Progression
Considering A Gap Year...
How Will A Gap Year Benefit Me?
Develop my transferable skills - whether it's learning to budget when planning my trip or using my initiative to make my way across Australia, I'll have developed lots of skills that employers want.
Raise my cultural awareness - living and working alongside local people will allow me to appreciate other cultures and having friends all over the world can only be a good thing.
Increase my confidence and independence - having to speak to new groups of people every day will definitely help me to come out of your shell. While arranging travel, finding accommodation and surviving on my own money are great ways to show that i'm independent.
Allow myself to learn a new craft - Whether I fancy surfing, teaching English as a foreign language, filmmaking, cookery or even the art of kung fu, it would be my chance to broaden my horizons.
Increase my work experience - there aren't many jobs that don't require some work experience, and a gap year is a great time to start building this. Try to keep the majority of it related to my course, for example, if you want to be a teacher look for opportunities to work with, children and consider community work if you want to get into social care.
Improve my language skills - try to pick up some useful phrases and then build on them each day. Not only will this endear you to the locals, it might also help me to get a job when I return. Many organisations now trade globally and having someone in their organisation who can speak the language is a huge asset.
Gap Year Ideas:
1. Animal Care- Opportunities involve working in shelters, surgeries and centres alongside vets and rehabilitation staff.
2. Care and Community- Care volunteering includes social and youth work, childcare, au-pairing and donating time to schools and orphanages. Community work covers everything from agriculture to building projects.
3.Cultural Programmes- There are numerous travel destinations you can pick from to teach arts and crafts to young women, or drama and music to children in underprivileged schools.
4.Teaching-Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) is a common gap year choice. Programmes can take you to China, Korea and Europe. You don't need teaching experience but many employers require a TEFL qualification, for which short courses are available. Working in schools and learning institutions you'll gain organisation and communication skills as well as independence and teaching experience.
What I Must Consider...
1. Choosing the destination-look at country alerts from theForeign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). It's also worth checking if there are any special entry requirements as some countries require you to have at least six months left on your passport at the date of entry.When deciding what time of year to travel, think about when monsoon season is and if there are any festivals or religious observances that you should be aware of.
2. Decide who to travel with- Benefits of travelling alone include:
not being held back by other people, other budgets or other expectations;
vastly increased confidence, communication and people skills, all of which are highly sought after by employers;
the chance to meet people and make friends. Joining organised groups or projects can help with this.
Benefits of travelling with friends:
not feeling lonely as there will always be someone there to pick you up when you're feeling down or homesick;
being able to share the cost of everything from cabs to meals and rooms. There's also someone there to cover you if you lose your wallet or cash card.
feeling safer having someone watching your back in places where you’re unfamiliar with your surroundings.
3. Raise the money- I can do this by:
organising a fundraising event and asking friends and family to sponsor you;
selling items you no longer need online or at a car boot sale;
getting a part-time job;
taking a bank loan or borrowing from family and friends. You need to find out how much interest you'll pay and the deadline for repayment.
4. Book your travel-those who want to travel across a number of European countries there's the Global Pass, which gives you access to 30 countries and prices start at £136. You should expect to pay on average around £1,200 for a round the world ticket.
5.Pre-trip Essentials
Healthcare - visit the doctor for vaccinations (some up to a year ahead). You will also need malaria tablets, medical tests/chest x-rays to work in some countries. Get a European Health Insurance card (EHIC) if you're a European travelling in Europe.
Travel insurance - check that you've got adequate coverage, e.g. adventure travel insurance if climbing or bungee jumping.
Passport - make sure that it's valid for the duration of your trip (some visas require your passport to be in date for additional time after you plan to leave).
Visas - apply for tourist and working holiday visas. You need to check specific embassies for information on how far in advance they need to be bought and how long they last for.
Banking - cancel standing orders or make sure you have enough money in your bank to cover the payments, notify Student Loans and your bank that you'll be abroad, and redirect your mail.
Safety tips - make a note of your passport, bank and insurance policy details and leave them with a friend or family member back home along with your mobile phone number and email address.
Prepare for a culture shock - read up on the country's religion, culture and customs, chat to other travellers/check online guides and forums.