Caribbean Elective Recensioni 41

The Caribbean Elective has greatly helped me to understand the real-life implication’s mental illnesses can have on an individual; seen as I was able to interact with several individuals who vary in conditions from schizophrenia, depression, bipolar and anxiety. From speaking to these individuals for myself, I was able to grasp a detailed picture of what it would be like to work in this sector in the future.

This first-hand experience working with mentally ill patients has really opened my eyes to the reality behind the suffering these disorders may cause not only on the patients themselves but also the nurses and their families. I truly believe that my contribution to this project has not only inspired me to be more focused towards my future career goals but has also given me the platform to help tackle the issues and stigma surrounding mental health. I would definitely recommend!

We have just finished a 3 week medical elective in St Lucia. We had a fab time and really enjoyed the hospital placement, the staff in Victoria and OKEU hospitals were friendly, approachable and made us feel welcome. We also really enjoyed getting to see the island and emerging ourselves in the local culture. The experience was made very easy by the Caribbean elective team who organised it all for us. It is obvious Sergio is very passionate about the island and you can tell this from the way he speaks about it and how he wants his students to get really involved! Thanks!
Amelia and Cath

Opportunity of a life time.

I loved every second of my experience with Caribbean Elective, it was truly a once in a life time experience that I will never forget. The leadership team were really interactive, informative and kept us safe at all times. The work experience helped elevate my skills and will be great for future career prospect. I highly recommend this programme if you want to have a good time, whilst getting valuable experience in your career choice

A really good and enjoyable experience! The staff were really friendly and helpful and the accommodation was lovely. Planned social events provided chances to meet other volunteers and visit places around St Lucia which were really fun and unique. Would love to go back and would highly recommend to other people.

Was an overall amazing and eye opening experience. Everyone was soo lovely and supportive from willingly answering any questions I had to embracing me into their culture by showing me around the beautiful island. The mental health project that I was involved in aided in boosting my confidence by pushing me out of my comfort zone. As it gave me the opportunity to support and speak to people of all ages as well as professionals from the ministry of health, expanding my knowledge and skills. A very big thank you for the opportunity and I will definitely be returning to Saint Lucia again!

What an amazing experience!! From the beginning, the Caribbean Elective team were informative, honest and there to answer any questions. This eased my worries and anxieties completely. Saint Lucia is such a beautiful island with the kindest people. It was an absolute pleasure to be apart of the community mental health outreach team that educated so many people. My experience of going into multiple schools, a homeless shelter and speaking to members of the ministry of health is one I will never forget. I will definitely be returning to Saint Lucia! Thank you Caribbean Elective for this amazing opportunity!

An all round amazing experience. Could not pick a more perfect location to gain work experience, St. Lucia is a beautiful and friendly country. I would definitely recommend Caribbean Elective to anyone who is considering volunteering abroad.

Amazing experience and the Caribbean Elective Team are so welcoming. I definitely recommend.

Had a great experience and enjoyed. Hope to go back and do more in depth research next year for my Masters.

Friendly staff, unforgettable experience. Will deffo be back next year!

After having done some research and getting in touch with various companies offering medical elective placements in Saint Lucia, we thankfully finally stumbled upon Caribbean Elective. From the outset, Harry was always professional and efficient in responding to our queries and thoroughly addressed our concerns, this undoubtedly helped to put our minds at ease. The entire process of organising our elective was far less stressful than that many of our colleagues had found when having to organise their experiences independently.

We were met at the airport by our island rep (Sergio) who was very attentive and made sure that our stay on the island was as comfortable and safe as possible. The few issues that we did have, for example with a malfunctioning air-conditioning unit were dealt with effectively and the approachable nature of our rep made these stress-free, moreover we always felt well supported. The accommodation was exceptional, with an abundance of communal space for socialising and was very well stocked for our stay.

In terms of the actual hospital placement – this really was an outstanding opportunity and gave us an excellent chance to get stuck into the local healthcare system. The placement was well organised and very effortless on our part thanks to the fantastic communication between the company and the hospital, we had the opportunity to work in each of our desired range of specialties and were really made to feel part of the team.

Caribbean Elective made sure that every aspect of our elective experience was to the highest possible standard – from the excellent accommodation with breathtaking views, to the transport to and from Victoria Hospital each day. Additionally, our rep’s extensive local knowledge meant that we had the chance to properly explore the whole island during our time off and were aided greatly in organising a range of excursions like boat trips and zip-lining through the rainforest, which we would not have been able to do singlehandedly. The island truly has so much to offer, including a drive-in volcano, waterfalls, picturesque landscapes, endless beaches, not to mention its exquisite cuisine and we quickly felt truly immersed into the friendly local culture .

