5 steps to get the most out of international development volunteering

Getting experience in a particular field through volunteering can really make your CV and application stand out when applying for roles, and this is especially true in the international development sector. But how can you make sure that you pick the right opportunity for you and then make the most of it when you’ve started […]

Protesting with Amnesty UK for Albert Woodfox

Amnesty UK commissioned me to take photos at their latest march, protesting for Albert Woodfox, as part of their annual student conference. “Albert has spent the last 43 years in solitary confinement. Despite having his conviction overturned three times and an appeals court ruling his immediate and unconditional release, Albert remains in his 6×4 foot […]

Shine Night Walk 2015

I was invited back to volunteer as a photographer at Shine Night Walk 2015 and I was really happy to help with such a good cause. The atmosphere was incredible once again with thousands of walkers, all in good spirit, loads of volunteers on the route and London lit up in Cancer Research colours. I also got […]

Documentary: The Voluntourist

“In a globalised world where information is so easily accessible young people are becoming more and more aware of the disparities that exist in the world and “voluntourism” is seen as a good way for them to help those who are less fortunate. But without any skills and over shorts period of time how much do you […]

A Ghanaian Summer – 2015

Despite it being almost two years it barely felt like I’d been away when I went through customs at Kotoka Airport in Accra. The same humidity, big queues for immigration and Dan being late to meet me. As always though my experiences in Ghana were huge fun and a lot of work was completed. I’ve […]

Volunteerism in Ghana: Alive and well

Volunteering in Ghana has been a big industry for a long time now. But when people think of volunteers in Ghana they often think of people flying from all over the world to work on a number of projects (some good and some not so good). However, over the last couple of years we’ve seen […]

Research insights in to overseas volunteering

A new 3-minute video from globalsl.org summarising research insights on good and bad community impacts of international volunteering has been released. I’ts good to see a body of research is being developed to help inform people how to volunteer ethically and assist the people they want to help. International Volunteering from Kindea Labs on Vimeo.

You know you’ve been living in Tamale, Ghana for almost two years when…

Originally posted on Steph in Ghana: Tales from a Development Volunteer:
You no longer find it strange to see a wide screened TV / fridge / live goat / dead goat / bicycle / a whole family / a bare saw/spade/hammer or tightly strapped bible being carried on a motorbike You are perfectly comfortable talking…

Want to help the children of Nepal? Don’t fuel the orphanage industry

We’ve all seen the terrible images and stories coming out of Nepal over the past two weeks. You would have to have a heart of stone not to be moved and want to offer your help in any possible way. The British public has already donated millions of pounds and I’m sure this total will continue to […]

Win a childcare experience. Really?

I received an email today. At first glance I thought it was an April Fools. Been thinking about taking part in a GVI childcare programme recently? Well, today could be your lucky day! To raise funds for the GVI Charitable Trust, we’ve partnered up with PrizeAid and StudentUniverse to provide one lucky donor with a free 2-week place […]

Shine Night Walk 2014

On September 27th I was lucky enough to be a volunteer photographer for the Cancer Research Shine Night Walk. Any mass participation event has a buzz about it but with thousands of people fundraising to end cancer, whilst remembering and honouring loved ones, it meant that there was a very special atmosphere in London. The […]

Volunteering with children: A game of double standards?

Let me ask you. How many times have you logged onto Facebook and been greeted with a newly-updated profile picture of one of your friends, volunteer-smile intact, affectionately cuddling a small, rather grubby-looking child, from an unknown African nation? Once? Twice? Too many times to recall?