A
gap
year is a break from study or work which usually
lasts three months to one year. People of all ages
take gap years, many young people in the UK tend to
take a gap
year prior to or following college or university.
A
gap
year can include a period of change from living
in your home country, to travelling the world undertaking
work, volunteering or just exploring. In the UK a
gap
year when leaving school and before entering higher
education is a now a very popular transitional choice.
Even
more common is the number of 28 - 40 year olds now
taking what is known as mature gap
years.
Mini
gap
years commonly last for a period of six weeks
to three months and with the current economic climate
more and more people are considering taking time out
from jobs, and going on career breaks worldwide or
getting experience in between jobs.
Many employers now view gap
years as a positive learning experience. A lot
of large institutional employers allow employees to
apply for unpaid sabbaticals whilst even government
departments, for example in Canada allow staff to
take 12 month break every five years.
Going
abroad is not a necessary component for a gap
year, there are thousands of opportunities in
countries around the world, for example in the UK
you could volunteer with the National Trust or even
just have time off work to relax and do something
different than the normal 9-5 working routine or you
could learn a new skill which will be beneficial to
your future.
There’s
an exciting new world out there and we’re going to
help you explore it! There are currently over half
a million people taking gap
years every year, so what are you waiting for?
Why
taking a gap
year could be a good idea:
*
It improves confidence and broadens your personal
experience
* It demonstrates that you have a proactive, inquiring
nature
* It's an opportunity to immerse yourself in another
culture
* Possibly become fluent in another language.
* It can improve your chances of future employment
Why people take a gap
year
By
the time most students have been to college, the average
eighteen-year-old has spent most of their life in
full-time education. With increasing pressures in
education it is no shock that a growing number of
students and non students alike are now choosing to
take a break.
For
many, a year out can provide the time and space needed
to analyse their skills and decide which university
and course will allow them to reach their full potential.
Will
a gap
year / career
break be right for me?
Anyone
considering taking a gap
year, should have the desire to do something different.
Want a challenge, and a life changing experience,
Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others
Perhaps you are feel the time is right to take a break
from working and challenge yourself to do something
different and worthwhile.
Whatever
your age, present employment or ambition, a gap year
offers you the chance to do something different which
may change your life for the better. Members of the
British royal family have taken gap
years.
Prince
William and Harry chose to have a gap year before
beginning his university course. He travelled and
gained a variety of new experiences. He undertook
a number of new activities during his year, including
preparing for survival exercises with the Welsh Guards
in Belize, working as a volunteer in Chile, working
on a dairy farm in the UK and visiting countries in
Africa.
Prince
William said the favourite part of his gap year was
working at a dairy farm in the UK as a farm labourer
rising before dawn to milk cows and performing “mucky
jobs” along with everyone else thus being treated
as an equal. Prince Harry impressed by his brothers
experience also took part in a gap year in Africa,
helping with building works, assisting in a classroom
and playing football with village children.
What
are the benefits of gap
years?
Most
universities view a year out positively. Employers
echo this and feel that if the time is spent constructively
it can enhance a graduate's skills, experience and
knowledge. A gap year well spent can open your horizons
to a new world whilst improving personal and professional
skills and can help shape the direction for a future
career.
Gap
years - Potential Drawbacks?
You
may find out that time away is not best suited for
you. If you are planning on going to university it
is highly recommended that you check with the universities
and course departments to ensure that a year away
is fine with them before you commit yourself as some
are not too keen for their prospective students to
postpone for a year. As well as learning new skills,
experience and making friends some people find it
hard to motivate themselves or get lonely and homesick.
Gap
Year Volunteering
Volunteering
as part of your gap
year can provide you with a structured and meaningful
gap year experience. Volunteers
are usually aged 16+ and come from all over the world.
Volunteers
usually pay their own way, receive no salaries, and
are often both a positive and essential ingredient
in the success of projects.
By volunteering you can make a positive impact on
a project, person or even change your outlook on the
world. Try to get as much information as possible
especially from past participants who will be able
to give you advice about companies and projects.
