Graduate Case Studies - Charlotte Paddock - Harnas Wildlife Foundation, Namibia
Name: Charlotte Paddock
Degree: BSc Hons Psychology, University of Worcester
When did you decide to take a gap year and why?
I decided to take some time out following my degree, because I knew I would be going on to complete further studies, and really wanted a nice break in between! I couldn't manage a gap year, but enjoyed the time I spent away. Where did you go and why? I spent a month at the Harnas Wildlife Foundation in Namibia. I knew all along that I wanted to complete a volunteer project with animals
and when I was researching my different options, I came across this project and knew straightaway that it was where I wanted to spend my time away!
What was the best thing about the year and the worst thing?
The best thing about my trip was definitely being able to get so close to such incredible animals. Spending my spare time cuddled up to cheetahs and lion cubs was such a fantastic opportunity. Lying in bed at night and hearing the lions roaring was an amazing experience, but the best part for me was spending a night under the stars, freezing cold because a cheetah had pinched my sleeping bag. There were very few bad points to the trip, one was the flight; being not overly keen on flying meant that the ten hour flight was quite difficult! The worst part was saying goodbye to the friends
that I made - both human and animal!
How did you fund the gap year?
I had quite a lot of help from my partner to fund my trip and was incredibly lucky as my university
offered a scholarship for students completing volunteer work. I was grateful I got quite a substantial amount. What benefits do you think it has given you in terms of employability? In terms of the career
that I wish to go into, the benefits that I will see are an increased level of independence and a greater amount of confidence. I was confronted with a number of situations which were incredibly alien to me, from cutting up horse legs and feeding hungry cheetahs, to trying to fend off angry baboons, meaning that I had to be able to problem solve very quickly and logically!
How would you talk about it in an interview with a prospective employer?
I would talk about the fantastic experience that I had, and would also outline some of the roles that I
undertook whilst in Namibia, and explain exactly how this would be beneficial in the job that I was applying for.
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