1. Taking a gap year Sian Morris ICS Zurich November 28th 2017
Introduce yourself, IF and session
Planning a gap year section on Futurewise + handout
Taking a gap year
Sian Morris
ICS Zurich November 28th 2017

2. Outline of session What is a gap year? Why take a gap year
Gap year opportunities
Gap year practicalities
Sources of information
Questions & answers

3. What is a gap year? Time out, not time off Up to 15 months
Planned experience and challenge
An opportunity to ……….. its up to you!

4. What is a gap year?

5. What is a gap year?

6. Why take a gap year? Take a break from study Gain additional skills
Gain experience
Test your vocation for a specific career area
Enhance your CV
Give yourself a challenge
Make a difference, do something worthwhile
Broaden your horizons
Thinking time
Earn money to support your studies

7. Why take a gap year continued?
Undertake compulsory service
Train for a specific sporting event
Personal, health or family reasons
Be a year older when you start your studies
(Re)apply for competitive course
Other reason

8. What do universities and employers think about gap years?
Generally favourable
Preference for organised experience – planned and purposeful
Greater motivation for further study
Concerns about continuity of study for some subjects e.g.: maths, music?
Develop transferable skills
Experience possible career
Establish link with potential employer

9. Disadvantages of taking a gap year
Student concerns
Parental concerns
Time out – year behind contemporaries
Lack of continuity in studies
Distractions and drifting
Cost
Cost
Disruption and distraction
Safety, security, health
The unknown
Keeping in touch

10. Gap year opportunities
Independent travel
Expeditions
Courses
Volunteering
Work placements

11. Independent travel
Round the world or to specific country? Accommodation: FCO: ‘Before you Go’ – safety information about embassies, passport & visas etc – check Swiss Government advice for travellers NHS – ‘Fit for travel’ and Swiss Health Clinics– health advice for travellers Insurance Equipment Planning tools:
FCO
Independent travel
STA travel
Insurance
   
Go Travel Insurance
Health
Accommodation

12. Expeditions
Designed to help develop self-confidence and leadership skills Group activities either based in one country or travelling through a number of countries and last from 6 to 20 weeks Usually include a number of phases such as a community project, a conservation project and an adventure phase Some expeditions involve small groups (up to 16 people) while others are larger, often international groups, though the day to day work is done in small teams depending on the task All expeditions are led by carefully selected, qualified leaders
Africa & Asia Venture (AV)
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INSPIRE AND BE INSPIREDMeaningful gap year and summer volunteering programs in the Africa and Asia. Experience is Everything! The AV experience is unique. Find
Gapforce
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 Fresh ideas for 2015, the new   you want to join a similar age group, in exotic locations, undertaking an epic gap year from only 2 weeks to up to a whole year? We not explore South America, work in Australia, learn to dive in the Caribbean, global internships with jobs, help Doctors in Cambodia, become a Ski Instructor in Val D’Isere, volunteer teacher in Africa – all programs have our own UK Gapforce UK leaders to ensure your safety and so you are free to have an amazing time! Your Gapforce program has been seen in reality TV series in the UK and USA...
out why...Group based projects in rural communities, where you live the way the locals live...
Raleigh International
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Website:
Raleigh International is a sustainable development charity. We harness the passion and energy of young people to effect positive change in sustainable development. Our programmes focus on providing access to safe water and sanitation, protecting vulnerable environments and building resilient communities...

13. Courses
Designed to help develop a new skill or improve an existing one. Mostly in groups and include: art history, drama, languages, mountain biking, sub-aqua diving and water and winter sports. Many organisations in the expedition and volunteering sector include diving, language and TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) training as an integral part of their gap year programs.
Art History Abroad
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Travel through Italy with a group of new friends, studying the greatest works of art & architecture, in the most evocative and trendy cities in Europe. The AHA Course will truly expand your horizons across European civilization...
CESA Languages Abroad
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CESA Languages Abroad offers an amazing range of immersion language courses year round (from 1 to 48 weeks course duration) throughout Europe and in Latin America, Morocco, China, Japan & Russia. Each language school provides high quality tuition to suit all language abilities from complete beginner to advanced level...
Flying Fish
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Website:
Flying Fish trains and recruits over 1000 people each year to work as yacht skippers and as sailing, diving, surfing, windsurfing and ski and snowboard instructors.  Taking advantage of some of the best training locations in the world, water sports courses are run in the UK, Australia and Greece, while snow sports instructor training takes place in Canada and France...

14. Volunteering The four most popular volunteering activities are:
Teaching – English language specialists, classroom assistants or helping with music, art, drama or sport
Care and health work – pre university experience in orphanages, hospitals and medical centres
Conservation projects - charities and NGOs that run nature reserves or conducting research rely on volunteers to support the team of scientists running the projects
Community projects - usually in groups with volunteers working alongside local people to build schools, dams and wells, install fresh water systems, repair tracks and other similar activities

15. Work placements
Many companies offer structured gap year work placements
Salary of £12 to £15k
Development employability skills
Help career planning

16. Work placements - YINI
Year in Industry (YINI) provides high quality, paid placements for students in their gap year before or during their degree course
Placements in engineering, science, IT, e-commerce, business, marketing, finance and logistics
Placements with top UK companies every year including Shell, Rolls Royce, L'Oréal, and AstraZeneca as well as smaller organisations
About a quarter of all YINI students are sponsored through university each year and many of the companies see YINI as an important part of their graduate recruitment programme
Check your visa/work permit guidelines as part of your enquiries
Non UK nationals can apply for YINI but need to ensure they can obtain any necessary visas and work permits.

17. Gap year jobs Many opportunities in across Europe and further afield
Au pair in USA or France
Summer school assistant in Poland
Paddleboard instructor in Spain
Outdoor activities instructor in UK
Sports instructor in New Zealand
Teach English in Asia

18. Gap year practicalities
Planning – start early and research options
Reputable organisers/providers/agents – British Standard 8848
Finance – initial cost, travelling, living and fun expenses
Vital documents
Travel insurance
Health
Culture shock
Keeping in touch
Post gap reflection

19. Finance
A gap year can be expensive – 4000 CHF +++ Plan and budget: online gap year cost calculator Initial fundraising: part-time job, events, sponsorship Equipment: shop around, gap year gifts (rucksack etc.) Paid work during the gap year e.g. at start to build up own funds

20. Keeping in touch
Interactive online journals can allow you to keep in touch with friends, families and colleagues as you travel the world, with:
Homepage for your gap year
Map of your planned route
Blog entries from all your destinations
Photo video uploads
Message board and comments
Record of your trip

21. Post gap year reflection
Perspective - reflect on your experiences and putting them into context. 
What did you learn about yourself?  
Do you need to adjust your education and career plans?
Personal development - whilst your memory is fresh, think about what you have done and learnt, and add them to your CV
Reverse culture shock – most return from a gap year after a great time and really happy to see relatives and family, but for a minority, adjusting to life at home very difficult

22. Sources of information

23. Sources of information

24. Sources of information

25. Sources of information