The feel-good factor of giving up time and expertise to help others in a safe and often exciting environment has traditionally been the key trigger in persuading us to devote part of our Gap to volunteer projects.

More recently though, it’s become just as clear that altruism isn’t the whole story.

For blue-chip employers looking for a point of difference between candidates with equally good academic qualifications, evidence of maturity gained by a stint of domestic or overseas volunteering can put you head and shoulders above other candidates when it comes to getting a first step on the career ladder.

So what is on offer to today’s volunteer? Well practically anything you can think of.

From working on a local archaeological dig in South-East England to helping on a project for the homeless in Scotland and from digging wells in Africa to feeding wild elephants in India, there are volunteering opportunities to suit all interests, fitness levels and of course pockets.

The first question to ask is whether you want to volunteer here or abroad. While it may sound less glamorous than working in an iguana conservation project in Costa Rica, future employers may look more kindly on a candidate who has helped install a new IT system in a local primary school or worked as an unpaid gardener at a UK nursing home.

Whether it involves mentoring young offenders or running a charity shop, volunteer gappers can make a vital contribution to all aspects of community life in Britain without ever getting on a plane.

For those who do want to depart these shores though, there’s a world of volunteering options including teaching, conservation, archaeology, journalism and medical programmes in every country you can imagine.

No matter where you go, the important thing is to choose a program that makes a real difference, not one which simply provides you with a nice time while doing nothing to help the community. Judith Brodie, director of VSO UK, emphasized this point in a newspaper caused quite a stir last year:

“Spending your Gap volunteering overseas has become a rite of passage for young people and the Gap market has grown considerably. While there are many good Gap providers, we are increasingly concerned about the number of badly planned and supported schemes that are spurious - ultimately benefiting no one apart from the travel companies that organise them.”

Volunteering is about helping others so always check that a project does just this. VSO has created a useful checklist of 10 things to ask of any project you may be considering joining, see previous page.

As a prospective volunteer, you should also bear in mind that volunteering can be both mentally and physically challenging and not all recruits enjoy the less-then-luxurious living conditions. Programmes may be stationed a long way from civilization and the things we take for granted – such as running water or flushing toilets - may be a luxury on some projects.

Also think about the costs. While it is true that much volunteering will be free and will provide you with basic living accommodation and food, you will still need to get yourself to and from the project (flights, overland transport) and provide for yourself on your days off.

If you choose well, it is clear that a period of volunteering either here or abroad broadens horizons, makes a difference to people’s lives and adds an important element to your CV, especially if it matches your course or career intentions

Craig Ferriman Craig, 19, spent his Gap between school and university as the first journalism volunteer with Projects Abroad in South Africa. He is now in his first year at Queen Mary, part of London University, where he is studying English. His career plans are currently focusing on journalism. “I travelled to Cape Town as the very first ever journalism volunteer with Projects Abroad in South Africa. To say I was apprehensive would be an understatement but it proved to be a life-changing experience. I shadowed nearly every reporter in the ‘Daily Voice’ newsroom in the course of my placement and travelled far and wide within the Cape Town locality to help cover a range of different stories. I was fortunate to see areas of South Africa that most tourists never get to see and what’s more I was safely protected by the caring and kind reporters that I worked alongside. Leaving my placement was very emotional. The time I spent with my colleagues had been a real learning curve for my writing and my understanding of the ethics of journalism and it also provided me with a unique opportunity to observe the realities of South African life.”