Who Joins Us?

For the majority of our trips you don’t need to have specialist skills and unlike younger travellers you will already have more life experience to bring to your career break, which will greatly benefit you and your host community.

The reasons for taking a career break vary enormously but generally it’s because there is a desire to challenge yourself, escape the routine, learn more about yourself and the world, get over a difficult period in your life, explore what it is you might really want to do in life, try something totally different, see a bit of the world, do something great with an unexpected windfall, learn a new skill, fulfil a long-held dream, improve your CV, scratch your itchy feet or simply beat the kids at their own game.

Taking a career break is one of the most exciting and rewarding life-enhancing experiences you can have. Madventurer can give you the chance to see the world, explore new cultures, expand your personal horizons, develop new skills and ’give something back’.

No longer the preserve of traditional gap year students, increasing numbers of people with real work and life experience are taking time out to travel, be they in their late twenties or in their seventies.

With a huge range of possibilities from working with street-children in Peru, coaching rugby in Fiji, to trekking to see mountain gorillas in Uganda there are many exciting options to explore or include in your career break. We take out volunteers from all backgrounds and age ranges.

Whatever Career breaker option/s you choose, from a fortnight ‘taster' on a Community Development Project in Africa, a six week medical work placement in a Ghanaian hospital or a year long round the world trip - we'll ensure we give you the right support in planning your career break. If you want to revitalize your career, have some space to refresh yourself or gain unique and invaluable work experience abroad, work with us.

Madventurer is committed to ‘developing together' with the communities we work with. You can make a tangible difference to people's lives by giving ‘hand on' support in projects that they have asked for and can take ownership of for long term gain and progress. Get out of the office and into the world!! 

Kelly Geoghegan, 32 from Lincoln:
"8 weeks ago, I gave up my career as a licensee after 8 years and I had no idea what I was going to do with myself. 7 weeks ago I discovered Madventurer on the internet and booked a last minute place on a 5 week development project to Peru. It was all done so quickly I didn't have time to worry about it, I was just so excited. 6 weeks ago I flew to Lima and some of the best weeks of my life began!"

Ailsa Dixon 35 from Aberdeen Spent 6 months in East Africa with Madventurer working in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda:
"I had an idea that I want to do more to help people before I came, now I know what my input can do for people in other cultures. I'm still not sure quite how my career will pan out but I definitely want it to be a contributory one. Either in developing countries or in the UK to help people in need".

Ailsa Mai Taleb, 26, from London Spent 5 weeks building and teaching in Tanzania in September 2006:



"I had the most amazing 5 weeks of my life. I learnt a lot about myself, other people, Tanzania, Amani, building and life for everyone I've worked with- local people and Madventurers. I will never forget my time in Tanzania and wished it could have been longer. I would recommend it to anyone."

Volunteer on a Community Development Project

Careerbreaker brings you the opportunity to volunteer as a part of a team on one of our fantastic community development projects, helping indigenous people to help themselves.

This kind of volunteer placement offers a really fantastic combination of working and living with an indigenous community, giving a sense of really developing together, coupled with the chance to meet and team up with other career-breakers. We build schools, renovate clinics, establish clean drinking water supplies, create sanitation facilities, teach in schools and improve facilities at orphanages. All project are very much grassroots, they are often brought to our attention by local communities and NGO’s and throughout our time with the community we ensure that they retain ownership and are able to sustain the facility once we have moved on.

Community development projects give you the chance to really ‘give something back’ and experience a whole new environment and way of life. You don’t necessarily need any special skills but you’re very likely to learn some new ones during your time as a volunteer. Most of our projects involve building and teaching; for those volunteers who have healthcare experience there may also be opportunities to get involved in local healthcare. You can elect to focus on any one aspect or try your hand at a couple of different activities.

Groups of careerbreakers usually consist of no more than twelve people (although group size will be appropriate to the community and the project) and your Madventurer crew can help with any language barriers, help organise weekend excursions and advise on any query.

