Gap Year
Practical information
This section mainly covers information about gap year and vacation opportunities overseas. Some volunteering opportunities in Britain are also included. Depending on your circumstances you may find the work and study abroad and the Jobshop pages useful.
From a careers perspective gap year and vacation work can be a valuable addition to your experience, and can help to develop transferable skills. To make the most of the time you will need to think about what you want to achieve. Hobsons and the Guardian have useful articles on this:
www.get.hobsons.co.uk/advice/gap_value
http://travel.guardian.co.uk/gapyears/0,10787,517204,00.html
If you are planning to go overseas you may also find the following useful:
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office:
www.fco.gov.uk the homepage which then includes links to country specific information and a list of UK Embassies overseas
www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/about-kbyg-campaign/ travel advice and information, including the 'know before you go' campaign.
www.gogapyear.com practical gap year advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Department of Health:
www.dh.gov.uk/travellers health information and advice for travellers.
Volunteering
More information about volunteering in Britain can be found on the University's volunteering page. It includes links to national volunteering organisations.
Teaching English as a Foreign Language (tefl)
Further information about tefl is on the work and study abroad page.
Gap year organisations
The Year Out Group is an association of year out providers. Over 30 providers and their web links are listed on the site - including:
• Camp America
• Work and Volunteer Abroad - Bunac
• Projects Abroad
• Outreach International
The Year Out Group's site also includes a useful checklist of things to consider and questions to ask while you are planning the trip: www.yearoutgroup.org/Vital-Information.html
Some other useful organisations that are not included on the Year Out Group's website are listed below:
www.agriventure.net
Agriculture and horticulture work placements in USA, Canada, Japan, New Zealand or Australia.
www.anyworkanywhere.com
Anywork Anywhere - advertising job opportunities and voluntary work throughout Europe and worldwide.
www.atd-uk.org
ATD Fourth World - an international voluntary organisation working alongside people living in extreme poverty. Long and short term volunteering.
www.britishcouncil.org; www.languageassistant.co.uk
British Council Education and Training - English Language Assistants abroad and Foreign Language Assistants in the UK
www.cactustefl.com
Cactus TEFL - advice and admissions service for TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) qualifications
www.thecareerbreaksite.com
The Career Break Site - for people established in a career or profession who want to take a career break. As well as information about destinations it has sections on practical considerations - leaving a job, taking a sabbatical, what to do about tax etc.
www.ccusa.com
CCUSA - the main programme is camp counsellors at American summer camps. Also have work experience USA and other opportunities worldwide.
www.ecoteer.com - independent volunteering projects on a budget. Ecotourism, conservation, humanitarian, teaching and research placements.
www.embassyces.com/jobs
Embassy CES - English language training in Britain, summer language schools combine English teaching and excursions.
www.greenvolunteers.org
Green Volunteers - guide listing conservation and wildlife projects throughout the world.
www.i-to-i.com
I to I - life chnging travel offer opportunities to
Volunteer Abroad as well as Gap Year Travel and TEFL Courses.
www.istplus.com
CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) information distributed through IST Plus - working, studying, travelling and teaching opportunities
www.jet-uk.org
JET - teach English in Japan.
www.jobaroo.com
Jobaroo - a site for job seekers going to Australia, includes information and job lists.
www.madagascar.co.uk
Azafady - a UK charity and Malagasy NGO working on sustainable development in southeast Madagascar.
www.mpsbr.com
Mass Premier Soccer - paid work experience at a programme and camp for coaching 4 - 20 year olds in Boston, Massachusetts.
www.pure-australia.co.uk
Pure Australia - information about visiting Australia, includes sections on flights, insurance, visas and hostels. Looks useful but few details about the company.
www.realgap.co.uk
Real Gap Experience - gap years and career breaks (formerly the Work and Travel Company).
www.teic.co.uk
Teach English in China - the programme runs from September to June with opportunities to travel. Teaching is paid.
www.treloar.org.uk
Treloar’s - provides education, therapy and care for young people with physical disabilities. Based near Alton, Hampshire.
www.unaexchange.org
UNA Exchange - charity based in Cardiff with short and long term volunteering opportunities in Wales and overseas.
www.volunteerbrazil.com
Volunteer in Brazil - travel and volunteer programmes, links to Volunteer in Costa Rica.
www.vso.org.uk
VSO - international development charity linked to over 30 countries worldwide.
www.wse.org.uk
World Service Enquiry - information and advice about working or volunteering in developing countries.
www.xtremegapyear.com
Xtreme Gap -
Extreme sports and adventure travel gap year programme.
'Graduate' Work Overseas
Have a look at the work and study abroad section of this website which is aimed more at 'graduate' work overseas.