Volunteering Worldwide

Voluntary work can be one of the most rewarding ways to spend all or part of your gap-year.

It's the top gap choice among the Year Out Group's members, with a 20% rise across all age groups.

The majority of gappers choosing to volunteer overseas are in the traditional gap-year age bracket of 17-23, but we're told by our partners that increasing numbers of career breakers and retired people are exploring this option.

The most popular types of projects overseas involve either humanitarian or conservationwork.

Humanitarian work might include building a school or community facility, teaching or nursing. It may be tough work in extremely conditions and do be prepared for some culture-shock, but the reward and feeling of accomplishment may be life-changing.

If you're interested in animals, wildlife and ecology, a conservation project may be for you. There are a huge number of conservation projects across the world and some fantastic opportunities to get up close to some of the world's most interesting animals, often in stunning locations. 

There are some excellent companies that offer a range of volunteering abroad projects. You'll find them listed below. To refine your search, type what you're looking for into the search box.

FOR MORE PLEASE VISIT: Volunteering Worldwide

Working Worldwide

Working abroad is a great option if you desperately want to go overseas, can’t really afford it and the money you have managed to save won’t cover much more than air fare.

It’s one of the best ways to experience a different culture; you’ll be meeting locals and experiencing what the country is really like in a way that you can’t do as a traveller passing through. Most jobs give you enough spare time, in the evenings and at weekends, to enjoy yourself and make friends.

You don’t have to be tied to one place for your whole gap-year – you can work for a bit and save up for your travels. That way you can learn more about the place and get the inside information from the locals about the best places to see before you set off.

You cover at least some of your costs, and, depending on what you do, the work experience will look good on your CV – but even if you’re only doing unskilled seasonal work, prospective employers will be reassured that you at least know something about the basics like punctuality, fitting into an organisation and managing your time.

The most popular jobs that gappers look for include au pairing, teaching english as a foreign language (TEFL), cooking and household help and seasonal work that might include fruit picking or farm work. An internship with pay is a also good way to get work experience if you already have an idea about your eventual career.

Career Breaks

Taking a career break or sabbatical essentially refers to the same thing: stopping work for a period of time to do something new or different. You would generally consider a sabbatical to be a period of time away from your job, with the agreement to return at the end of it. A career break, however, might mean cutting loose altogether – quitting your job and seeing what happens; maybe with the intention of starting a whole new career when you’re back, or just a leap into the unknown. 

They may still be in the minority in the gap-year market, but the number of career breakers is definitely on the rise. Taking a month, six months or a year out of your workplace is an excellent way to add new skills to your CV, re-assess your career (or maybe your life!), or just to recharge your batteries or and get away from the routine.

There may be something you’ve always wanted to do or somewhere you’ve wanted to go – and maybe now you’re in a better position to afford it? Or maybe you want to ‘give something back’ after years in the ‘rat race’?

Around 90,000 people take a short sabbatical each year in the UK – in other words a ‘gap-month’. It may be worthwhile considering something like this, or perhaps a longer trip if you’ve been made redundant or taken early retirement.

Many organisations that arrange places for people on overseas projects have told us that more than half of their activity is now focused on helping place mature travellers and/or people who are taking a career break.

Jon Arnold from Oyster Worldwide comments; "The average age of our clients is creeping up each year. For the past 12 months, the average age is 24. This has been pulled up by career breakers and short term volunteers who can be aged anything between 17-75."

FOR MORE PLEASE VISIT: Career Breaks 

How to Improve Prostate Health

Eat whole grains and more fruits and vegetables. Choose whole-grain bread and pasta over white bread and pasta. Make sure to get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every single day. Include produce high in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, such as red peppers and tomatoes. Lycopene is what makes fruit and vegetables red, and has been proven as a cancer-fighting ingredient. In general, the deeper and brighter the color of your produce, the better.

