Volunteer and Gap Year Group bombarded by applications

 13 March, 2009

As the legal sector continues its spiral into a chasm of redundancies, one niche sector seems to be doing very well in light of the apoplectic cull of headcount. Projects Abroad, an organisation which runs volunteer schemes in 24 countries around the globe has  recorded a 50 per cent increase in applications in January 2009 from Britons who have recently been made redundant, compared to a year earlier. It has been reported there will be 3 million people redundant in the UK by the end of 2009.

With no light at the end of the tunnel those have been made redundant are faced with challenge: fight or flight? Do you stay put and try and grapple your way back onto the employment market or do you invest your redundancy package in volunteering your legal skills abroad? A toughie. The latter, however, provides an opportunity to skip the country, ride out the recession and return to work armed with a CV that will bag you a bigger and better paid position at a firm that will approach YOU.

"It's not just those who have been made redundant, but those who can see the writing on the wall," says Dr Peter Slowe, founder of Projects Abroad. "They are maybe people who always meant to do this, maybe they missed out on a gap year after leaving school, or they had a baby or whatever. But we are certainly seeing an increase in older people, who are coming to us with very useful skills – lawyers who have gone out to work on human rights projects in Ghana and South Africa, for example; physiotherapists and people from the financial sector who have gone out to work in banks in Mongolia or Shanghai. They get the opportunity to develop new skills which may help them change their career, or improve their chances of getting a job in their own field later on."

"I think the rise in volunteering is mainly due to an increase in the number of graduates and career breakers undertaking projects.  There are a number of reasons why volunteering has become a more appealing option at present but the current financial climate is a big reason - studies show periods like this can result in increased altruism and a sense of solidarity amongst people.  Graduates may see volunteering as a worthwhile alternative while the job market is slow and people who have been made redundant see this as their chance to make a difference in a different and unique environment."  Scott McQuarrie, Project Advisor

Future trainees have no option but to volunteer their skills in the UK or abroad as an increasing number of law firms are offering cash - incentive to defer their starting dates.

 A volunteer giving legal advice...

If you are considering taking voluntary redundancy, have been recently made redundant or are sick and tired of 'Credit Crunch' being trumpeted on everything from toilet paper to The Times, Projects Abroad run volunteer schemes in 24 countries around the globe, and offer law and human rights voluntary work placements in areas as diverse as China, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mongolia, Morocco, Senegal, Togo and South Africa (http://www.projects-abroad.co.uk/projects/law-and-human-rights/).

Volunteers are offered opportunities such as changing legislation and providing legal services to businesses, community organisations and individuals in developing countries. Placements are suitable for law graduates, law professionals wishing to take a career break, law students and people who have completed a law conversion course.