In summary, having spent 8 weeks on this beautiful island it was difficult to leave, but we departed with unforgettable experiences and memories that will last a lifetime. This would not have been possible without the outstanding service provided and particularly the efforts of both Harry and Sergio. I cannot recommend Caribbean Elective highly enough!

Caribbean Elective provided a wonderful service from which I completed my three week medical elective. Sergio, the host was wonderful - he picked us up on time from the airport, was very prompt taking us to and from placement and also offered a variety of trips around the island which was truly stunning. The accommodation was amazing! There was a small pool outside our bedroom, which was ensuite, and views of the harbour. It was very clean and the kitchen/sitting room were perfect for communal living. I could also not fault the location of the accommodation. We saw stunning sunsets every night. The Caribbean Elective experience meant we got to see St Lucia from many angles - throwing ourselves into placement at Victoria Hospital, whilst also exploring the island from our base accommodation. 10/10 - would definitely recommend!

A difficult experience starting with incorrect visa advice, followed by the realisation that the new accommodation (in Cap Estate) was actually located quite far from essential amenities (supermarkets and bus stops) and non-essentials (the beach, restaurants, shops, etc.). This accommodation had been promoted to us as a "step-up at no extra costs", but what the company had failed to inform us of was how dependent we would be on the rep for transportation. I felt little to no independence There was also another house nearer to Rodney Bay, which we had not been informed of in the information package, which housed other students. This lead to the issue of the rep's duties being spread quite thin as he could only be in one place at one time, creating much tension between students and the rep.

Also, contrary to the information pack, you do not "sign up" for excursions more so than you plan your own trips (Google helps) and then either fight for the chance to have your rep drive you (the rep also asked for additional payment) or pay for a taxi. Taxis made up a major portion of my spending that the company did not tell me about. On one occasion when we had planned very much in advance for our rep to take us on an excursion, he changed his mind at the last minute because he "felt tired". Thankfully, other students living with me had been in St Lucia long enough to know a local taxi driver who was kind enough to accommodate our last minute request to take us on said excursion. Unless you rent a car (you have to be over 25) or take taxis, you are pretty much at the mercy of your rep's whims and fancies where transportation is concerned.

Our rep was also often preoccupied with organising events for other tour/volunteer groups he was involved with and at risk of sounding petty, it seemed as though these other groups of students (not with Caribbean Elective) had priority over us. Having been quite dissatisfied with the services provided and the friction between the rep and myself/other students, complaining to the company resulted in our distress being reduced to nothing more than "personality differences" and our rep being "replaced" with a local guide who was ALSO not available 24/7 and still catering to students living in two separate houses. That being said, we STILL lived with our original rep (ex-rep), which did not help with the tension.

Another role I was not informed of in paying for this elective package was that I would also act as a glorified house-keeper for my Caribbean Elective rep. Aside from not helping with many household chores, mouldy food products left on the counter and unwashed dishes, our rep would constantly leave the gate open whenever he left the house (despite our requests not to), resulting in stray dogs tearing open trash bags and rubbish being strewn all over the property.

During a period of time during my elective, although the "ex-rep" had told us that he was no longer working as our rep and insist that we speak to our new one in order to plan excursions, he would then take other students for trips and claim he was taking them "as a friend". Despite his claim that he no longer functioned as our rep, I found it quite difficult to accept that he continued to play that role for a select few students as to me, he still represented the company as one of its co-founders. This blurring of professional and personal boundaries was unacceptable to me, and frankly quite unfair as these were services I was made to believe I had already paid for.

After much friction and upset, I phoned Harry and requested a cost breakdown in order to better understand the services that I had paid for. In doing this, I had hoped to be better informed regarding issues that I should/should not be complaining about. Instead of information, I was met with resistance and defensiveness. I was accused of calling the company a "money-making machine" (when i had made no such statements) and Harry told me he did not see any reason why I should be told in such detail how my money was being used. When I insisted on being given more detail regarding the cost breakdown, I was told that he would "make a list". To this day, I have not received any further correspondence from him.

If you've reached the end of this review, you'd be correct in assuming that any form of compensation was not offered to me, despite the company being aware of all our complaints. Their investigation into my complaints seemed to only involve Harry speaking to my "ex-rep" in order to determine if THE REP thought the service he provided had been "appropriate", regardless of how I felt. In my opinion, unless you've received black and white evidence of services promised to you by the company as part of your elective, you are (made) unable to complain about the services (or lack thereof) provided to you.

