Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. I’m really excited to tell you that I have been selected to volunteer as a Team Leader overseas with Raleigh International on an International Citizen Service placement.

ICS works with communities that have specifically requested their help. It also aims to inspire young people in the UK and overseas to become active citizens who are passionate about long term community development.

The global challenge:

Young people face large scale, complex challenges to finding productive work and employment. Globally, 600 million young people are unemployed or not in education or training. This figure is set to grow.

Young people often lack the skills and experience that are essential in the workplace. They have difficulty accessing capital and credit, information and business networks. In rural areas, employment opportunities are often low skilled, low waged and unstable. They also depend heavily on natural resources and the environment, which will be increasingly exposed to climate related shocks.

I will be supporting the livelihood project in which I will be helping individuals in the community set up sustainable businesses. 

What I will be doing in Nepal: Increasing the number of successful young business owners by:

• Training young people in the skills they need to develop and act on viable business ideas
• Building the confidence and motivation of budding young entrepreneurs
• Increasing communities’ encouragement and support to young entrepreneurs
• Helping entrepreneurs to access finance and mentoring support to start-up their businesses  and increase the number of young people in safe, dignified and fair employment
• Working with training organisations to provide young people with the skills they need to get and excel in a job
• Working with employers to improve working conditions and match job opportunities or apprenticeships with young people

The first part of my placement is a challenge to raise £800 towards the work of Raleigh International and their ICS partners. The money raised will go towards enabling the overall costs of ICS, ensuring they can to continue sending youth volunteers to the developing world to make a lasting difference in disadvantaged communities.

My place on the programme is already paid for - visas, flights, travel and
medical insurance, medication, vaccines, food, the lot!  This is because
ICS believes in the positive impact of young people and wants to
offer them an opportunity to change their lives and the lives of
others. All the funds volunteers raise will support all ICS partners
to run the programme effectively, always contributing to their vital
work.

Any contribution from you will make a real difference to the lives of people in developing countries, so please dig deep!

Thanks for your support!