Blogs

I recently discovered a gap year planning resource that I recommend bookmarking if you are an educational counselor, parent, or student planning a gap year or anyone with an interest in learning more about gap years.

Gap Year Nutritional Facts by Ethan Knight, Executive Director at Carpe Diem Education in Portland Oregon is a compilation of videos, information, and presentations for Educational Counselors and those who are looking for more information about Gap Years.

International Volunteer HQ – The Trusted Volunteer Organization for Gap Year Travellers.

International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) provides volunteering placements in over 18 countries around the world. Based on the concept that volunteer travel should be affordable, IVHQ has established itself as one of the world’s leading volunteer organizations. In the past 4 years they have sent over 14,000 volunteers abroad on their programs and with program fees starting from only US$180 it is no surprise that thousands of students are choosing IVHQ as their organization to volunteer abroad with on their gap year.

25 Days of Gap Year Inspiration on Twitter

In the spirit of the holidays, Julia Rogers, head of the gap year advising firm EnRoute Consulting, is running a twitter event listing a new gap year idea every day until Christmas. For most college seniors, the college applications are in and students can finally start daydreaming about whether to take a gap year and how they could spend their time. Rogers hopes to get potential gap year students' wheels turning and highlight interesting projects, programs and activities. Each day will offer a new idea with links and mentions to provide more reading and information.

Follow @enroutegapyear to join in the fun!

The Global Gap Year program at UNC Chapel Hill is in its second year. First year students can apply for a fellowship in the amount of $7,500 to be used to help fund a year of service abroad.

This year, UNC will be selecting seven incoming first-year students for a Global Gap Year Fellowship. The fellowship provides $7,500 to each student for use toward a gap year that combines global travel with volunteer service. Current UNC students and the Campus Y help Gap Year Fellows prepare for their year abroad and integrate that experience into their education when they return to campus..follow link to UNC's web site for details on how to apply to the
Global Gap Year Program.

The Wide World of Gap Years

by Robin Pendoley, Co-Founder & CEO of Thinking Beyond Borders

Exploring gap year options is not always an easy task. Here are some quick tips to help you find all of the options and begin to narrow them down to the best fit for you.
Where Do I Find Gap Year Options?
Unfortunately, there is no single source for information on every gap year opportunity. However, there are some great places to gather the options:

* Your High School Guidance Counselor – Many guidance counselors encourage students to consider a gap year during the college planning process. Visit your counseling office to ask for brochures and recommendations from the educators you know and trust.

Cambodia Tropical Wildlife Conservation and Adventure project is a Gap Year Program run by UK based Frontier, established in 1989 as a non-profit conservation and development non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem integrity and building sustainable livelihoods for marginalized communities in the world's poorest countries.

Read details below and click this link to visit Frontier for a full list of exceptional Gap Year adventures.

Julia Levine of EnRoute Consulting discusses affordable, varied and very exciting Gap Year Options. If you need assistance planning a gap year, or just have general questions on affordable options, contact Julia directly at EnRoute Consulting

An Affordable Gap Year, Part 2

In my last installment, I discussed affordable gap year options. In this article, I’ll go over a few tips to help those who are paying for their own gap year.

Julia Levine of EnRoute Consulting discusses affordable, varied and very exciting Gap Year Options. If you need assistance planning a gap year, or just have general questions on affordable options, contact Julia directly at EnRoute Consulting

An Affordable Gap Year, Part I
Some elements of a gap year are essential: exploration of a personal interest, traveling domestically or abroad, pushing your comfort zone and opening yourself up to new experiences. There is one thing that a gap year doesn’t have to be: expensive.

Julia Levine is an experienced Gap Year Adviser, based in Vermont, whose passion is to help students and parents across the country plan effective gap year experiences. In the coming months, Julia will be contributing valuable Gap Year planning advice to our readers. Read her first post below, then visit her at EnRoute Consulting to have her answer your questions and help you plan your gap year!

Mapping the Gap:
How a Gap Year Adviser Can Help You Make the Most of Your Gap Year

By Julia Levine, Director, EnRoute Consulting

The Cape Eleuthera Institute is a facility that promotes a connection between people and the environment, and offers an 8 week intensive gap year program focusing on leadership, ecology, research and sustainable development. Read more below or visit Cape Eleuthera Institute

During your Gap Year on Eleuthera you will:

- Explore the island of Eleuthera, a beautiful tropical environment
- Achieve Open Water, Advanced and Rescue SCUBA certification
- Participate in hands-on scientific research
- Experience adventure in sea kayaking and camping expeditions
- Develop professional skills in/out of a traditional office
- Learn sustainable farming and animal husbandry skills