You will stay in the community usually in a communal ‘Mad House’ which we try to ensure is as comfortable as possible but please remember that you will be living in a developing country and many of the ‘luxuries’ we take for granted won’t be available to you; the majority of careerbreakers find this refreshing and liberating. We employ local cooks during your stay, to make sure you can take full advantage of the new food experience on offer. Many of our volunteers swear that some of the best meals they’ve ever eaten were whilst working on one of our development projects!

Building -  this activity is at the very core of the work that our community development volunteers undertake and more often than not the project that you work on will be something that has been long desired by the community but they have not been able to fund.

You don’t need to be super-fit or skilled as there will be plenty of work for all but if you have got construction experience do let us know. We often employ local skilled tradesman to help supervise the project and teach volunteers new skills. From digging foundations to painting walls you will be helping a community obtain a much needed and vital facility.

Teaching – improving education standards is key to the progress of developing countries in particular in rural areas where most of our projects are based. Classes are often too large and under-resourced so you can play an important role in assisting the teacher and the pupils and make a real difference to the future of the community.

No teaching experience is necessary. In destinations where English is widely spoken you will be able to assist with basic literacy, maths and other subjects; if your have experience in a relevant subject e.g. geography or  music you may get the opportunity to teach that too.

Where English is classed as a second language, as long as you have a basic grasp of the main language, you will be able to get involved with conversational English lessons, often vital to the future of these children and their communities.  

We will provide you with a basic teaching pack prior to your departure, giving you plenty of advice and ideas. Teaching is a very rewarding and enjoyable experience in developing countries, the children are incredibly motivated to learn and truly delightful and fun to teach.

Don’t forget if you’re a qualified teacher and would like to use these skills fully you could look at our skilled work placements.

Healthcare - Working in the health sector in the developing world is a real challenge. Poor health, and sanitary conditions, a lack of basic healthcare education combined with poverty which often prevents seeking medical advice in timely fashion means that simple illnesses and injuries can become fatal.

Facilities and care are under-resourced in every sense and doctors and nurses really value any help that can be given. Working in healthcare in a developing country really presents a totally different set of conditions in which to work and can be a truly rewarding experience.

You will need relevance experience to engage in this project activity and it’s worth talking to us if you’d like to include some healthcare activity during your community volunteer project, this element may not be situated within the community but more likely at a district clinic or hospital.

Community development projects are great fun and there is usually a lot of laughter and merriment to be found on our project sites, many new friendships are forged both with the locals and with your fellow team members. Crew are always on hand to ensure you get the most out of your project and direct you to the nearest shop or in the direction of a cool beer at the end of a good day’s work!

The communities we work in are always incredibly hospitable and go out of their way to ensure every comfort and welcome they can, as part of a volunteer team working with a community you will be amazed at what you can experience and achieve and how much difference you can make to a community’s life and future.

Don’t forget you can choose to complete two or more projects in the same or a completely different location, as well as organising an adventurous or sightseeing trip before or after your community volunteering.

Managing your Career Break

With you care-free days most likely behind you the biggest obstacle to taking a career break or sabbatical, whether early or late in your career or even in retirement, can be the valuable grown-up responsibilities and commitments you have made to your work, your home and your loved ones. These responsibilities are not the huge insurmountable obstacles they may seem at first, they are ultimately very manageable and will help to turn your dream career break into a reality.

We’ve outlined below some of the key issues to consider when arranging your career-break, whilst on you career break and on your return. This may not be the most enjoyable aspect of organising your trip but in dealing with these issues you can give yourself and others peace of mind whilst your away, ensuring a more rewarding career break experience and when you return.

If you’re going away for a long period of time it may be worth discussing with your solicitor granting Power of Attorney to a trusted friend or family member to control and manage your affairs on your behalf.

More info:

Managing your Career Break at Work >>

Sorting out Financial Responsibilities >>

Dealing with your Home and Property >>

Considering your loved ones and dependants >>

Career Breaker statistics

• 71% are unhappy in their present careers
• 66% would quit their job for £5000 in cash
• 83% for £2000 a year would go to a competitor
• 69% Among Londoners would take a pay cut of £10,000 to avoid the city's transport system

Source: www.careerbreakcafe.com