Gap year organisations

Flying Fish is a leading provider of watersports courses, yacht crew courses and traineeships. Courses take place in the UK, Greece and Sydney. Recruitment service is available with all courses, helping you find a job after you qualify.

Activities: Career break courses, Watersports and diving instructor courses, Sailing and yacht crew courses, Paid work abroad, Travel

Unforgettable conservation volunteering experiences in some of the most beautiful parts of Africa. Sustainable and responsible. Work hands-on with amazing animals, preserving their futures for generations to come.

Activities: Volunteer, Conservation volunteering, Community development, Scientific research, Travel

A responsible travel organisation with a focus on genuine and meaningful volunteer projects in Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Africa. Working with existing community projects who have a genuine need for volunteers, every Kaya volunteer is welcomed and is useful. Gold medal winners of “The Best Volunteering Organisation” at the British Youth Travel Awards 2016 and 2014 ( silver in 2015 and 2013).

 

Activities: Volunteer, Volunteer with children, Conservation volunteering, Community development, Volunteer teaching, Medical and health volunteering, Scientific research, Business volunteering, Career break courses, Watersports and diving instructor courses, Internships, TEFL, Travel

Established for over 30 years, Projects Abroad is a leading provider of responsible volunteering placements across the world. Special placements for people with professional skills and experience.

Activities: Volunteer, Volunteer with children, Conservation volunteering, Community development, Volunteer teaching, Medical and health volunteering, Scientific research, Business volunteering

BUNAC offers a range of exciting work abroad and volunteer abroad programmes. BUNAC are the work and travel experts and have been helping young people work and volunteer abroad since 1962. Popular gap year destinations include: USA, Canada, New Zealand, Nepal, Australia, Britain, China, South Africa and many more.

Activities: Volunteer, Volunteer with children, Conservation volunteering, Community development, Volunteer teaching, Career break courses, Ski and snowboard instructor courses, Paid work abroad, Internships, TEFL, Travel, Something different

Affordable, sustainable volunteer placements working with children and animals, making a genuine difference in local communities. UK-registered charity and 100% not-for-profit, so money is invested in helping the projects. Projects with long-term goals in bringing practical and achievable solutions.

Activities: Volunteer, Volunteer with children, Conservation volunteering, Community development, Volunteer teaching

Oyster Worldwide specialises in gap year, career break and responsible travel. They offer paid work abroad, internships, volunteering options, TEFL courses and travel in some of the worlds most incredible locations.

Activities: Volunteer, Volunteer with children, Volunteer with animals, Conservation volunteering, Volunteer teaching, Medical and health volunteering, Scientific research, Career break courses, Ski and snowboard instructor courses, Watersports and diving instructor courses, Paid work abroad, Internships, TEFL, Travel, Something different

Volunteer programmes focusing on providing access to safe water and sanitation, protecting vulnerable environments and building resilient communities. Borneo, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, India and Tanzania.

Activities: Volunteer, Volunteer with children, Conservation volunteering, Community development, Medical and health volunteering

Teach English through this graduate programme sponsored by the South Korean Government. Paid teaching placements (6 months or 1 year; extensions possible) with monthly salary of around £1,070 and additional allowances, plus airfare, cultural programmes, accommodation and other benefits included. No TEFL qualification needed.

Activities: Paid work abroad, TEFL, Something different

Off-the-beaten-track and amazing road trip adventures throughout North, Central & South America. Choose from a wide range of trips from 3 to 80 days travelling with like-minded people include an amazing array of experiences from whitewater rafting to horseback riding to nightclubs!

Activities: Travel

We are a small group of passionate skiers and snowboarders from around the world. Our aim is to create the next generation of successful, international ski and snowboard instructors.

EA Ski and snowboard offer instructor courses in the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and Switzerland. The instructor courses are designed to fast track your career in the snowsports industry. Interns train, become qualified and work all in one season. Get in touch today to see if you qualify! 

