Volunteer work

While researching volunteer work organizations, I found these two which awoke my interest the most:

1. European Voluntary Service
(http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-in-action-programme/european-voluntary-service_en.htm)
2. GoAbroad
(http://www.goabroad.com/providers/geovisions/programs/volunteer-programs-in-turkey-88062)

I am interested in these organizations because...

I would really like to do another gap year during my studies, maybe between the Bachelor and the Master studies. This year I would like to spend on doing volunteer work, and these organizations would offer me opportunities that totally fulfill my requirements. When I come home after the six months in New York I want to go on learning turkish. Before I left I did a first course, but for sure that's not enough, especially because I already forgot so many things. The GoAbroad organization offers a very good program, which means you going to Turkey as a English teacher - I think this could be very cool as I will have the required English skills after my stay here and furthermore I can work with children there, which is my preference when thinking about volunteer work. On the other hand the European Voluntary Service is really well government-funded so that you find a lot of support and opportunities and it makes it very easy for you to join the program.

Experiences or skills you need to participate in these programs...
For participating in the GoAbroad program to teach turkish people English you don't have to fulfill many conditions: Of course your English has to be on a proper level and you have to be 18 years or older, but it is no experience required so that it is joinable for everybody (with the particular English skills). The European Volunteer Service also requires nothing but an age of 18 years of higher and of course your "will to help people".

The skills you will learn...

Of course it depends on the social work you will do, what specific skills you learn. When you are an English teacher in Turkey (like you can do it with GoAbroad), you will improve your pedagogical skills and you will get used to speak English again as you don't do that in daily life in your home country so often. When you work with children from the streets you will get a better sense for how tough life can be, how people and even children life, which gives you a better social comprehension. But after all I think it doesn't matter what you do, but you will become a lot more independent, you will learn to appreciate the luxury we live in in our home countries and you will of course get to know a totally different culture - especially when you go to countries like Turkey (like I want to do it) and not to very close ones like France, England etc. you will live in a culture, that is totally different from the one of your home country: Different language, different buildings, different food, different people, different habits...you see there are a lot of things that are worth it to be discovered.
I think a volunteer year is always a wonderful, long-lasting experience.