SUMMARY: It will be cheaper and probably a lot less painful to put in the extra effort to organise your electives in St Lucia without a company. It's a beautiful island and the hospital placement was a fantastic experience. The hospital placement and better located accommodation can easily be booked directly as an individual/group. Taxis will be a necessary personal expense either way.

My time working with the St Lucia National Trust through Caribbean Elective was a truly amazing experience, helped massively by the staff at Caribbean Elective. The sense of security you get from knowing that help is a phone call away, and the local knowledge and expertise made my time unforgettable. Caribbean Elective were amazing from start to finish, from advice to flights, to pickup from the airport, to travelling around the island, and some things that go beyond what we expected. I can’t recomend Caribbean Elective enough!

An excellent prospect for any student looking for work experience abroad. My time with the Saint lucia national trust was made incredible by Caribbean elective who were well organised and available whenever I needed them. A very professional company and I would highly recommend them.

Great value for money, Unique and exciting opportunity working with the National Trust of St Lucia, accomodation was excellent and Charles our driver was very helpful and reliable at all times

I had a great experience with the carribean elective program. It has been so helpful in gaining experience for my Psychology studies. I undertook my placement with St. Lucia's National Wellbeing Centre and had a truly amazing time. I learnt a lot and got to work with a variety of patients ranging from kids to those with special needs.

The team especially Harry were great to communicate with and dealt with any issues we had effectively. I would most definetly recommend this programme to thoese who would like to complete an exciting internship outside of the UK borders

Couldn't ask for a better company.

As part of my MA degree, we had to do 2 months work experience in the heritage sector. I chose to do mine outside of the UK, as not only did I want to experience a different culture but I also wanted to show future recruiters that I could go above and beyond and step out of my comfort zone. This placement did exactly that!

The Caribbean Elective team really understood my needs and what I wanted to gain from the work experience. I was lucky enough to be paired with the Saint Lucia National Trust as a result. During my time there, I created an interpretation plan, exhibition and visitor experience route for a new museum they were creating on the heritage site of Pigeon Island National Landmark.

The placement was fantastic as not only did I have the chance to work with the National Trust, but the Caribbean Elective team also have strong connections with the Saint Lucia Tourism Board, which greatly aided my research and understanding of tourism in Saint Lucia.

As a solo traveller, I was apprehensive in travelling to a foreign country by myself, but that changed as soon as I came out of the arrivals terminal and was greeted by my rep. My rep was with me for my entire time in Saint Lucia and even drove me to my placement to make sure I was safe. Outside of my placement, I took part in activities, from zip-lining through the rainforest, a tour of the Island, BBQ on the beach and many many more.

I just want to thank the team for their hard work in sourcing the placement for me and making me feel really at home once I was there. A true experience of a lifetime and I learnt so much. I can honestly say, that this placement greatly aided me in gaining a job before I had even graduated University.

My trip organised by Caribbean Elective was professional, whilst allowing an authentic Caribbean experience. I chose to do my work experience with them as I couldn’t find many similar companies utilising the Caribbean for work experience, plus they seemed smaller and more personal. Included was transfers, accommodation and the work experience itself. My placement specialist also guided me around local sights and organised a beach BBQ with other students. It was this attention to the individual which really made the experience, and as a solo traveller having a familiar point of contact makes you feel more comfortable. I also felt as if I had a lot of control over the placement itself and was able to choose working hours as well as the type of work done. They work with you to find the best placement for you whatever sector of work you’re interested in. Whilst this is a great touch my placement in a hotel didn’t have a program as such, and I needed to be proactive to make the most out of it – not a bad thing though as it means you can choose to do what you want. Still, I learnt a lot and a highlight was being able to advertise, plan and guide guests on a catamaran excursion run by the Concierge desk where I spent most of my time. Food at work and transport was free, and generally expenditure costs out in St Lucia were inexpensive.

The accommodation was roomy and provided the same amenities as a student accommodation would. Staff there were used to Caribbean Elective students too and were incredibly helpful with any room issues or questions, often checking in with how I was getting on at work.

Overall, the experience was something unique, and everything planned was bespoke. It really feels as if they make the effort to get to know you and care about your personal experience. I hope this company remains like this as it grows, and I would recommend anyone looking to do work experience in the Caribbean to plan it through Caribbean Elective.

Very good company to do work experience that we did was amazing we learnt so much and it was well organised! Highly recommended company to do work experience with!