outdoor education centre on the beautiful island of Borneo, working as an assistant instructor. She was involved in teaching activities such as orienteering, trekking, sea kayaking and abseiling, and discovered, much to her astonishment that she had to learn the local language, Malay, in order to make herself understood.

Listen to Jenny talking about how her experience in Borneo.

Here she speaks in Malay, the language the learned during her time in Borneo.

Evie did her volunteering in Peru where she spent a year working in a care home for children of all ages. Not only did it give her the opportunity to improve her Spanish, but it has also inspired her to learn Mandarin Chinese.

Listen to Evie talking about how her gap year in Peru inspired her to learn other languages.

Charlie and Rosie found themselves in Guyana in South America during their gap year, teaching S2 - 4 learners in a secondary school.

Although Guyana is an English-speaking country, they discovered that learning the local language opened up so many more opportunities to them. They even made up a vocabulary booklet to help other volunteers who may be going to Guyana in the future.

Listen to Charlie and Rosie talking about how having some knowledge of the local language helped them during their year in Guyana

Rachel spent a year in Uganda teaching young people aged 5 -19 who had additional support needs. As, some of them were deaf, she found herself in the position of having to learn Ugandan sign language in order to be able to communicate with the young people in her charge.

Listen to Rachel talking about how she managed.

Jordan and Alex were volunteers in South Africa, where they worked in Boys Town, a residential home on the north coast of Durban. The boys really appreciated the support given to them by Jordan and Alex, who had to learn Zulu to be able to communicate with them.

“During my time in South Africa I really enjoyed working with youth at risk and I realised it was something that I wanted to pursue. I am now studying Social Policy, Politics and Sociology at Birmingham University….. I have been chosen for the course’s crime and justice pathway, which means that next year I have work experience in a local juvenile detention centre. I was only able to get this highly competitive placement due to my experiences on my year out with Project Trust.”

Jordan had intended to study Business Management on his return, but realised during his year in South Africa, that it was not for him.

Listen to Jordan and Alex talking about their experiences and what they gained from it.

Lily spent a year in Southern Namibia teaching in a school. During her stay, she learned Afrikaans and some of the local language in order to communicate with the locals and become more integrated into the community.

Although Lily is currently studying law, she is planning to use her degree to pursue international relations.

Listen to Lily talking about her experience.