There
are a wide range of volunteering possibilities available,
from teaching English, to being part of a community
building project you can make a difference to the
lives of others while gaining an amazing and rewarding
experience for yourself.
Why
pay to volunteer?
If you have been researching volunteer
organisations you might notice that some of the
placements are quite expensive. This is usually because
the price includes the admin of setting placements
up, air fares, accommodation and back up and support
whilst you are away. These all inclusive voluntourism
packages are great for a first time traveller or someone
who wishes to gain a unique perspective on a new culture
through volunteering. Many trips offer a combination
of volunteering with a tour or other activities.
If
you are a seasonal traveller, volunteer
or have specific skills you also have the option to
apply direct to a local project, or NGO
where volunteering
can be free or low cost. In some cases you can be
offered free accomodation or meals in exchange for
your time and efforts. If you choose the independant
path in this scenario you will often be required to
make your own travel arrangements and provisions for
your trip.
Considerations
Voluntary
work always looks good on your CV as you could gain
vital experience which could help you in your future
career. Voluntary
work can be quite emotionally and physically challenging,
while for others it can be a life changing experience.
You
don't necessarily have to go abroad to volunteer,
there are plenty of opportunities in your native country.
Time of year is something to bear in mind, due to
climate, time of year companies employ temporary workers
and seasonal working.
Some
organisations may require you to volunteer for a certain
period of time, so be flexible. In a lot of placements
you will not need any experience to volunteer,
your own interests and skills can be more important
than qualifications. You could approach charities
or voluntary organisations direct by looking up their
details.
Gap
Year Work Abroad
Working
or studying
abroad during a gap year is getting easier all
the time as business and educational organisations
go global. All it takes is a little planning, the
right contacts, some background knowledge and you're
on your way. Gap
year jobs can set you off on a new adventure whilst
funding it as you go along. Each country has its own
educational and qualification system which means that
qualifications cannot always be easily used in a different
country. You will need to decide what kind of gap
year work you want to do. There are several options
including seasonal jobs, permanent work or you could
volunteer for work experience. Remember though working
abroad isn't like going on holiday, jobs in exotic
locations may sound appealing, but in reality you
may not even have time to step foot on the beach!
Gap
Year Study Abroad
Studying abroad on a gap
year is a great way to integrate into a foreign
culture, learning a new language, experiencing the
cultural differences whilst being a great learning
experience. You might find both the academic and social
aspect of studying and living abroad a lot more enjoyable
if you know the native language. There's no better
way to speed up learning a language than to be live
with locals in a country. If you're considering taking
a course that's taught in the native language - law
or business studies for example, be aware that this
can demand a high level of fluency. Consider too,
that if you're struggling with the demands of the
course it, then struggling with the language may be
an extra pressure you could do without.
TEFL
Teaching Abroad - Teaching
Jobs Worldwide
Teaching
English as a foreign language (TEFL)
means to instruct English to people whose native langauge
is not English. Becoming a TEFL
teacher is open to native speakers and non-native
English speakers.
Before
teaching
English abroad some people choose to take a TEFL
course (also known as TESOL
course). This course helps prepare you for a career
teaching English abroad and can give you an insight
into what to expect from a teaching placement. Teaching
Jobs Worldwide
There
are a diverse range of TEFL
courses available across the world. The TEFL certification
is usually taken in the persons home country with
some courses like the intensive certificate usually
last four weeks whilst other courses can include over
100 hours of training and can be completed online.
Gap
Year Preparation
If
you choose to travel abroad and want to do so independently
a lot of preparation and planning will need to go
into the trip before setting off. You will need to
organise your finances, visas and any vaccinations
required for certain countries. It is often best to
arrange all gap year volunteer, work and travel placements
prior to departure as availability may be limited
on arrival.
What
you need to think about:
Decide
what particular volunteering experience you would
like to pursue?
How long do you want to volunteer for?
Do
you want to gain experience for a career or just an
amazing experience?
Where should I go?
Try to put together a short list of continents and
countries you would like to visit and get advice on
travel message boards or consult and travel agency.
