Emily & Ollie

Travel information

Taking a professional career break, we began our first Work-Away in April 2021 and have since completed Work Aways in Scotland and Wales. We are now looking for a Work Away for September/Oct.

Description

We are Ollie & Emily - both 27 year olds who have finished our full-time jobs in March 2021 and have now begun volunteering with Work Away and exploring the world for as long as possible. We are hoping to do a ski-season in Canada this winter. Until then, we are keen to complete around one month with different Work Away hosts in various countries.

We have thoroughly enjoyed our first Work Away experiences so far in Scotland and Wales and we are now looking forward to meeting more new people, gaining further skills, exploring local areas and supporting hosts as much as possible. Both easy going and hardworking, we are open to and excited by lots of the projects on Work Away. Having both previously travelled and worked abroad, we are able to adapt quickly to new living and working environments, which we feel is a valuable skill for a Work-Awayer.

Ollie

Having recently completed 5 years in the British Navel Service, I am really appreciating our new life-style free from too many restrictions! My main passions are mountain biking and surfing but I enjoy anything outdoors really: bouldering, hiking, snowboarding etc. Being outdoors and doing sports makes me feel so grateful and I enjoy doing my favourite activities in new and beautiful locations.

As well as my existing hobbies, I really enjoy the experience of learning something totally new. Last year, I started to grow my own vegetables in the garden. This is very new and I am in the novice stages but I enjoyed it - even if it was a very small harvest!

Emily

I am a trained Primary School Teacher, with a special interest in Early Years. As well as teaching, I am interested international development, community volunteering and working with refugees. Over the past few years, these interests have led me to spend 8 months in Kenya on a youth-led development project, time in South Africa promoting positive Sexual Health practices and volunteering in Calais with refugees.

I enjoy learning about different sustainable ways of living when volunteering with Work Away. I am also gradually becoming more handy at DIY and gardening as I pick up new skills along the way.

I love visiting new places and have a go at everything or anything! This has led me to performing with a Kenyan Dance Squad, joining a French volley-ball team, trying out fishing when au-pairing and trying to keep up with Ollie in his many outdoor pursuits! I am eager to learn as much as possible with Work Away!

Interests

Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn

We're interested in:  

Gardening

General Maintenance

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Life at a Farmstay

Eco Projects

Helping around the house

Hospitality/Tourism

Charity Work

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Some knowledge of:  

DIY and building projects

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Able to teach about:  

Babysitting and creative play

Teaching

More details about your skills

Ollie

Studying Outdoor Education at university allowed me to develop a number of skills related to this industry such as risk assessment, coaching and leadership. I further developed these skills whilst working two seasons at Camp America as a water-sport instructor for teens.

Beyond outdoor pursuits, I have experience working as a labourer and general maintenance including: tree planting, painting/decorating, driving dumpers, fencing and some limited experience in brick laying. Similarly, I have self-taught myself some basic carpentry skills as I have renovated my transit van into a camper. During my Work Away in Scotland April 2021, I have had the opportunity to work closely with a professional carpenter in his work-shop, primarily assisting to build a Tiny House. For example, with initial instruction from the host (and him being available for questions when needed), I have made a wine-glass holder, fitted work-surfaces, fitted drawers, hung a door with mitre and assembled a step-ladder and a sliding door. During this period, I have therefore developed my confidence when independently using a range of tools such as: a plainer, electric plainer, router, still-saw, mitre saw, jig-saw, electric sanders and a table saw. Please contact us for pictures if you wish.

When serving in the Navy, I learnt many skills such as: ship maintenance, seamanship, water survival, boat driving as well as how to clean something till you can see your face in it! Very high standards! On top of this, I also now highly value punctuality and I am able to follow instructions well and work hard.

At home, I have always had animals from chicken, quails, snakes, dogs and budgies so I am happy to help out with any animal care. I also know my way around a kitchen and enjoy cooking.

Emily

As a qualified teacher with a Masters in Creative education, my main skill set is with the educational field. As well as working in traditional classroom settings, I have experience working in educational contexts in the international development sector such as providing mobile education for refugees in Northern France; working as an English Language assistant in France; au-pairing and delivering peer education in Kenya and South Africa. These experiences have not only equipped with me teaching skills but also developed my flexibility, communication skills, resilience and sensitivity to other cultures.

I have also developed skills such as team-work, communication and adaptability when working with local NGOs. For example, when volunteering with a Homelessness service in London, I worked within a team to develop a curriculum for the service users. During the Corona Virus Lockdown, I further developed my problem solving and communication skills when taking an active role in supporting a local network to help vulnerable households with shopping and prescriptions, This involved training new volunteers, responding to feedback quickly to improve services and systems and managing team of volunteer callers. I also have sound communication skills when working with vulnerable groups developed when supporting local food banks. Overall, I think my experience volunteering locally and internationally have equipped me with the skill to adapt quickly to new situations, get along with a range of people from various backgrounds an cultures and learn quickly.

During a Work Away in Scotland, I developed my confidence with DIY and can now do the basis e.g. use a drill/impact driver. As a volunteer, I supported with work on the roof (using ladders). nailing in cabling, manual labour such as moving fire wood and supporting with chain-sawing, mulching in the gardening and painting/sanding for a campervan conversion.

I love being outdoors and being active. I love hiking, mountain biking, paddle-boarding and camping.

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Beginner

More details about my language interests
Happy to try and learn the language of wherever we are,

Find a language buddy

Age

28 & 28

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies

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  Special dietary requirements