• There are currently no guidelines as the amount of lycopene you should try to get each day. However, research indicates that for lycopene to make any difference, you would need to eat lycopene-foods all day to get the amounts needed.
• Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy and kale are also good defenses against the development of cancer. Some controlled studies have found a link between increased ingestion of cruciferous vegetables and reduced risk of prostate cancer, although the evidence is merely associative at this point.

Be more selective in your consumption of protein. Cut back on how much red meat you eat, including beef, pork, lamb and goat. It's also a good idea to limit your consumption of processed meats, like sandwich meat and hot dogs.

• Instead of red meat, eat fish with high levels of omega-3 acids, including salmon and tuna. These foods will help your prostate as well as your heart and immune system. The research about the relationship between dietary fish intake and prostate cancer prevention is largely based on correlative data and namely, the fact that the Japanese have so few cases of prostate cancer and eat large amounts of fish. Whether there is a causal relationship is still being debated.
• Beans, skinless poultry, and eggs are also healthy options for protein.

Increase the amount of soy in your diet. The properties of soy, which is found in many vegetarian dishes, fight cancer. Sources of soy include tofu, soy nuts, soy flour and soy powders. Swapping cow's milk for soy milk in your cereal or coffee is one way to get more soy into your diet.

• Note that recent research has found soy beans and some other specific products, such as tofu, to be preventive in prostate cancer. However, this cannot be extrapolated to all soy products, including milk. There are also no current anecdotal or evidence-based guidelines on the amount of soy you should try to incorporate into your diet.

Limit your alcohol, caffeine, and sugar intake. Though you don't need to entirely cut out caffeine from your diet, try to limit how much you ingest. For example, limit yourself to one to two 4-ounce cups of coffee per day. The same goes for alcohol; try to view it as a treat and stick to a couple of small glasses a week.

• Avoid sugary (sometimes also caffeinated) drinks like sodas and fruit juices. These have nearly zero nutritional benefit.

Keep good fats and get rid of bad fats. Limit your consumption of saturated fats from animal and dairy products and instead switch to healthy fats, like olive oil, nuts, and avocados. Animal products high in fat, such as meat, butter, and lard, have been associated with an increase risk of prostate cancer.

• Avoid fast food and most processed foods. These often contain partially hydrogenated fats (trans fats), which are extremely unhealthy.

How to Avoid Repeating the Old Same Mistakes All over Again

Don't fear failure. Making mistakes can be a good thing. The key to making mistakes into something valuable is to learn from them. Carefully examine a mistake that you made and look for the reasons why you may have made it. In this way, mistakes can actually help lead you to success.
Being over confident can also lead you to miss information and make a mistake.
Many conditions or situations can cause a mistake, from being tired to having a bad habit.

Don't believe that you can't avoid making mistakes. This can actually cause you to keep making them and won't let you learn from your mistakes. Your brain actually helps you to avoid mistakes. A study has shown that the brain reacts in 0.1 seconds to things that have resulted in past errors by sending out a warning signal to prevent us from repeating the same mistake.


Focus on what you are doing right. While learning from your mistakes is valuable, you should also focus on what went right. By focusing on what you are doing well, you can help feel great about your efforts as you work to improve and avoid mistakes.
Make a list of everything you've overcome and all your successes.
Write down qualities about yourself that you value.
Review these lists often for motivation and reminders of your progress.

Start correcting mistakes. Once you notice some mistakes you may have made, you can start correcting them. The method you use to correct them will vary in relation to the mistake you are trying to correct. Review the following examples to get an idea of some corrections you can start to make:
If you regularly miss the due date of a bill, try making highly visible reminders for yourself.
Don't be afraid to ask for help. For example, if you're trying to make your grandmother's recipe for soup but it's not coming out right, try asking her for some advice.



Stay focused on improving. It might be tempting to have your goals set high, trying to be the best at whatever your goal may be. However, it can be easier to find success if you focus on steadily improving over time, rather than the end result.
Perfectionism can lead to anxiety about your goals and your progress.
Practice every day. Part of improving, finding success and avoiding past mistakes is getting enough practice. Getting daily practice is key as it can help you keep your skills sharp and allow you to slowly but consistently improve over time. For example, you could try making your grandmother's soup recipe regularly to improve.
Set aside time each day to practice.

