What is Project Trust?
Project Trust, was founded in 1967. It is an educational charity based on the Hebridean Isle of Coll, which specialises in sending 17-19 year old school leavers overseas for 8 or 12 month volunteer placements in which young people undertake various projects in Africa, Asia or the Americas.
The organisation sends about 250 volunteers to 23 countries annually and is widely respected as one of the most experienced and professional gap year organisations in Britain. The Project Trust’s philosophy is to provide young people with an opportunity to understand a community overseas by immersing themselves in it.
Heloise Allan, Education Development Officer, explains what her role in the Project Trust involves and how volunteers can gain an award in Global Citizenship.
You can also read about Heloise's background and role in our Job Profiles section.
Visit the Project Trust website for more information about the organisation and the kind of projects they offer to young people.
Please note that young people who choose to do a year abroad with the Project Trust are required to fund-raise as part of their experience.
SCILT worked closely with Project Trust to help develop links with schools across the country. You can read the blogpost 'International Education Week: Language Linking, Global Thinking' where SCILT's Professional Development Officer, Meryl James, explains how Project Trust and SCILT have developed ways for the two organisations to support each other’s work, not least through the Language Linking, Global Thinking pilot programme. Here Meryl explains how volunteering overseas inspires young people to engage with language learning, and how in turn those young people can motivate pupils to learn languages in UK schools.
Project Trust provides returned volunteers to talk to young people about their experiences of living in another country, and how that experience has helped them understand the relevance of learning other languages. Learn about some of their experiences on our Project Trust - Projects webpage.