Why there’s more to a gap year than sitting on a beach
EXPLORING far- flung regions of the world can be a tempting proposition after the hard slog of doing A-levels or a degree.
Some sixth-formers use the break in studies to earn money to help fund their university degrees, while graduates often yearn for one last adventure before they knuckle down to the world of work.
Others use the time off to assess what they want to do or to help build up their CVs.
In an increasingly competitive job market, good gap year choices are crucial. Employers are more likely to be more impressed by those who volunteer or do something constructhe tive rather than sunbathe on beaches for a year.
So the charity Raleigh International is encouraging young people to ditch usual backpacker trips in favour of ‘an adventure that matters’.
Ben Robinson, 24 — who volunteered in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Kenya with Raleigh during his own gap year in 2013, and has since completed a master’s degree — started his own business and became a youth trustee at the charity. He says: ‘What you do on your gap year can make you stand out from the crowd, or make it seem like you’ve wasted your time.
‘Go on an adventure — but do something that matters as well. International volunteering through an organisation like Raleigh benefits everyone: you can gain valuable life skills, while also making a real difference to disadvantaged communities.’
Ewan Wallace, 19, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, volunteered in Nepal on a Raleigh Expedition earlier this year.
He wanted to take a gap year to travel and do something worthwhile before going back to study.
After returning to the UK, he will start an undergraduate degree in maths and chemistry at the University of Durham this autumn.
Ewan volunteered in the remote, rural village of Rampur in the Gorkha region of Nepal, living with a host family. The area was severely affected by the 2015 earthquakes and he worked as part of an international team on a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project.
He says: ‘ It’s given me a much greater understanding of how other people live and I think it’s a really valuable experience.’