There's a rising and urgent need for people with business skills to work as volunteers in developing countries.

That's the message from volunteer matching organisation Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), which is urging people from a range of business backgrounds to consider using their skills in an overseas placement.

“We have placements working with advocacy organisations, disability service providers, fair-trade co-operatives and local government initiatives in developing countries,” says Rowena Harding, marketing adviser at VSO. “Because of the nature of this work we need people who are, for example, IT specialists, small business advisers, fundraisers, campaigners and managers.” .

Harding says completing a VSO placement is an excellent way for people working in the corporate world to get a job in the third sector. She says volunteers work with partners to help train, advice or build capacity with employees which gives them a unique insight into the third sector.

Indeed, research by the Chartered Institute of Management showed that people skills are highly developed through VSO volunteering.

“Many VSO volunteers return to the UK after their placement and take on roles within the third sector, demonstrating the strength of VSO placements for those wanting to start a career in international development,” says Harding.

VSO volunteer Sarah Barnett managed to get a job working for an NGO in Tanzania after her two-year placement as a monitoring, evaluation and documentation adviser in Bangladesh. She'd spent seven years working for Barclay's bank as a manager. “I realised I was no longer happy searching for the next promotion, the next biggest car, biggest house,” she says.

Barnett urges any business or corporate sector professional thinking about becoming a VSO volunteer to have confidence in their transferable skills. “By not having the NGO background you just bring your skills to the party so it's a two-sided partnership,” she says, “they share with you, you share with them."

VSO
www.vso.org.uk