After being involved in, taking part in or working in the Gap Year Travel industry all my life, I decided to help people who want to take a Gap Year by setting up my new website: I Wish Gap Year.
I visit schools & colleges, giving advice to parents and students on all aspects of a ‘Gap Year’, and I often get asked, “What is a Gap Year”?
From the feedback I get, it seems like people think of a Gap Year as something that is perhaps a little more than just backpacking around the world (independent travel). Also, either of the two traditionally take place at the same time of life for a person (18-30yrs old) and as such, it’s easy to see how people get confused with all the options available.
We’ll help you understand what a Gap Year is and what you can do. We will also cover the history of the industry and its foundations.
History
The first instance of volunteers being sent to a destination on an organised program was back in 1967 by Nicholas Maclean-Bristol, who set up Project Trust (in the UK) and in turn created the Gap Year Volunteering Market.
There are two really key points here; one being that this consisted of volunteering and the other that it involved an element of ‘independent travel’ – not a tour or organised group trip from a brochure. Later, working holiday visas were introduced and became popular, thus adding “Working Abroad” to the Gap Year market.
All this demand was fuelled by the baby boomers of the swinging sixties.
In the 1970’s an ex-employer of mine was formed to satisfy this growth in demand – STA Travel. For those that don’t know, STA are a youth travel agency who specialise in independent travel.
A current partner of mine coined the actual term “Gap Year” when they were formed Lattitude Global Volunteering. The term formed from their old name of ‘Gap Activity Projects’. They offered volunteering placements abroad.
Raleigh International, as it is now known, was founded back in the 1980′s with the help of the Prince of Wales (Prince Charles) and they offered Gap Year Expeditions consisting of adventure, environment and community. Prince William undertook a Raleigh Expedition back in 2000!
The popularity of studying abroad and learning abroad has also increased, with many spending a semester or more overseas at a foreign university. Sports like scuba diving and snowboarding have grown in popularity, so the requirement for instructors has of course grown.
So What Is A Gap Year?
Quite simply a “Gap Year” is whatever you want it to be. . .
- Volunteering Abroad
- Working Abroad
- Learning Something
- Independent Travel (Backpacking)
- Expeditions
I personally believe that a Gap Year should be a little more than just traveling, sightseeing and partying, so I promote the benefits of a structured, meaningful Gap Year. I promote a Gap Year as one that benefits a person and the local community. It should allow someone to learn about themselves, discover new skills and improve on existing ones, whilst experiencing new cultures and seeing the world. It should also be one that has a positive impact on the local community.
Written by Oliver Gradwell, the founder of I Wish GapYear.com. I’ve been interested in travel all my life and have been lucky to travel from a young age. It’s no surprise that travel is the industry I went into and the only one I have ever known!
I Wish GapYear.com is focused on the “Gap Year Industry”. To me it’s not just backpacking and traveling – even though that might be a gap year in your life. It’s about doing something worthwhile. It’s about volunteering to help others, working abroad to boost your CV/Resume or learning a new skill, qualification or trade.
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