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When Claire Nichol looked into volunteering she made the decision she would have to put if off until later in her life because she would need to save up for it.

The 20-year-old from Gateshead said it would have cost her a couple of thousand pounds.

But then she found out about Platform 2, a new scheme aimed at young people in the UK who would not usually be able to afford to volunteer overseas.

She applied and was delighted when she was successful and said she "was running up to everyone to tell them about it".

Claire on one of her volunteering projects

Positive experience

In June 2008 she went to spend 10 weeks in South Africa, an experience she said had made a real difference to her life.

"I had seriously looked into volunteering programmes and everywhere I looked I saw the price," she said.

"I was planning on saving up but I thought I would never have enough money.

"It has definitely done me good because I couldn't afford it but I still got the experience."

Claire found out about Platform 2 from a youth worker at Newcastle College, where she was studying at the time.

The three-year free volunteering scheme is run by Christian Aid, Bunac and Islamic Relief and funded by the the Department for International Development.

It is for 18 to 25-year-olds and is aimed at raising awareness of global development and at the same time making a real difference to people's lives in the countries where they volunteer.

More confidence

Claire said volunteering appealed to her because she wanted to get involved herself rather than just giving money to charity.

She went to South Africa where she and the other volunteers lived at the False Bay Ecology Park and Environmental Centre, next to Rondevlei Nature Reserve, 40km from Cape Town.

Claire Nichol at the Cape of Good Hope

The idea was that they would experience the same conditions as local people.

Among the projects she was involved with were building platforms for children who visit the nature reserve, spending time in a school, building ostrich pens and clean ups.

Claire said: "It's hard to say what I was expecting before I went but I have come back with more than I expected. I have got more confidence.

"It was a big thing. We got to see South Africa for what it actually was. I would say if you were visiting South Africa you would overlook a lot of the stuff we saw."

Another aim of the scheme is that once people have been on it they will come back and spread the word and encourage more people to try volunteering.

Since she returned Claire has been doing some volunteering at a community centre in Gateshead and she is now looking at the possibilities of a career in the voluntary sector.

Find out more about Platform 2: