Street Child is a development charity working in parts of Africa, and is offering a unique opportunity to combine research for your dissertation with travel and volunteering. If you think your dissertation might suit this opportunity, please contact your supervisor to discuss how to make the most of this opportunity.


Want to make your dissertation stand out and make yourself more employable?

Conduct your primary/secondary research with an education based charity in West Africa or South Asia!

STREET CHILD is seeking applications from motivated individuals hoping to gain valuable experience in the development sector by undertaking a volunteer role in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nepal or Sri Lanka.

As part of the role, we are offering a unique opportunity to students looking to explore the scope of their own dissertation projects. Use bespoke methodologies to conduct research on the ground for your dissertation, in collaboration with local partner organisations. In addition to this you will also have exclusive access to previous research by Street Child.

Some of the areas we work in include:

  • Street children
  • Livelihood/ family business support
  • Education in emergency (Nepal earthquake, Ebola in West Africa)
  • Girls’ education in marginalised communities
  • Education for children with disabilities
  • Teaching and learning
  • Gender

We are looking for candidates who are:

  • Studying towards a research degree in a relevant field
  • Professional and diligent in presentation with excellent written and verbal communication
    skills
  • Independent and capable of proactive work plan management with minimal support
  • Flexible and adaptable
  • Respectful of cultural differences and mindful of the position of a researcher
  • Keen interest in understanding and contributing to the development sector

This is a wonderful opportunity to gain CV enhancing skills while undertaking valuable research for your dissertation and making a real contribution to development work.

Accommodation will be provided by Street Child at a fixed cost, and could require sharing rooms with another volunteer of any gender. A detailed breakdown of costs and expenses will be provided for those applicants selected for interview. Flights are at the applicant’s own expense.

A fundraising commitment is required of the successful applicant for which support will be provided by Street Child UK.

If you are interested, please send your cover letter and CV to intvol@street-child.co.uk outlining your experience, research interest and availability. You can download a PDF of this role description here.