Taking a GAP Year All you need to know

At AGS in 2012 roughly between 5 – 10 % of leavers took a GAP Year.

What is a gap year? Break in study between advanced level courses & University Break in study between advanced level courses & University A productive way to spend a year A productive way to spend a year Viewed as a positive experience by many universities and employers. Viewed as a positive experience by many universities and employers. You MUST use your year productively in order to show universities and employers that it was worthwhile. You MUST use your year productively in order to show universities and employers that it was worthwhile.

So …things you can do……….. Travel Travel Teach abroad Teach abroad Volunteer to work on a project at home or abroad Volunteer to work on a project at home or abroad Work in a paid position to save some money for university Work in a paid position to save some money for university Gain some unpaid work experience Gain some unpaid work experience Undertake further study or training Undertake further study or training Get a working holiday visa to live and work abroad. Get a working holiday visa to live and work abroad.

Advantages Self-reliance / independence Self-reliance / independence Maturity Maturity Team-work Team-work Managing money and making plans Managing money and making plans Thinking time / breathing space Thinking time / breathing space Course-related experience Course-related experience Money to study Money to study A break A break Other people / make international friends Other people / make international friends Other cultures Other cultures

Disadvantages Time – length of course? Time – length of course? Continuity – lost habit of studying? Continuity – lost habit of studying? Recession? Recession? Friends a year ahead? Friends a year ahead? Competitiveness of courses Competitiveness of courses Shouldn’t I wait until after uni? Shouldn’t I wait until after uni? Expensive? Expensive?

Disadvantages Time – length of course? Time – length of course? Yes, perhaps – e.g. Medicine / Architecture Architecture

Disadvantages Continuity – lost habit of studying? Continuity – lost habit of studying? Students often energised / refreshed – settle in well to studies again

Disadvantages Recession? Recession? How long will this last? Your life skills gained will help Employers will love you

Disadvantages Friends a year ahead? Friends a year ahead? Gain new friends Lose the ‘old’ ones? Everyone is moving on

Disadvantages Competitiveness of courses Competitiveness of courses Again, employers will LOVE you

Disadvantages Shouldn’t I wait until after uni? Shouldn’t I wait until after uni? Debt to pay? Relationships?Mortgages? Will an employer want this?

Disadvantages Expensive? Expensive? Many people work for part of year for travel / volunteering / uni Cheap schemes e.g. WWOOF / HelpX

Gap Year “We very much welcome applications from young people planning a constructive year out before university. Right from the start, we can easily pick out those who have taken time out from their studies…… They are more confident and outgoing, they are well-motivated, they communicate well and they find it easy to settle and make friends” Dr John Ash, Director of Admissions Birmingham University

Gap year choices

Popular schemes Community Service Volunteers (C.S.V) Community Service Volunteers (C.S.V) Work-camps and Summer Projects Work-camps and Summer Projects Kibbutzim Kibbutzim Camp America Camp America The Year in Industry scheme The Year in Industry scheme Lattitude Lattitude Voluntary Service Overseas Voluntary Service Overseas Internal voluntary service Internal voluntary service Voluntary Centre UK Voluntary Centre UK European Community Young Worker Exchange programme European Community Young Worker Exchange programme

Popular schemes The Project Trust The Project Trust British Trust for Conservation Volunteers British Trust for Conservation Volunteers Academic year in the USA Academic year in the USA Working Holidays Australia Working Holidays Australia African Conservation Experience African Conservation Experience World-wide volunteering World-wide volunteering HelpX / WWOOF HelpX / WWOOF BUNAC BUNAC

Lattitude One of the leading year-out providers, specialising in placements for year olds One of the leading year-out providers, specialising in placements for year olds 1400 placements in over 30 countries 1400 placements in over 30 countries Well-established overseas support networks Well-established overseas support networks Non profit-making organization run by volunteers Non profit-making organization run by volunteers 170 highly qualified adult volunteers around the world 170 highly qualified adult volunteers around the world Active fund-raising programme to cover 25% of their costs Active fund-raising programme to cover 25% of their costs One of the most affordable year-out options available One of the most affordable year-out options available

Lattitude Types of activity Teaching English as a foreign language Teaching English as a foreign language Schools - assisting with general activities Schools - assisting with general activities Caring work assistants Caring work assistants Outdoor work / Activity centres Outdoor work / Activity centres Conservation work Conservation work Hospital work Hospital work

Plan a Rewarding Gap Year: some examples...  Working on a farm in New Zealand  Orphanage work in Romania  Teaching English as a foreign language  Volunteer work for Amnesty International in the UK  Conservation work in the UK  Join an archaeological dig  Working for the RSPCA in the UK as a volunteer  Train as a scuba-diving instructor  Learn Russian in St. Petersburg  Independent travel through eastern Europe

Information and Advice  Web Sites - for example  AGS website  Careers Library resources – Gap Year Handbook  AGS Careers Fair – GAP Year providers represented