A GRADUATE with ambitions to be a high earner is leaving home to work with Thai school children affected by HIV - for £15 a week.

Lisa Crabtree, 23, left Staffordshire University this summer with a 2:1 degree in business studies, but has put plans for a high-flying career on hold to broaden her horizons.

She beat thousands of applicants to win a place on the Voluntary Service Overseas World Youth Millennium Award Programme. The scheme, pioneered by the Prince's Trust, starts on Monday when Lisa will be paired up with a volunteer from Thailand.

They will live with a family in Selby, Yorkshire, for three months and work together four days a week on community projects for the £15 wage. All meals and accommodation costs are paid for by the VSO.

Then, in November, Lisa, of Sunnyhurst Farm, Darwen, will jet off to complete a similar three-month project in Thailand. She will be placed in the care of a Thai family and will once again be paired up with her Thai-friend. Together they will work in schools as classroom assistants, assisting in educating the youngsters about HIV, which is rife in Thailand.

Again, they will work four days a week for £15. Lisa will return to England in February.

Lisa, who went to St Bede's and Blackburn College, has no ties at present, so she thought it was the perfect time in her life for an adventure.

"I have never been to Thailand," she said. "It will be something different after finishing a degree. I didn't want to start work right away. I want to travel and help people and give something back.

"The money won't go very far but I am not doing it to earn money. I am doing it to gain an insight into a different culture. I was a student so I'm used to being short of cash.

"I want to try to combine helping people and learning skills which will be useful in business."

"I hope to come back in February having opened my eyes to things and have more focus with what I want to do then start to look to start a career."