Professional development
The Chartered Management Institute (CMI), in conjunction with VSO, carried out an in-depth study into the effect of overseas volunteering on professional development for managers. The resulting report, Valuing Volunteering, shows that organisations need to recognise the value of volunteering as a route to professional development, and presents some interesting facts:
80 per cent of returned volunteers felt they had gained skills they would not have otherwise acquired if they had stayed in Ireland. Key areas were communication skills, cross-cultural working, problem solving and managing change.
67 per cent of managers who had employed someone with overseas voluntary experience agreed that they brought different skills and experiences to the organisation – breadth of experience, ability to manage diversity, wider perspective and greater flexibility.
94 per cent of employers agreed or strongly agreed that long-term overseas voluntary activities broaden skills and experience.
Employers offering sabbaticals to staff have found that returned volunteers come back refreshed and re-energised having taken the time to do something abroad and look at things from a different perspective.
