A different type of adventure awaits this summer! Join other high school students in making an impact abroad. You'll create memories that last a lifetime.
Our High School Special Projects are aimed at year 10 and 11 students who want to see the world, make new friends and gain a richer understanding of a new culture. To make it ideal for you, they run over your December and January summer holidays. You’ll spend two weeks travelling with a group of like-minded students from all over the world.
The projects are a mix of volunteer work and cultural activities, so you can immerse yourself into local life. We have the perfect project for you, no matter your interests. You can work with children, be welcomed into a traditional Fijian village, shadow doctors or assist with the rebuilding of schools and homes in Nepal. There is so much to choose from.
Does this sound like the type of experience you’re looking for? Read on and we’ll outline the different projects you can sign up for this summer.
Childcare & Community Projects
If you enjoy working with children, have a passion for education or just want to improve schooling environments in general, then this is the project for you!
You’ll assist local teachers in care centres and kindergartens by implementing fun, educational activities for their students. This will help engage and stimulate the children through reading, English lessons, songs, arts and crafts, and sports. You’ll also help with renovations to bring lasting improvements to the centre. By brightening up a classroom and playground or arranging a sports day for all the children, you’ll contribute to a stimulating learning environment for the students. The trip includes organised social activities such as an unmissable trip to Angkor Wat in Cambodia or a safari in Tanzania.
“At the placement, we taught kids basic English such as numbers, built a fence for the outside of the preschool, and decorated the walls with English words and images. It was extremely fulfilling and exciting to get to know the kids despite the language barrier.”
- Jessie P, Childcare High School Special volunteer in Cambodia
These volunteer projects abroad run on the following dates over the summer:
Cambodia Childcare and Community Project
- 6 December - 19 December
- 3 January - 16 January
Nepal Childcare and Community Project
- 6 December - 19 December
- 3 January - 16 January
Fiji Community Village Project
- 6 December - 19 December
Tanzania Childcare and Community Project
- 6 December - 16 December
Medicine & Healthcare Projects
If medicine or healthcare is something you’re interested in, then our Medicine High School Special Project is a fantastic way to test this potential career path.
You’ll get to see the day-to-day workings of a hospital as you shadow local doctors and nurses during their daily rounds. You’ll gain invaluable insight into medical conditions and the provision of healthcare in the developing world. Based in several hospitals, you’ll observe health professionals in a range of departments. You’ll even get to sit in on lectures and be involved in educational outreach programmes at a local school.
“Nepalese doctors and surgeons go out of their way to educate you, to listen to you, to speak to you and inspire you. You’re given the opportunity to see a health care system in a developing country and this can sometimes be daunting but incredible. You’re placed outside your comfort zone and you gain experience that few students can say they have. By the end of the trip everyone was more independent, cultured and inspired.”
These volunteer projects abroad run on the following dates over the summer:
- 6 December - 19 December
- 3 January - 16 January
Building & Renovation Projects
Our Building Project is perfect for those who don’t mind getting their hands a little dirty. You’ll be able to see the physical outcome of your labour, brick by brick.
You’ll work with a team of skilled masons, architects, and engineers to rebuild and renovate classrooms that’ll provide children with a safe and comfortable learning environment. When you aren’t building classrooms from the ground up, you’ll add finishing touches through a coat of paint and educational wall murals. During this project, you’ll also get to organise activities for the children who’ll later learn in the classrooms you build!
“Upon our arrival at the school, we were greeted by the schoolchildren with blessings and flowers, and welcomed by the headmaster, who explained that their current site was unsafe and so we would be helping to build a new one. Over the two weeks, we helped with many different tasks including bricklaying, digging, cement mixing and brick soiling, and we got extremely muddy and wet, which all added to the fun. By the last day, we could clearly see the progress we had made, which was very satisfying.”
These volunteer projects abroad run on the following dates over the summer:
- 6 December - 19 December
- 3 January - 16 January
Conservation & Environment Projects
Spend your summer out in nature diving in the bluest oceans on our Conservation High School Special Project. You’ll spend two weeks working towards your PADI diving certificate and getting involved in important conservation work. Look no further! This is perfect for anyone with a keen interest in the environment.
“My favourite activity was helping out in the Phuket Rehabilitation Centre. We helped by cleaning the injured turtle’s habitats and also by cleaning the baby green turtles. These babies will be released into the ocean once they are about a year old in order to give them a fighting chance of survival and therefore increasing their population numbers. The turtles were very cute, and this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
- Stephanie D, Conservation High School Special volunteer in Thailand
You’ll spend the first week completing your PADI Open Water Certificate with our qualified instructors. Afterwards, you’ll get involved in conservation work including surveys of the local wildlife! You’ll also spend time on land doing beach clean-ups and mangrove reforestation. Your work doesn’t end here though. Educating the local community about the importance of environmental initiatives is a significant part of our conservation work. You’ll give talks and organise fun, educational activities for local children teaching them about issues such as proper waste management.
This volunteer project abroad runs on the following dates over the summer:
Thailand Diving and Marine Conservation Project
- 3 January - 16 January
Where to go from here?
Did any of these projects catch your eye? If so, we’d recommend getting in touch with one of our Project Experts. They’ll be able to answer any questions you or your parents may have!
“I’ve learned that some of life’s best lessons cannot be taught — they must be experienced. I will never forget my experience and I am grateful to Projects Abroad for guiding me every step of the way.”
Organising a meaningful, life-changing trip starts here. We hope we’ll see you on one of our High School Special Projects this summer!
Want to know more about our summer High School Special Projects?
Get in touch with our Projects Experts. They'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
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