Planning your Gap Year
Let our travel experts help you.....
When it comes to planning your Gap Year or Gap Break its very important that you choose the volunteer project or placement that's right for. It's all about research, preparation and organisation. Here are a few tips that might help you out!
Madventurer are members of the Year Out Group, a membership body for the Gap Year Travel industry.
To help you make your choice, a group of leading gap year organisations came together in 2000 to form Year Out Group. Together these organisations offer you the benefit of the collective experience of tens of thousands of former participants on a wide range of different year out opportunities.
What can I do....
With Madventurer we have 3 types of trips. You can get involved in our:
1. Rural Community Teaching and Building projects
2. Urban Teaching/Orphanage/Medic/Sports Coaching Placements
3. Or join an organised overland adventure/trek/safari with one of our travel partners
The most importan thing is to think about what you would like to do on your volunteer trip. Do you want to be in a group of people all doing the same type of trip (teaching & builidng), would you like to experience life in a rural village, would you rather be on a more independent placement (orphanage, teaching, medic, sports coaching) yet be in the same accommodation at others, would you like to travel and experience life on the road on safari or a mountain trek, would you like to Make A Difference and help build much needed sanitation blocks, water storage tanks, school class rooms, would you like to spend time with fostered or orphanaged kids? There are so many possabilities that sometimes its hard to choose. Why not chat through your ideas or options with one of our team!
Where can I go?
We have volunteer projects and placements in Africa, Asia, South America and the South Pacific.
Which organisation is right for me?
Read up on our website about the world of Madventurer, join our Madventurer Facebook Group chat to other travellers, get in touch directly and chat to one of our team, we have Madventurer reps at most universities up and down the country who have all travelled with us before!
Your responsibility?
We will give you all the help you need to get organised and ready for your trip. Its up to you to take this on board and be prepared, read our full trip notes, give yourself plenty of time to get organised, don't leave it to the last minute, and ask for help if you need it that's what we are there for.
Right and wrong answers?
Only you can judge. Do your homework, ask questions, gather together as much information as you can and make an informed decision.
The bottom line?
Is this right for you? Are you right for the project or placement?
Once you decide the who, what, where and when then the rest is fairly straightforward. We will give you all the pre-departure info you need about the volunteer trip in order to get organised.
Undergraduate Volunteer Case Study: Dan Morrell
Dan Morrell, 19, a student from Wiltshire and spent a few weeks with us in Ghana, the country where Madventurer began in 1998. Dan split his time between building and teaching in a small village.
Ghana is home to some of Africa’s friendliest people, stunning beaches and scenery. In terms of economic growth it achieves double the per capita output of other countries in the area, though people’s income is one of the lowest on earth.
Many students hope to travel during or after their studies and Dan agrees that a good way to do this is with company like Madventurer, which offers a wide range of projects and adventures in some of the most exciting places in the world.
“I needed to travel in between study and needed a break from Western civilization. A project with Madventurer provides a safety net for new travellers, whilst giving younger adults the chance to learn independence.”
Madventurer’s projects also offer students a chance to connect with the people in the local communities, a part of the trip which many volunteers enjoy and therefore miss the most. Dan agreed saying “I really miss the villagers we stayed with.”
With Projects ranging from 2 weeks to 6 months, a Project with a company like Madventurer could be the ideal escape from your studies, a rewarding and exciting way to spend your summer or even an extra option when if the worst happens and you don’t make it into your preferred university.
“It gives someone the time to re-asses there attributes characteristics and goals and find what is really important to them. Once you have found this then you can decide what future career prospects are right for you.”