Keep a log of how long you practice each day.
If possible, try to slowly increase the amount of time you practice each day.
If you can't practice certain things daily, a visualization exercise could help. For example, if you find yourself without your guitar, you can imagine playing the chords of a song you are practicing.

How to Deal With People Who Always Complain

Change the subject. It can be draining to listen to complaints. It can also make the conversation socially awkward. The next time a friend starts complaining, shift the focus.

• Maybe your aunt complains about your uncle's busy work schedule. Try saying, "I understand you've been busy, too. Tell me all about your new book club!"
• When you redirect the conversation, you are demonstrating that you would like to talk about something else. Just make sure to change the subject to something more neutral.
• Avoid potentially negative topics. For example, if you have a friend who constantly complains about work, don't bring up the subject. Instead, talk about a book you both recently finished.

Set boundaries. Maybe your friends constantly use you as a sounding board. If people regularly complain to you, that means they see you as someone who can be trusted. But it can also be emotionally exhausting for you.

• Let your friends know that you need to set some boundaries. Try saying, "Sara, I'm always here for you. But sometimes I'd like to talk about my own life when I'm with you."
• Maybe your friend has problems that make you uncomfortable. Don't be afraid to make that clear.
• For example, maybe your friend regularly complains about her disappointing sex life. Try saying, "Sheryl, would you mind if we change the subject? That kind of personal detail makes me uncomfortable."

Promote "I" statements. It is important to explain to your friends and family that it hurts you when they complain all of the time. You can use "I" statements to express your feelings and you can also ask the person who is complaining to rephrase his or her feelings using "I" statements.

• An "I" statement focuses on the feelings or ideas of the person talking, rather than the person who it listening. Promoting "I" statements in your interactions with others may help you to feel less stressed by the complaints that you hear.
• When you live with someone who is constantly complaining, it can make you feel like he or she is blaming you for everything that is wrong in the house. Instead of stating, "I'm sick of hearing you complaining," state, "It feels like I'm getting blamed for everything that is wrong in the house."
• You might also consider saying something like, "Always listening to the negative is very frustrating for me" instead of "You are such an awful complainer!"
• You can also ask others to rephrase their complaints using "I" statements. For example, ask your sister to say, "I feel like our holiday gatherings are very stressful" instead of saying, "Christmas at your house is horrible!"
• Try to use "I" statements yourself whenever you are communicating with someone who often complains. This will help you to demonstrate how useful "I" statements can be

Deal with an elderly person who complains often. Elderly people can offer up a lot of complaints. Your family gatherings might suffer if you count an aging family member who complains to your relatives. There are ways that you can learn to deal with this specific situation.

• Take a minute to listen. Elderly people are often lonely and just want someone to talk to. Change the topic to something cheerful and enjoy a chat.
• Offer to help. Many elderly people find themselves unable to cope with life's daily challenges.
• If your grandmother complains about traffic, offer a solution. Tell her you'll be happy to pick up some groceries for her so that she has to spend less time in the car.

Cope with a complaining child. If you have kids, you've probably heard more complaints than you ever imagined. Pre-teens and teens in particular often complain a lot. You can choose how to respond to complaints made by a child.

• Try brainstorming. If your teen complains of boredom, ask him to list some things he would like to do. This will help him learn to find his own solutions.
• Be patient. Remember that kids are going through a lot of changes.
• Many times, the complaints of a child are based on anxiety, or even tiredness. Take care to locate the root of the problem.
• Be non-judgmental. Try not to criticize your child for complaining. For example, if your child complains that dinner is "gross", try saying, "It's unfortunate that you feel that way." If complaining does not earn your child a lot of attention, then he or she will be more likely to find positive things to say.

