Gap Year & Volunteering
A gap year is not a year off. It’s a way to develop yourself and your skills before taking the next step in your education or career.
A gap year can make a big statement about you as a person and can help you get into certain careers.
Benefits of taking a gap year
A gap year can give you an advantage when you apply for jobs or courses.
Some of the advantages include the opportunity to:
- think about your career plans
- travel and experience other cultures
- earn money to support yourself in future study
- improve your CV by doing work experience
- get skills you cannot learn in a classroom
- become more mature, focussed and motivated
Useful websites
National Careers Service - Gap year advice | National Careers Service |
EDT Placements - Offering young people the opportunity to gain professional development by working in industry - Placements (age 17 & over) | EDT (etrust.org.uk) |
Projects Abroad - They organise life-changing volunteer projects and internships in the developing world. There is a fee - Volunteer Abroad & Internship Programs | Projects Abroad UK (projects-abroad.co.uk) |
Pod Volunteer - Inspiring and supported volunteering opportunities around the world - Volunteer Abroad | Pod Volunteer |
Year Out Group - This site is an portal site and for leading year out companies and has some good advice and range of opportunities - Gap year travel - Approved gap year providers - Gap year advice (yearoutgroup.org) |
NHS Volunteering - NHS England » Volunteering |
Charity Jobs - Charity Volunteer Jobs - Volunteering Jobs Near Me | CharityJob |
Volunteering Gloucestershire - Over 700 volunteering opportunities from over 200 organisations there is something for everyone! - Volunteering Gloucestershire - Introduction (volunteerglos.org.uk) |