The GAP Year
BUT WHY??
•
•
•
•
•
•
A break?
Travel?
Decide what to do?
Gain skills and life experience?
To earn money to:
– A) pay for a course at a private
college?
– B) help pay uni expenses?
– C) qualify for Independent Youth
Allowance?
A combination of factors?
Other reasons…
• Discover the real you – strengths,
weaknesses, likes, dislikes, areas of
interest?
Help others?
Defending the country?
•
•
• Satisfying Government regulations?
“Students put a hold on studies to
help needy”
Sun Herald November 2006
 First year deferments increasing
 Increasing programs available
 Deferment during uni course
 Huge range of options
“Gap year a cool option for the
young” Sunday Telegraph Sept. 2006




See the world
Work your way
Learn a language
Helping hand
“Students are increasingly choosing
to explore the world before settling
down” Sun Herald January 2006
Independent student?
Independent Youth Allowance
Studying full time
Earning the desired amount: 18-18-18
Does not include parent assets
TRAVEL
• new cultures
• religions
• philosophies
• broaden your horizons
• encourage self-sufficiency
• enhancing experiences
Work Abroad
 opportunity to spend time outside
of Australia
 earn some much needed cash
 become immersed in a new culture
Doing what ever comes along
• trying several careers
• building a wide range of new skills
• making future contacts.
Volunteering
• demonstrates
•
•
•
social awareness,
sense of social
responsibility
valuable work
skills.
possibilities are
endless
Useful websites
• http://year12whatnext.gov.au
• www.studyabroad.com
• www.gapaustralia.org
• www.gapguru.com
• www.australianvolunteers.com.
• www.launchpadaustralia.com
• www.culturalcare.com
• www. ccusa.com
More websites
• www.volunteer.org.nz
• www.earthwatch.org/australia
• www.owh.com.au
• www.raleighinternational.org
• www.afs.org
• www.statravel.com.au
• www.dfat.gov.au/acc/index.html.
THE GAP YEAR
www.gapactivityprojects.org.au/
The GAP Year is a journey. It’s an
opportunity to challenge yourself, gain
independence and discover the world
A chance to live and work in a different
country and culture
GAP is about growing up and maturing
It is about helping others and learning
about yourself
Offers 17 to 25 year olds the opportunity to
work and live overseas for a year
Applications usually close in May each year
- 16th May in 2008
There are costs involved.
THE GAP YEAR
• The following countries
offer GAP experiences:
• Argentina
• Indigenous Australia
• Canada
• China
• Germany
• Tibet
• Ireland
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Malaysia
New Zealand
Poland
Russia
South Africa
UK
Vanuatu
Vietnam
Your country wants you??
Defence force gap year
•2008 – first year
•700 positions: 500 + 100 + 100
•Earn over $30K
•Applications open 1 May 2008
Army Reserves
Abbey language travel
• provides specialist information and global booking
assistance
•
•
•
•
•
•
France, Italy, Germany, Spain ,
Latin and South America,
Canada
China and Japan.
Sydney and Hunter offices
www.abbeylanguagetravel.com
• Travel with a purpose
• Take a year out after the HSC to
•
add life experience, travel and
personal growth to your resume.
www.antipodeans.com.au
Australian
Volunteers
• Leading in volunteering
• www.australianvolunteers.com
• trainers around the world
AAC
• Established in 2000, AAC has grown to offer
•
•
a variety of ESL services for English teachers
and students
Teach English in several Asian countries eg
China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan
www.aacircle.com.au
Australia-China
• Year in China Programme
www.dfat.gov.au/acc/yep/index.html
• Secondary school graduates who
have a demonstrated level of Chinese
linguistic ability with an opportunity
to attend a Chinese university for a
year.
AFS Intercultural Programmes
• Short language
•
•
courses
High school
exchanges
Beyond 18+
Volunteer
Community Service
CAMP AMERICA
Camp America is a program of the American Institute
for Foreign Study which organizes cultural exchange
programs throughout the world for more than 50,000
students and young travellers every year.
Since our founding in 1964, we've had over one million
people participate on an AIFS cultural exchange
programs!
Camp America Australia commenced in 1972 and is the
country's most experienced camp counsellor program.
CAMP AMERICA
• Need to be over 18 by June 1st
• Application is on line
• Interviews at American Consulate for
visa
• Visa covers June to September
• employed to teach American
youngsters 6-16 years
Camps International
• Wildlife
• Mountain
• Ocean
• Community
• www.campsinternational.com
www.churcharmy.com.au
• The Church Army is a growing movement
of pioneering evangelists who declare the
good news of Jesus Christ in word and
action so that many more people will
follow Him and be established in healthy
communities of faith
Help create a better earth &
become a Conservation
Volunteer
• Australian based experiences
• Helping save the environment
• www.conservationvolunteers.com.au
Cultural Care Au Pair
• Overseas experience
• Working with children in American
•
•
•
families
Opportunity to travel
Develop independence and
confidence
www.culturalcare.com
Flyingfish……learn,travel,work
• www.flyingfishonline.com
• Located in Greece, Australia, Canada,
Egypt, Cyprus and UK
GREEN CORPS
• Australia's natural environment and
•
•
•
•
heritage
Australian Government youth development.
Green Corps placement of 26 weeks
duration,
participants are paid a training allowance
for the duration of their participation;
More information at: www.greencorps.com.au
www.launchpadaustralia.com
Get out of the suburbs and into the global village
Web site has job bank
$395 to be paid with application
• Opportunities to undertake
–
–
–
–
–
–
Nanny
Teacher
Personal care assistant
Hospitality
Art history volunteer
Learn a language overseas
www.gapguru.com
• Both paid and volunteer programs
• Project are organised in
– Business
– Community
– Conservation
– Teaching
– Health care
• Examples of Gap Year Journeys
Raleigh International
• From 4 to 10 weeks
• Awesome global experience
• Teams work with remote
•
•
communities
Build schools and medical facilities
Carry out conservation
The Scholar Ship
• An academic program aboard a passenger
•
•
•
ship dedicated exclusive to undergraduate
and postgraduate education whilst
traversing the world.
Backed by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd
www.theScholarship.com
Accreditation through consortium of
academic stewards including Macquarie
University
World Education Program
• Year 13 opportunities
• Learn and discover the world
• www.wep.org.au
Negatives of
taking a GAP Year...
• can distract you from your career path
• potential employers may fear your wanderlust
• work experience in your chosen career would be
•
•
•
•
•
•
regarded even more highly by prospective
employers than travel
a string of work placements may be interpreted
as a lack of focus
high costs involved
not earning enough to qualify as for Independent
Youth Allowance
not going on to university (at least 4 now)
getting out of a study routine may make uni
harder
missing out on scholarships for Yr 12 leavers
Remember…
• Think carefully about what you want
to achieve if you take a gap year
• Investigate opportunities early
• Check if doing other courses will
affect your university offer of a place
• Good luck!