If you have academic qualifications but lack job experience, or have working experience but no formal qualifications, time spent with an igoMANGO project can be very positively used. The volunteer activities we work with contain a mix of community, teaching, science and conservation themes, your involvement in which can be formally recognised through the UK NVQ system (Vocational Qualifications at level 2 or 3, delivered through Ambios Ltd, a not-for-profit company). The process is simply to keep records of your work experience - diaries, photos, material produced, your host's comments/assessments of your skills - these build into a folder of evidence about your experience and skills. Qualified staff will help you build up your evidence, and support you through your efforts.
We are also able to offer one conservation specific award, through the John Muir Trust. The award allows participants to carry out their own projects in a way that covers the four concepts of discover, explore, conserve and share, leading to award of a bronze, silver or gold standard. Awards achieved through our projects have been based on ideas such as sound recording, creation of a site conservation board game, an interpretative tree walk, conservation orienteering, building artificial wildlife habitats, invertebrate research studies, creating medicinal herb gardens... the list goes on!
The igoMANGO team have also developed specific qualifications to meet the requests of volunteers we work with. An example is GIS… Geographical Information Systems. We created an Open College Network qualification that will focus practical skills development in GPS and GIS through field and office study (realisable whilst volunteering), and lead to this recognised qualification.
On a more informal basis, volunteer working opportunities on offer will help you build your basic skill and confidence in areas such as working with people, IT, scientific data collection, teaching, practical work and tool use, communication and teamwork. It will also connect you to a host of organisations in the local area who may in the future be potential employers, and making an impact through volunteering will improve your chances of gaining employment further down the line.
Click here to find out why you should volunteer.
Click here to read about developing Cultural Connections around the world.
Click here to how back-packing, a quest for Travel and Life Experience, can be enriched by volunteering along the way.
