How the school of life can help young people make better decisions
With countless reports perpetuating negative perceptions about youth attitude and engagement, Raleigh International believes it is time we look at how we better support young people, offering them alternate options to make the most out of life.
With exam results imminent, many young people can feel pressured to follow a pre-ordained path where the expectation that a specific job, university course or direction is the right next step. Taking control of decisions can be difficult when being pushed in contrary directions by society, family, school and popular culture, but it is a valuable life skill.
Rachel Collinson, Director of Recruitment, Delivery and Communications at Raleigh International explains “At an important time in young people's lives, when exam results can seem like the be all and end all, young people feel inordinate pressure to keep pushing for the next step, whether that's going onto university or finding a job. Despite society's pressures there are plenty of other options out there. Raleigh International provides opportunities for individuals from every walk of life to step back, take their time and consider their path, all the while learning important transferable skills and making a positive difference to the world.”
Charlotte Middleditch, 20, volunteered in Borneo in 2013 and said “I worked alongside volunteers from diverse walks of life, with all kinds of experience. It was the first time I had ever been completely trusted and given responsibility. I helped to lead a project repairing a kindergarten in a remote community, before trekking in the incredibly bio-diverse and dense Bornean jungle, with everything I needed on my back. I received my results in the middle of my trek and decided after much deliberation and a day of trekking to clear my mind, to change my university course. I am so glad I did as I am now doing a course I love, instead of doing what I thought I was supposed to do; I call it my 'jungle epiphany'! I returned to the UK following my expedition and was armed with a belief that, contrary to popular consensus, it's ok not to know where you want to be in 10 years time and ultimately what is important, is to find a path and a cause that resonates with you.”
James Stacey, Partner at Earth Capital Partners LLP said of the employability and benefits of time out “People who have been on Raleigh bring a can-do attitude, positive mind set, more developed leadership skills and problem solving abilities. Volunteering on a Raleigh programme also demonstrates that people have some get up and go in them. People should do whatever motivates and excites them and the beauty of Raleigh is that there's no particular pigeonhole or career path that you get from participating on the programmes, life is what you make it.”
Raleigh works with young people at a formative and important time in their lives. This moment can be the tipping point when they're making big decisions affecting their life path, their values, and sometimes if related to university, a significant monetary investment. In an ever-changing world where a global view is important, multiple languages are required, internships are expected and straight As and degrees don't always mean a job upon graduation, young people need to ensure they get experience in different ways. So many jobs now call for experience which can be hard to come by, so young people need to devote time to ensuring each step they take is the right one, especially if it includes spending £66,000 on a university degree.
Find out more about Raleigh International and their volunteering opportunities in India, Borneo, Tanzania and Costa Rica & Nicaragua at raleighinternational.org.
