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If you’ve decided that on your gap year Africa is the place you would like to be, why not consider volunteering? All you need to do is sign up with a reputable charity which runs a project you are interested in, pay a small fee for your accommodation and get started. In just a few short months, you could be playing an important part in changing people’s lives.

Anyone who is planning to volunteer in Africa, however, will need to firstly decide which area they want to work in. There is a huge amount of choice, and many different projects to get involved in, but the main areas are wildlife and conservation, teaching, medical and healthcare, sports coaching, community outreach and tours and travel.

What skills and attributes do you have that could be of use in Africa? Are any areas or projects crying out for someone like you? If you have training and abilities that no-one else on one of the projects does, then that will obviously be a useful place for you to volunteer in Africa.

Maybe you’re not sure where you skills lie.. If this is the case, and you are an English speaker then an educational project may be the one for you. Simply undertake a short Teaching English as a Foreign Language training course and you could share a really valuable skill.

There is great demand for people with medical skills in Africa, so if you are a doctor, nurse or even a medical student eager to gain some experience, a medical project could be perfect for you. However, make sure you choose a project and a region where you think your skills can best used.

On the other hand, some projects require no qualifications or specific skill sets. Why not let your interests guide you? For example, if you spend your Sundays playing football, you may be best suited to coaching a sports team when you volunteer in Africa.

Are you interested in ?for Volunteering in Africa Take a look at the Volunteer Africa website.