Teaching and Projects Abroad has introduced a range of two-week projects for 16 to 19 year-olds who want to help and learn while they explore developing countries.

These projects, which run in July and August, include journalism in India and Romania, medicine in India and Mongolia, and community work in Ghana.

The company also offers longer projects suitable for anyone who wants to make a worthwhile contribution to local communities and/or improve their career prospects.

Pamela Jenner spent six weeks in Tamil Nadu, India, on a medical placement with Teaching and Projects Abroad. She raised the fees for her trip (about £2,000) by holding an Indian rock concert in the UK and says she appreciated having the backup of an organisation during the initial stages of her visit.

Sarah Brydon, who spent four months in Senegal on a teaching project, says she 'wanted a travel adventure before settling down'. She says she enjoyed living with a local family, being able to work autonomously, and travelling throughout the local region.