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Gap Year Ideas
From The Student RoomTSR Wiki > Life > Gap Years and Travel > Taking a Year Out > Gap Year Ideas
'Free' or cheap gap-year ideasNot everybody will have endless funds in order to finance their gap year plans. Whilst some will organise years ahead and therefore build up their finances through working or fund-raising, for others this may not be a possibility. At the high end of gap year costs come things such as projects which are located in distant places (e.g. Australia, Thailand) where much of the costs will be in the flights. Others are expensive due to the type of activities pursued during the gap year. Scuba diving or mountain climbing for example will incur high costs as well as the funds needed by the organisers to fund the projects themselves. A preliminary choice could be to choose a project closer to home (in Britain perhaps). Within Europe many budget airlines will fly you for less than £50 to nations such as Italy, Greece, Spain or France. This is an excellent time for getting places for cheap, and really taking advantage of the budget ethos in which the travel industry operates - airlines are in a bidding war for your money, and this will invariably mean cheaper and cheaper flights. The cheapest kind of activity is the kind where you actually earn money. Many placements will pay you for your work, which may offset the costs of your travel. Furthermore, you could even find a job abroad not attached to a gap project and earn money that way whilst still experiencing life in another country. Volunteering must be considered another excellent and rewarding option. The following websites are an example of volunteer organisations which are more than happy for your time:
Work Experience AbroadIf you are looking for work experience to add to your qualifications, why not look for internships abroad? Working abroad during your gap year will give you the opportunity to truely experience a country while gaining invaluble skills that employers and universities highly regard. Hutong School Provides internship placements (for all levels of experience) as well as excellent Chinese courses. Live in Beijing, acquire skills in your field of interest, and learn the language. Comprehensive packages available including cultural activities and student support. Hutong School Teaching English overseasFor those who are hot-to-globetrot, but lack the necessary readies, teaching English as a foreign language - aka TEFL - could be just the way to go –literally! No experience is necessary and with TEFL courses available for less than £200 it's a really cost-effective way to fund your travels. i-to-i offers a whole host of TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), products from a concise 20-hour ‘weekend’ course to a full-blown four-week teaching experience, so you can tailor your training to your timescales. There are also online courses available, accessible from anywhere in the world – perfect if you want to learn at your own pace, or even while you travel! Check out TEFL courses Jenna Underhill, courses manager for i-to-i says: “Teaching English is a brilliant way to become a part of a community, rather than just travel through it – great if you’re looking for the full ‘cultural immersion’ experience. What’s more, with i-to-i, training is quick, convenient and – most importantly – it won’t leave a big dent in your travel fund!” If you want to avoid the hassle of actually finding a job overseas, i-to-i also offers Paid Teaching Placements. With six and twelve-month contracts in Thailand, China, Poland, Turkey and South Korea, you could find guaranteed quality work before you set out. And with full TEFL training, furnished accommodation and airport pick-up included, you’ll be all set to jet. See TEFL jobs
Structured work programmesA number of companies are operating gap year schemes which are a great opportunity to gain work experience, as well as earn a competitive salary. Unlike applying to typical jobs, the roles on these jobs are more similar to graduate positions, so you’re likely to pick up some essential skills for your future employment. See Gap Year Programmes for more information. Companies offering volunteer placementsi-to-i is the UK's leading provider of meaningful travel opportunities. It has 500 volunteer projects in 23 countries around the world in Africa, Asia, Australia and Latin America and sends more than 5,000 people to volunteer abroad each year. It also provides teaching English as a foreign language courses (TEFL), paid teaching placements, life skills programmes and working holiday programmes. However, there has been some criticism of this company for failing to give enough back to their partners in the field. Global Vision International is very highly regarded as being a company, yet offering responsible travel in the form of projects and expeditions. They offer a very wide range of these, and operate from a farm in the UK, but also have an American office. Further information can be found at their website. There is also a charitable trust attached to the company, which aims to promote responsible travel and give financial support to overseas projects. African Conservation Experience Join conservation placements in game and nature reserves across southern Africa. Take the opportunity to fly in a helicopter to capture game for tagging or administer tranquilisers on captured animals. Contact: 0870 241 5816 African Conservation Experience Coral Cay Conservation Join projects in the Philippines, Tobago and Fiji to protect and restore coral reefs and tropical forests while learning to dive. Projects last for a minimum of four weeks to more than 16. Contact: 0870 750 0668; [1] Coral Cay Earthwatch Volunteers assist scientists in 45 countries doing an exciting array of projects from protecting Robben Island's penquin population to monitoring greenhouse gasses at the Arctic's edge to preserving Amazonian dolphins. Contact: 01865 318 831; Earthwatch Frontier Track the elusive sun bear in Cambodia, scuba dive in the Red Sea, conserve coral reefs in Fiji with many more projects on offer. Contact: 0207-613 2422; Frontier GapGuru Sign up for all sorts of trips to India including paid placements in hotels, voluntary work in underprivileged schools, opportunities to learn salsa dancing and the chance to simply explore India. Contact: 0800 032 3350; Gapguru Gap Sports An opportunity to take part in sports and outreach projects in Africa and Latin America, ski/snowboard instructor courses and professional training at international golf, rugby, cricket and scuba academies. Contact: 0870 837 9797; Gapsports Greenforce Choose from numerous marine and terrestrial conservation projects in Tanzania, Bahamas, Borneo, Fiji, Ecuador, Nepal and Tibet. Contact: 020-7470 8888; Greenforce Madventurer Pick and mix projects to create your own individual gap year such as a paid journalism placement in Uganda followed by an adventure to Timbuktu, or coach rugby in Fiji then get a PADI qualification. Contact: 0845 121 1996; Madventurer Lattitude Global Volunteering (formerly GAP Activity Projects) Choose from a variety of placements in 20 countries in areas such as foreign language assistants, assisting with general activities in schools, caring for the disadvantaged, outdoor education and conservation work. Lattitude also brings hundreds of volunteers from overseas to work in the UK. Contact: 0118 959 4914; GAP Hutong School Volunteer and learn Chinese in Beijing. Great location in a traditional Chinese courtyard. Also the opportunity to do internships at NGO's. Accommodation, airport pick-up and support provided. Hutong School See also: |
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