Volunteer managers

Whether taking time out from their career or wanting a new challenge now the kids have flown the nest, volunteer managers join expeditions in many roles. Read their stories to find out how they got on. Read what are the roles for more information about what you could do.

Project Manager

"I was the project manager responsible for overseeing the construction of a kindergarten in Sonsogon Magandai kindergarten and my role was to ensure that the kindergarten was built on time."
Caroline Galbraith worked at Rolls Royce as a customer services manager for nine years and she wanted a change as she felt that she was no longer fulfilled in that role. Read her story in full.

Logistics Co-ordinator

'My role as logistics co-ordinator was to ensure that all the other volunteers had enough food and equipment, if not; I ordered what they needed in. I had never been involved in logistics so I found it very challenging at first. But once the project was completed successfully I was very proud of myself.'
After graduating from Anglia Ruskin University, Julia Selby secured a job in the charity industry. She was frustrated with the lack of promotion in her role and wanted to experience something new. Read her story in full.

Medic

'I have found my expedition to be hard work and tiring with huge rewards that I am very proud of. I have been lucky enough to experience India, which I have been fascinated with for many years.'
John Whitaker graduated from Oxford University and he was working as a medical registrar in a District General Hospital in Whangarei, New Zealand. He wanted the opportunity to go trekking in India and to get the opportunity to do expedition medicine. Read his story in full.

Logistics Manager

'Raleigh offered me a chance to clear my head, give me a new start, and to enjoy life again. It also gave me the opportunity to do all the things I have always wanted to, but I've been too scared to make happen in the past.'
After eight years straight working for the same company, Jonathan decided on a well earned career break and joined Raleigh's expedition to Costa Rica & Nicaragua. Read his story in full.

Project Manager

'While I was away I learnt that the only member of the expedition who was preoccupied with age was me! ... and that it really didn't matter.'
After retiring in 2009 David Rutter decided to make the most of his new found free time by volunteering with Raleigh in India. Read his story in full.

Medic

'What attracted me to Raleigh over other organisations was when I met the Raleigh representatives they seemed to have clear goals about what they were hoping to achieve with the young people who joined Raleigh.' Having worked in the same place for twelve years, Eleri Evans wanted to take a career break and joined Raleigh's ten week spring expedition in Borneo. Read her story in full

Medic & Project Manager

Louise Hyde was working as a doctor in A&E when she decided to join Raleigh's expedition to India as the Medic and Project Manager. Read her story in full.

Project Manager

'I got the chance to work on both environmental and community initiatives. I enjoyed the opportunity to meet new people, practice Spanish and work with local people from various places.'
Margit Takacs decided to take a career break and joined Raleigh's expedition to Costa Rica & Nicaragua as a Project Manager. Read her story in full.

Adventure Project Manager

'This role has been brilliant for my self-development. Motivating a group of 18-24 year olds to get up and trek at 6am is challenging!'
Alastair Parry decided to take a structured sabbatical in which he joined Raleigh's expedition in Borneo. He enjoyed it so much; he decided to stay on as Volunteer Manager in a Trek Leader role. Read his story in full.

Logistics Co-ordinator

'I felt that Raleigh may be a way to regain confidence in the workplace, allow me to live and work in Latin America and equip me with new skills'.
Keen for a career break, luxury Travel specialist Katie Aston joined Raleigh's Spring expedition in Costa Rica as Logistics Coordinator and Project Manager. Read her story in full

Deputy Programme Manager

'One of my best moments on expedition was seeing the venturers at their project sites and seeing them learning new skills that they had been taught and then putting them into action.'

Tom Norton joined Raleigh's expeditions in both Namibia as well as India, before joining for a third time on the charity's expedition to Borneo. Tom wanted to enhance his management skills and volunteered as Deputy Programme Manager. Read his story in full.

Medic

'I would recommend joining Raleigh as a volunteer manager to others as it is a way to liberate yourself out of your ordinary life and have access to incredible places and experiences that you normally wouldn't get the chance to have'.
Susan Trinnaman was working as a neonatal nurse in London when she decided to take a career break and joined Raleigh's ten week spring expedition in Costa Rica & Nicaragua. Read her story in full

Expedition Administrator

'What attracted me to Raleigh over other organisations was that I knew of several people who had joined Raleigh expeditions in the past both as Venturers and as Volunteer Managers and I had only heard wonderful, positive stories about their experiences.'
Abby Kirby made the decision to take a sabbatical from her Marketing job with Cisco and joined Raleigh's expedition in Borneo as Expedition Administrator. Read her story in full.