I did EA last year at Revelstoke mountain resort. It was a great way to get into instructing. You get trained up by the best pros on the mountain and then you’re teaching by Christmas. You get the chance to take kids for the first time, who’ve never skied before and throughout the course of the season are up the top of that huge mountain up there and it’s just one of the best feelings. You also just improve your skiing – you’ll be a billion times better skier, you’ll be able to hit all the gnarly stuff up there so yeah – totally recommend EA to you guys.

- Andrew, Ski Instructor Training Internship in Revelstoke

Activities: Career break courses, Ski and snowboard instructor courses, Paid work abroad, Internships, Travel

TEFL courses in Thailand, with a 94% pass rate. Get an internationally-recognised qualification to teach English abroad. Job guarantee, and volunteering and internship options are also available.

Activities: Paid work abroad, Internships, TEFL

Long-term paid TEFL placements in China, summer TEFL internships in China, and a unique homestay programme where you tutor a Chinese child. A chance to really get to know China while working and travelling there.

Activities: Volunteer, Volunteer with children, Volunteer teaching, Paid work abroad, Internships, TEFL

Bespoke volunteering placements to help you develop your skills through volunteering in India. A range of options include teaching, empowering women, care, business development and conservation.

Activities: Volunteer, Volunteer with children, Conservation volunteering, Community development, Volunteer teaching

WE ARE SNO specialise in instructor training, curating all-inclusive gap years and career break ski and snowboard courses at destinations around the world. Courses bring together resort accommodation, a season lift pass, expert tuition and all your examination arrangements. 

Based in only the very best resorts in Canada, Japan and Europe, working with only the most established and experienced ski schools. 

Whether you are planning a 4 week long sabbatical, or want to experience a full season, get in touch to see what course is most suitable for you. 

 

 

Activities: Career break courses, Ski and snowboard instructor courses

Child-focused, tailor-made volunteering placements in Kenya. Volunteer in a baby home, orphanage or school for between 1 and 6 weeks.

You will get the chance to see the real Kenya through visits to the elephant orphanage, the giraffe centre and other local attractions, plus go on a short safari.

Kidogo Adventure will organise all aspects of your stay and look after you throughout your placement, to ensure both you and the people you are helping get the absolute most out of your experience.

Activities: Volunteer, Volunteer with children, Volunteer teaching, Travel, Something different

Live and work in communities alongside people with and without learning disabilities. L’Arche communities are vibrant places of inclusion and welcome, where you will be transformed by volunteering and living with a diverse range of incredible people. Whether you're from the UK or abroad, you can work in one of 12 communities in the UK ranging from London to the Brecon Beacons, by the sea in West Sussex to the Highlands of Scotland. Wherever you choose, whoever you are, in return for the gifts you'll bring, you will discover a simple and honest joy in the relationships you build with others.

Activities: Volunteer, Community development

_SocialStarters have extensive experience working with volunteers, entrepreneurs and social enterprises across 6 countries - matching skilled volunteers with socially responsible organisations that need their consultancy services. They are experts in international development and social enterprise, and offer training and coaching to career breakers who volunteer with them. They have a 100% recommendation rate from their clients. Projects currently available in the UK and Brazil.

Activities: Volunteer, Community development, Business volunteering, Something different

Street Child is a grassroots charity that helps children living in some of the toughest places in Africa and South Asia to go to school. They are dedicated to empowering vulnerable children through education and currently have a special focus on girls’ education and education in emergencies. Street Child do not charge volunteers an upfront fee but you will need to fundraise to cover your costs.

Activities: Volunteer, Volunteer with children, Community development, Volunteer teaching, Something different

The Photo Shed Academy offers a unique opportunity to learn photography, videography and editing techniques to enhance your creative abilities while gaining hands-on experience. You will be taught by accredited and award-winning pro photographers and industry leaders who provide both tutoring and mentorship throughout the programme, ensuring that no matter what your skill level, you will leave with world class technical knowledge.

This career break is ideal for you if you want to improve your skills, for your own pleasure or to start a new career as a photographer or photo journalist.

 

Activities: Conservation volunteering, Community development, Career break courses, Internships, Something different