Spend time in groups. When you are in a social situation, it can be awkward to listen to someone who constantly complains. If you have friends or family members who seem to enjoy whining, it can take the fun out of many situations. Try to avoid spending alone time with someone who complains a lot if it bothers you.

• People are less likely to complain if there are several people around. You don't have to avoid having a coffee date with your complaining cousin. Just ask others to join you.
• The next time your cousin asks you for coffee, just say, "That sounds great, but I already have plans with a couple of friends. You don't mind if they join us, do you?"
• You will feel less pressure to respond to the complaints if you are in a group. If your friend complains that she hates the pizza that's being served, you don't even have to respond if there are others sitting close by. Just allow other group members to carry on the conversation

6 Reasons to Study a Computer Science Degree

For those considering a degree in Computer Science but need further convincing, the Complete University Guide lends its expertise. Here's  6 compelling reasons to study for a Computer Science degree:

1. The digital age needs computer scientists

Like it or not you're living in it – this is the Digital Age. Computer programmes have all but infiltrated every aspect of our lives. Computer scientists theorise, design, develop, and apply the software and hardware for the programmes we use day in day out – sounds pretty important to us.

2. Computer science students have excellent graduate prospects 

Check out our Computer Science subject table, look down the Graduate Prospects column and you'll notice that computer science students stand a pretty good chance of being professionally employed or in further study within 6 months of leaving uni. And that chance is strengthened if you go to one of the UK's best unis for the subject – the top 10 average aGraduate Prospects score of 93.6%.

3. Computer scientists earn big bucks

Computer scientists are in demand and their salaries reflects this. Recent graduates in professional roles earn on average £23,144 a year. Compared to other subjects that's fairly substantial – just take a look at 'What do Graduates Earn?.    

According to www.prospects.ac.uk, systems developers in senior management roles earn between £45,000 and £70,000 a year.

4. Computer scientists are needed in every type of industry

Every industry uses computers so naturally computer scientists can work in any. Problems in science, engineering, health care, and so many other areas can be solved by computers. It's up to the computer scientist to figure out how, and design the software to apply the solution. 

• 5. Internationally Diverse Cohort

Computer science departments at typically benefit from having one of the more culturally diverse cohorts at their respective unis. According to HESA data nearly 9,000 computer science students come from overseas.

A diverse cohort means you'll be exposed to different cultures and potentially finish uni with an international network of contacts to utilise later in life. 

• 6. Year abroad opportunities

Computers have gone global, and it would be silly for Computer Science education providers to not reflect this fact. Check the opportunities for overseas study on the courses that interest you. A year abroad will provide you with a deeper understanding of how computers are used around the world, allowing you to experience other cultures, and gain some language skills in the process.

How to Remove a Splinter In One Piece

When you leave pieces in your skin, your body identifies them as something foreign. So it attacks the invader to try to keep you safe, she says.

As a result, inflammation around the area increases, causing even more pain.

“Your body may also build scar tissue around the pieces, causing a painful knot in your skin,” Dr. Derick says.

Removing a splinter cleanly can help prevent those problems. Follow these three simple tips to learn how to do it right.

Important note: If you have a splinter stuck in an awkward place—like behind your nail—leave it to a pro to remove.

Splinters in difficult locations are tough to take out, and are more likely to become infected if not removed properly.

1. Get wet
Soak the area in warm water for a minute or two to soften the skin, says Dr. Derick.

If the splinter is in your finger or foot, you can submerge it in the water.

For larger areas like your leg, you can use a warm compress.

2. Gather your tools
See the edge of the splinter sticking out of your skin? If so, skip to step 3.

But if the splinter is completely beneath the surface of your skin, you need to help it along a little.

Find a thin needle, and wipe it down with rubbing alcohol to sterilize it.

Using the tip of the needle, make a small hole in your skin above the edge of the splinter so you can access it.


You don’t want to dig, though: That can create a wound that opens to the door to infection, says Dr. Derick.

