Taking a Gap Year
There are many different reasons for choosing to take a gap year before university. These could include using the time to:
- gain work experience to help you decide on a career and also maybe save some money for university in the process.
- travel - this can give you the chance to experience parts of the world you have never seen before, and you would increase your skills in organising and taking care of yourself, and experience what it is like to be away from home (skills which you may need when you start university!).
- do charity work or volunteering - this could be a fun experience, giving you the chance to give something back to society. It also counts towards your CV.
WorldWide Volunteering (WWV)
This organisation provides a comprehensive database for people aged 16-25, where you can search through volunteering opportunities and find one that is right for you!
To access the WWV database for FREE, you need to: Log in to the "Curriculum" section of our website to find out how to access the WWV database, and follow the info in the green box.
If you don't know the username and password for the Curriculum area, ask a teacher, or visit the website office, in upper basement corridor.
Useful Websites
| Year in Industry | Gain valuble work experience! |
| BUNAC | Working adventures worldwide for 18-35 year olds. |
| Raleigh International | Raleigh International inspires people from all backgrounds and nationalities to discover their full potential by working together on challenging environmental and community projects around the world. |
| gapyearjobs.co.uk | |
| gapwork.com | |
| Volunteering for 16-25 year olds | |
| Volunteering England | England's volunteer development agency. |
| Community Service Volunteers | The UK's largest volunteering and training association. |
| Charity People | Specialists in a wide range of Temporary and Permanent jobs including a dedicated Fundraising Team within the charity/not-for-profit sector. |
| British Trust for Conservation Volunteer | BTCV is the UK’s leading charity creating better environments where people feel valued, included and involved. |
| Volunteering with the Wildlife Trust | The largest voluntary organisation working in the UK on all aspects of nature conservation. |
| Volunteering with Oxfam | Oxfam can always use your valuable help. Come join in on a truly rewarding experience and make a difference. |
| American Institute for foreign study | Work, study and travel in the USA. |
| Work and Travel USA | Work & Travel USA makes it possible for international students to explore life in the United States with maximum freedom and at minimum cost. |
| Camp America | |
| Picking Jobs | Picking Jobs is the place to find interesting seasonal jobs abroad. As the name suggests, fruit picking features strongly but you can now also find work in the fields of organic farming, nature conservation, the environment and green and sustainable energy. |
| PGL Jobs | PGL is the market leader in providing children's adventure holidays at 24 activity centres across the UK, France and Spain. They recruit over 2,500 staff to instruct, inspire and look after guests to ensure they enjoy the holiday of a lifetime, while you have the time of your life. Get jobs as ski staff, activity instructors, or language speakers, to name a few... |
| Just jobs for students | Loads of seasonal jobs, part-time jobs and temporary jobs for college and uni students in the UK and abroad. |
Find more useful websites here.
Sixth Form
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