There's a world beyond the typical student summer job

Outdoors, the scent of cherry blossoms mingles with the remnants of charred barbecued hamburgers. This can only mean one thing: break out the valium, it's time to shop for bathing suits under those garish, pudge-promoting lights. Actually, no. I was thinking more along the lines of Operation-Bust-off-the-Island-while-you-can.

More and more young people are starting to think outside the box in terms of how they spend their hard-earned summer breaks.

Traditionally we have the "yes sir, I would love to spend the sultry holiday months holed up in your fusty kitchen scraping spit and crusted food off dishes." It's a simple, traditional, and guaranteed way to make some cash and seem as though you're being productive. But Wendy Walker, a career programs co-ordinator who works with School District 63, says she is seeing a change among young people.

"I definitely see students wanting global experience more and more often," she says. "And really, the international community is at our fingertips. Because of the Internet, it's easy for students to scout out opportunities."

Walker says that for students who are willing to branch out and seek more offbeat gigs when they have the chance, "the benefits are amazing." And just what sort of opportunities are young people undertaking these days? Anything from volunteering overseas to seeking employment at resorts away from home.

Whether it's building mud huts in South America or slinging coffee somewhere on the Gulf Islands, Walker concedes that the common thread involves students who want to, "grow, be exposed and learn." She talks about the strength of character of these students who are willing to work away from home, often for months at a time, in unfamiliar territory.

Ah, what a breath of fresh air. To hear that we generation Ys (or Xs, or whatever they call us now; where is Douglas Coupland when we need him?) are doing something productive and positive. Yes, we are flapping our little birdie wings and trotting the globe in an effort to become globally and culturally diverse.

But where to start if you want to branch out? What if you're low on cash? What if on second thought, you're not quite ready to don those huge, suede gloves and head out to rural France to build rock walls? Walker and I conspired to give you these simple introductory tips on seeking offbeat opportunities:

- Want to go global? Head to your nearest bookstore or library for a copy of Volunteer Vacations: short term adventures that will benefit you and others by Bill McMillon, Doug Cutchins and Anne Geissinger. Packed with loads of diverse groups that you can join, the book has an easy-to-read format that allows you to search by location, price or length of time.

- Walker suggests making use of Volunteer Victoria, a group that lists non-profit opportunities all over the capital city. "Quite likely they have connections to other locations," says Walker. "It's worth a try." On the web: http://www.volunteervictoria.bc.ca

- Use your school as a tool. Hey, that rhymes. Your faculty, particularly in the career area, will be well-versed in summer connections, whether for work, study or non-profit activities. Schedule an appointment and get to know your career program co-ordinator. Make sure you bring a list of ideas and areas of work you are willing to explore.

Ammunition = coffee + highlighter + classifieds. Keep your eyes peeled for opportunities off-Island (some resorts will even offer accommodation for their summer employers).

This is hardly a groundbreaking suggestion, but it's tried and true.

- Milk your connections for all they're worth! Friends, family, co-workers, the all-powerful Google: anyone is fuel for scouting tips.

The bottom line is: Youth are branching out more than ever and seeking diverse opportunities for their holidays and it's not as complicated as it sounds. Whether you want to study abroad, volunteer overseas, or make some cash, the opportunities are in your hands. Want to cultivate your cultural experiences? Just say no to summer burger shlepping.

Lana Hall is an 18-year-old student at the School District 63 Individual Learning Centre

Source: http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/life/story.html?id=02504651-12c6-4ec1-a6bc-16cdc63fa4bb&k=17588&p=2