Some
highlights we recomend: * Trek the Inca Trail to Machu
Pichu in South America * See the mystical Ayers Rock,
Australia * Sunrise at Angkor Watt, Cambodia * Do
a jungle trek in northern Thailand etc * Trekking
in the Himalaya, Nepal for example * See the big wild
animals on safari in Africa * Thrill seeking adventure
sports, New Zealand * Experience carnival, Brazil
* Walk on the salt flats, Bolivia * Drive route 66,
USA * Nearer to home in Britain or Europe * Inter-railing
through Europe
Sample
Round A Round the World Route
A
popular choice for gap year participants is a round
the world ticket. With this ticket you can choose
which countries you visit, a sample route could be
London - Delhi - Bangkok - Sydney - Auckland - Fiji
- New York – London, so long as you keep going in
the same continual direction.
Useful
Links
One
World 365
Volunteer
Work, Volunteer
Directory, Volunteer
Listings, Seasonal
Work, Gap
Year, Gap
Year Work, Paid
Work, Teach
English, Low
Cost Volunteering, Free
Volunteering, Paid
Work in Australia, USA
Summer Jobs, Working
Holidays, Adventure
Holidays
Gap
Year 365
Gap
Year, Gap
Year Jobs, Gap
Year Volunteer, Gap
Year Work, Gap
Year Tour, Gap
Year Africa, Gap
Year Asia, Gap
Year Africa, Gap
Year Australia, Gap
Year America, Gap
Year Conservation, Gap
Year Community Project, Gap
Year Ophanage, Gap
Year Childcare, Gap
Year Animals
Seasonal
Jobs 365
Seasonal
Jobs, Seasonal
Work, Casual
Work, Temporary
Work, Working
Holiday, Holiday
Jobs, Summer
Jobs, Winter
Jobs, Ski
Jobs, Snowboard
Instructor, Resort
Work, Chalet
Jobs, Holiday
Rep, Travel
Jobs, Travel
Sales, Catering
Jobs, Bar
Staff
Tefl
365
TEFL,
jobs,
work,
TESL,
TESOL,
EFL,
ESL,
ESOL,
teach
english, teachers,
TEFL
courses, TEFL
Jobs, tesl
courses, esl
courses, esl
jobs, CELTA,
RSA,
Trinity,
tefl
teachers, ESL
teachers, Teach
English, Teacher
Jobs, Teaching
Jobs, TEFL
work, ESL
work, EFL
work, ESOL
work, Paid
TEFL job, Paid
ESL job, Paid
TEFL work, TEFL
job Japan, TEFL
job Korea, TEFL
job China, TEFL
job Asia, TEFL
job Africa, TEFL
job America, TEFL
job Cananda, TEFL
job UK, TEFL
job France, TEFL
job Italy, TEFL
job Germany, TEFL
job Europe, ESL
job Japan, ESL
job Korea, ESL
job China, ESL
job Asia, ESL
job Africa, ESL
job America, ESL
job Cananda, ESL
job UK, ESL
job France, ESL
job Italy, ESL
job Germany, ESL
job Europe, Teaching
job Japan, Teaching
job Korea, Teaching
job China, Teaching
job Asia, Teaching
job Africa, Teaching
job America, Teaching
job Canada, Teaching
job UK, Teaching
job France, Teaching
job Italy, Teaching
job Germany, Teaching
job Europe,
Summer
Camp Jobs 365
Summer
Camp, Summer
Camp Jobs, Summer
Staff, Summer
Jobs, Job,
Job
Listings, Summer
Camp Job Listings, Work
at Summer Camp, Job
at Summer Camp, Camp
America, CCUSA,
BUNAC,
Job
with BUNAC, Job
with CCUSA, Camp
America Job, Summer
Camp USA, Job
at Summer Camp in America, Job
at Summer Camp in USA, Teaching
Job at Summer Camp, Instructor
Job at Summer Camp, Counselor
Job at Summer Camp, Sports
Instructor Job, Activity
Instructor, Sailing
Instructor, Chef
job at summer camp, Summer
Camp Jobsite, Job
Listings, Camp
Counselor, Counselor
Job, Instructor
Job, Chef
Job, Sports
Job, Childcare
Job at Summer Camp