If it doesn’t seem easily accessible—say, you can barely see it, or after one or two tries with the needle you can’t get to it—put away the needle and call your doctor instead.

3. Pull it out
Once you can see the edge of the splinter sticking out, use a tweezers to grab it as close to the skin as possible.

Then, pull in the direction the splinter is sticking out.

If you pull in the opposite direction, you risk bending the splinter, which can increase the risk of splitting it, says Dr. Derick.

You really need tweezers to perform the extraction: While you may have heard that squeezing the splinter out can work instead, it actually makes it more likely to split apart and break, she says.

Once you’ve removed a splinter fully, clean the area with soap and water, apply some Vaseline to create a barrier that keeps bacteria out and cover it with a Band-Aid.

“If it becomes red, swollen, or painful, see a doctor because it may be infected,” Dr. Derick says.

Science Just Discovered a Strange Link Between Naps and Diabetes

Pull your head out from under the covers: Taking long naps might increase your risk of heart problems and diabetes, a new meta-analysis presented at the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) Annual Scientific Session suggests.

After analyzing data on more than 300,000 people from 21 different studies, the researchers concluded that people who napped more than 60 minutes a day—and who reported high levels of daytime fatigue—were about 50 percent more likely to develop diabetes than those who napped for less than an hour a day.


But the study didn’t show cause and effect, so the researchers can’t say for sure whether the long naps was actually responsible for the increased risk of those conditions.

In fact, it might be that your need to take long naps is signaling something might not be quite right with your body, says ACC member Peter Farrehi, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at the University of Michigan.

One possible reason? Feeling excessively tired during the day could mean you have undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea, a condition where you stop breathing during sleep, he says.

That means you don’t receive enough oxygen while you’re snoozing, so your body continuously wakes yourself up to get air.

As a result of your poor, fragmented sleep, the sleep center in your brain releases excess stress hormones like cortisol.


Too much cortisol can raise your blood pressure, increasing your chances of developing metabolic syndrome, Dr. Farrehi says.

Past research also suggests that cortisol can also spike your blood sugar levels, a known risk for type 2 diabetes.

Your move: Shoot for at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night, Dr. Farrehi recommends.

If you’re still feeling exhausted even after snoozing that long, that’s your cue to talk to your doctor: He or she may want to evaluate you for breathing disorders or order blood work to check for fatigue-causing conditions like anemia.

As for the occasional long nap? It’s not easy to say whether one long nap is safer than daily ones, says Dr. Farrehi. But if you’ve been short on sleep all week, listen to your body and rest up.

Even better: Keep your nap to less than 30 minutes.

In the study, these shorter naps weren’t linked to any increased chances of metabolic syndrome or diabetes—and awakening after 30 minutes is less likely to leave you groggy, too.

What Counts As Binge Eating Disorder?

The Dangers Of Binge Eating Disorder

After going overboard, it’s pretty common to feel bloated and weighed down.

But that’s not all: When you flood your system with more calories than it needs, the extra gets stored as fat, Albers says.

And if you’re loading up on sugar and refined carbs, you’ll have a blood sugar spike followed by a crash, leaving you tired and irritable.

Of course, there are more long-term dangers you need to worry about, too.

The more often you binge, the more likely you are to take in more calories than you need and gain weight.

Over time, that can put you at risk for health problems like high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

So What Can You Do About It?

The good news is that over-the-top eating that only happens once in a while won’t necessarily morph into a disorder.

You usually must have a predisposition towards an eating disorder to develop one, says Albers. For instance, people with certain personality traits might be more at risk, like if you’re a perfectionist or feel like you always need to be in control, the NEDA says.

Regardless, if you’re concerned about your eating habits or are worried that you might have a disorder, talk with your doctor.

Bingeing on a regular basis, feeling bad about your binges or like your eating is out of control, and using binges to cope with stress or other negative emotions are all red flags.

He or she may refer you to a mental health professional, who can help you work through your food issues with therapy.