Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
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Summer Abroad and Global Opportunities
Summer schools, volunteering or virtual programmes are a fantastic way to gain a global experience, expand your learning and develop new skills whilst fitting around other commitments you might have.
For some recent examples of the Global Mobilities students have taken part in please see our dedicated page.
International volunteering
Volunteering abroad is amazing! It’s exciting, rewarding, challenging, heart-breaking, heart-warming, mind-blowing and seriously good for your employability. See below for an exciting range of volunteering programmes from trusted organisations.
Please note these experiences are organised and delivered independently from Leeds Beckett and you will need to contact the volunteering providers directly for more information or advice, although we only list partners on this page who we are confident will deliver safe and ethical volunteering experiences.
Play Action International, Uganda
Open to all students
Are you passionate about making a difference? Join Play Action International and transform an empty, barren field into a fun, exciting and colourful playground for a community school in Uganda.
All your efforts will help Play Action International provide a brighter future for vulnerable and disadvantaged children through the language they know best - PLAY!
During the two or four week adventure you can get involved in:
- Building a playground
- Creative play sessions for kids
- A whole range of excursions such as, a bucket-list African safari
Think Pacific
Open to all students
Think Pacific is a registered Fijian Charity and UK social enterprise with over 10 years’ experience supporting Fijian Government Ministries, NGOs, local enterprises and business partners.
They offer life-changing projects and placements in partnership with the Fijian Government. You can have the chance to experience the unique culture, customs and way of life of the South Pacific islands. Make lifelong friendships and shared memories on a challenging project, whilst gaining global experience, developing unique skills and making a real contribution.
Want to gain a global experience without the travel? Think Pacific also offer 4, 8 and 12 week internships that are completed online or remotely from your home. All you need is a computer, phone and internet connection.
You will work on real life projects supporting communities in the Fiji islands whilst receiving insightful mentoring, coaching and support to help you contribute to global issues.
How to apply
Apply directly to Think Pacific and don’t forget to let them know you are a Leeds Beckett student.
Snehalaya - India
Snehalaya, a fantastic UK-Indian registered charity who we’ve been working with since 2007 is looking for long term volunteers to support their work on India and the UK. A well respected social work charity established in 1989, it is based in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra state, India and supported by Snehalaya UK, based in London.
The scale of what Snehalaya does is huge, but its roots and primary purpose are to break the cycle of prostitution and the spread of HIV. It runs over 20 core projects in India which work in tandem to tackle the issues that lead to and are a by-product of sex work and HIV. These range from community health and self-help groups within red light areas and a shelter home for the children of sex workers and orphans and single parent children with HIV. Complementary projects to prevent trafficking and the spread of HIV include Childline, slum schools and community centres, a hospital, LGBT projects, a farm community for HIV affected families and educational projects, all designed to break the cycle of poverty and social stigmas.
Volunteers will gain a real insight into the life and workings of an Indian non-government organisation (NGO). You will be expected to be proactive and flexible and work with our volunteer coordinator to design a brief that is mutually beneficial in developing your skills and experience. You could be conducting academic research or an assessed placement, applying practical skills and sharing best practice with our projects, helping with our strategies, campaigns or advocacy for women and child rights to name a few. Whatever you do it will be a life-changing experience and you won’t want to leave!
Volunteer Role(s):
Volunteers will be expected to be able to work independently but will also be partnered with and supported by a relevant member of staff or field worker. They will also be expected to produce a final report on their observations and recommendations on how we can improve our service to our beneficiaries. You will focus on one core area but will also have the opportunity to visit and learn more about our other projects and take part in cultural and educational activities.
Accommodation
You will be provided with accommodation in our guest houses based in our shelter home in Ahmednagar (living alongside 200 women and children) and all meals and bottled water will be provided. You will be expected to fundraise a minimum of £150 to cover your stay and contribute to our work with beneficiaries.
Interested? Please visit our website to find out more about each project then email joyce@snehalaya.org with any questions and/or your volunteering proposal.
Useful links:
Learning Global Health 2023
Leeds Beckett is a partner in a Collaborative Online International Learning consortium delivering a webinar series during 2023 focussing on a range of Global Health topics.
For more information
Read the poster here and a registration form is available here.
Summer schoolsÂ
Travel to an overseas partner university for short-term programmes (typically 2-8 weeks in length) during your summer.
Summer schools offer a flexible choice of subjects and are open to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. You can choose programmes which fit with your course or something new!
Social activities and excursions are usually offered as part of the programme and you will have the opportunity to meet with students from around the world, giving you a global experience in a short amount of time.
Fees for summer school programmes vary. Scholarships / discounts for Leeds Beckett students offered on some programmes
You can arrange a meeting to discuss our Summer School programmes and the application process via MyHub.
