Volunteering Tops Poll of Gap Year Go–Getters
( Last Updated: 29-08-2008 )
VOLUNTEERING TOPS POLL OF GAP YEAR GO-GETTERS
New research1 from Year Out Group, the association of leading UK-registered year out organisations, shows that volunteering is the top choice for a gap year or career break placement.
The most popular volunteering project is teaching, followed by general care (e.g. health, children), then land-based conservation projects and finally community projects. Other activities that are top of the list for ‘gappers' include winter and watersports courses (e.g. skiing and sailing), followed by sports coach volunteering and expeditions.
Gap year placements are at an all time high with Year Out Group members recording a marked 20% increase in the number of structured placements being taken up in 2007, an increase of nearly 8,000 compared with the previous year. Furthermore, satisfaction rates amongst individuals who have experienced a placement with one of Year Out Group's members are extremely positive, with 98% of people rating their experience in an extremely favourable light.
The principal age group taking up placements remains the 18-24 year olds (76%), indicating that many British youngsters are keen to do something positive with their gap year and help those less fortunate than themselves. A quarter of placements are filled by the over 25s, fuelling the notion that those in their twenties and thirties are experiencing burn-out from corporate life and looking for a different challenge. Furthermore, nearly 3,000 gap year places were filled by the over forties - an increase of nearly 1,000 placements on the previous year.
Females (59%) are continuing to outnumber males (41%) and are more likely to choose volunteering projects and expeditions rather than courses or cultural exchanges.
Regional trends have shown that more placements are being taken up by people from the North West, North East and West Midlands (22%) although the predominant gappers are from London and the South East (36%), followed by the South West (14%).
Richard Oliver, Chief Executive of the not-for-profit Year Out Group, comments: "Volunteering is overwhelmingly the gap year activity of choice. All of the volunteering projects organised by members have been set up to provide maximum benefit to the communities and countries involved.
"The aim of Year Out Group is to help people of all ages considering a gap year, career break or sabbatical to make the right choices, and to be aware of the extensive range of options available for 18-80 year olds. Planning is crucial in order to make the right choice and we encourage all participants to spend time researching the placement that is best suited to them. This ensures that both those on the receiving end and the individual on the placement, receive the maximum mutual benefit."
For advice and a full list of members please call Year Out Group on 01380 816 696 or visit www.yearoutgroup.org.
Year Out Group is a not-for-profit organisation. Its carefully vetted 35 member companies are specialists in their field and comply with a strict Code of Practice and Operating Guidelines. The range of programmes available in the UK and more than 80 countries worldwide includes voluntary work, study courses, cultural exchanges, expeditions and work placements.
Ends 10 April 2008
Notes to editors:
1 Research covers 46,723 people who undertook placements with Year Out Group member companies in 2007
The Gap Year Top Ten is listed as follows, with a suggested sample trip provided:
1. Volunteering: Teaching
Changing Worlds offers three-month teaching placements worldwide including Australia, Ghana, Honduras and Thailand. Prices start from £1,775 pp including flights and accommodation.
2. Volunteering: General Care, Children and Health
Projects Abroad offers placements from two weeks including helping special needs children in Moldova and volunteering in Cambodian orphanages or children's care homes in Nepal. Prices start from £895 pp including accommodation and food (excluding flights).
3. Volunteering: Land-based conservation work
Greenforce has programmes in 13 countries with projects ranging from wildlife conservation and living with Maasai tribes to an Amazon conservation project and humanitarian work in Nepal. Prices start from £500 pp including accommodation (excluding flights).
4. Volunteering: Community projects
Oyster Worldwide runs programmes which make a genuine difference to local communities in countries such as Brazil, Romania and Zambia. Prices start from £2,125 pp including flights, accommodation and tuition.
5. Courses: Winter and watersports e.g. skiing and sailing
Peak Leaders offers ski instructor courses in Argentina, Austria, Canada, New Zealand and Switzerland. A four-week ski instructor course in Canada is priced from £2,995 pp including all accommodation, tuition, lift pass and some meals.
6. Volunteering: Sports coaching
Gap Sports offers sports coaching projects in Africa and Latin America. Why not become a rugby coach in Ghana, teach tennis in South Africa's townships or football in Costa Rica? Prices start from £1,295 pp for a five-week stint including accommodation and meals (excluding flights).
7. Expeditions
BSES Expeditions offers 16-23 year olds scientific-based expeditions to wilderness areas including the Arctic, Amazon and Greenland. Prices start from £2,400 pp (excluding flights) but fundraising, mentoring and bursary support is available.
8. Cultural Exchanges & Language Courses
CESA Languages Abroad runs Spanish classes in Ecuador, French tutoring in Guadeloupe plus courses including Japanese, Italian, Russian and Chinese. Tuition prices start from less than £300 pp per week.
9. Volunteering: Marine conservation/diving
Coral Cay Conservation offers one-week conservation trips worldwide from £360pp. Choose from protecting coral reefs in Tobago or a whale shark expedition in the Philippines. Alternatively, Blue Ventures offers 3-30 week placements including reef protection expeditions in Madagascar, with prices starting from £1,765 pp for a six-week placement (excluding flights).
10. Volunteering: General projects
Africa and Asia Venture offers teaching, community and conservation volunteering in selected countries in Africa and Asia plus Mexico. Prices start from £1,895 pp for a five-week trip.
Press: For further information, to interview Richard Oliver, Chief Executive of Year Out Group, or to obtain case studies and photography of placements, please call Richard Mellor or Ian Bradley at
Travel PR on 020 8891 4440, email r.mellor@travelpr.co.uk or i.bradley@travelpr.co.uk