Over 750,000 jobs have been lost as a result of the pandemic and with that number set to rise over the next few years as we continue to experience the shockwaves of its impact. Current students and recent graduates will be facing much higher competition for the fewer jobs that are available and so are looking for activities and experiences to support their degree and stand out. Did you know that according to a LinkedIn study, 30% of employers made a hire based on an individual’s volunteering experience?

Whilst University life is a little different this year, there are still some INCREDIBLE opportunities through Plymouth’s Raise and Give Society (RAG) for students to engage with this year, one of which being with one of their incredible charity partners this year, Play Action International. Play Action International (formerly East African Playgrounds) is a charity that over the past few years has provided Plymouth students with the opportunity to volunteer internationally in Uganda for 21 days, building a playground for a local community school, develop a wealth of employable skills and experience what has been described as ‘a life-shaping adventure’ by Plymouth students. This year is no different with Plymouth RAG and Play Action International as they are recruiting students for their ‘Adventure Try-Athlon’ – An opportunity to build a playground for a school, kayak the legendary River Nile, Cycle through a national park and summit East Africa’s oldest extinct volcano! But don’t worry, you don’t have to be Mo Farrah to complete this, in fact, even SLOW Farrah could complete this once in a lifetime, off the beaten track adventure.

What students have said about their experience of volunteering with Play Action International:

How has volunteering with Play Action International help you professionally?

I’ve spent a year’s placement working for Johnson & Johnson and in a recent interview for a grad job, employers were still keen to know what skills I have learned outside of work. My trip to Uganda is something I can reference to demonstrate that I have tenacity, teamwork and empathy.

- Beccy

What skills did you learn from fundraising for Play Action International?

When first starting out, it’s safe to say that I was very inexperienced and had absolutely no clue what I was doing. As the year went on, I became a lot more confident and comfortable. I’d say that this was down to learning more and more about what the charity does and what their aims are. I was able to enhance my organisational skills dramatically. Raising a large amount of money while starting a degree can be a challenge, but the reward is absolutely worthwhile! For me, organising my time effectively was imperative. I would schedule my weeks out and plan ahead. I gave myself small targets each month and would plan my fundraising around these goals and this, alongside the support from the charity I got made it totally manageable!

– Anonymous

What would you say to someone who’s considering volunteering with Play Action International?

Do it! You will NEVER get the chance to do something like this again after Uni so I would recommend to anyone to do it while you can. It is such a unique opportunity to gain great life skills and memories, all for such a good cause.

– Rosie

How you can get involved:

If you are concerned about travel disruptions caused by Coronavirus, you need not worry! Whilst Play Action International is confident that by the time projects are due to head out in July 2021 it will be safe to do so. If travel is still disrupted though, your project will be deferred at no extra cost to you and you will be given an extra year to reach your fundraising target! For more information about how you can get involved, when the next info session is as well as find the answers to some FAQs, get in touch with Plymouth RAG or Jack from Play Action International.