Year Out
Richard Oliver CB OBE
Chairman and Chief Executive, Year Out Group
Why and When?
The first point to be considered is why you want to take a Year Out. You may wish to take a break from academic life, to earn money, to travel, to improve a skill or learn a new one or to do some volunteering. The reasons will be numerous and varied and the combination chosen will be unique to you. You should also consider when is the best time for you to take your Year Out. The most popular is the "Gap Year" taken between leaving school or college and starting higher education or a job. Some have successfully used the external year of a sandwich course to combine some of their own objectives with those required by their studies. There is also the possibility of taking time out after graduation, an option that seems to be growing in popularity.
A Year Out not a Year Off!
How you choose to spend your Year Out is the most important decision you have to make. It can make a big statement about you as a person, both to academics and employers. It will provide the support for some key paragraphs on your CV and you now how important that will be. If properly planned, a Year Out can say as much about you as an individual as any set of exam results ever can.
So what you do on your Year Out is vital. The prospect of lounging around at home doing some temporary work or bumming round the world with a backpack and a few mates, may seem tempting at first glance. In reality it can rapidly end up in disillusionment and will do little to convince people of any sustained commitment on your part. So give careful thought to what you wish to achieve with your time and set yourself some personal goals.
What can I do and where?
What you decide to do will depend on the personal goals for your Year Out. There are four main areas of activity:
- Earning money.
- Acquiring or improving a skill.
- Obtaining work experience either paid or in a voluntary capacity and
- Travelling.
In reality most people manage to combine two or more of these, which is not difficult if you plan your time carefully. There are hundreds of opportunities available and you can have just as much fun while gaining the same sense of achievement by staying in UK as you can overseas. The trick is to select those that will help you meet your personal goals.
Selecting the Best Option
Choosing the best option is not easy but help at hand. There are a number of organisations that between them have developed a wide range of Year Out opportunities for young people. Some of these organisations have been operating for over thirty years; others have started more recently. In 1998 the leading year out organisations formed the Year Out Group. The aims of the Group, which are supported by DfES and UCAS are to:
- Promote the concept and benefits of a well-structured year out.
- Provide accurate and impartial information about structured year out opportunities.
- Establish a quality framework for year out organisations and
- Encourage co-operation amongst members in order to promote best practice.
The Group now has twenty-eight member organisations that between them in 2002 will provide over 20,000 individual placements for young people in UK and overseas.
Year Out Group's website (www.yearoutgroup.org) contains all the information you need. The questions in its Student Guidelines have proved invaluable in helping young people assess year out providers and their schemes whether or not they are in Year Out Group. The main points to consider are:
- Who can take part and how are they selected?
- Who benefits from the programme?
- What exactly will I be doing?
- What is the cost?
- How does the organisation operate?
- What happens before I go?
- What support is there while I am on the What happens when I return?
There are also guidelines for parents and advisers, who are encouraged to be involved in the planning process. Sadly Year Out Group is not able to offer personal advice or give opinions on Year Out organisations but the website does have direct web links to its members.
The placements offered by Year Out Group members are numerous and varied. Some last for a few weeks, while others are for a whole year. Some are restricted to those specifically taking a gap year; others are open to all ages. Some can appear quite expensive; others will meet your main costs or even pay a reasonable salary. It is for this reason that you need to ask the questions in the Guidelines. You will need to show your commitment. Dropping out of a placement can be damaging and disruptive both for you and the host organisation. There are no right or wrong answers. The bottom line in selecting an organisation and a programme comes down to deciding, "Is this programme right for me? Am I right for the programme? Only you can judge.
Planning your own programme
It is also possible to organise a Year Out on your own by making full use of family and friends, and many young people choose to do so. There are organisations that provide information on seasonal work that can be used to supplement funds while travelling in this country or overseas. You need to research these opportunities carefully before you go. I have listed a few useful websites and books in a box below. You will need to investigate travel insurance, airfares, medical requirements (inoculations and malaria protection), cost of daily living and visa regulations before you leave this country. It is wise to check these details well in advance as visas can take time to process and some inoculations need time to reach full effect.
The Benefits
A well-structured Year Out programme, whether arranged with the help of a year out organisation, planned privately or a mixture of the two, will stand you in good stead for the rest of your life. Universities and employers are increasingly recognising the benefits of young people having a Year Out providing that they can demonstrate that they have used their time to maximum advantage (see box below). Each year thousands of young people are taking up the challenge and reaping the rewards of a well-structured Year Out. Join them and change your life for ever!
Benefits of a Structured Year Out - Universities and Employer's Views
"UCAS believes that students that take a well-structured year out are more likely to be satisfied with and complete their chosen course." Tony Higgins, Chief Executive, UCAS
"Year Out students arrive fresh, stay motivated and they succeed. Some may have difficulty in adjusting to academic work after being away but this is more than balanced by their social adjustment which is rapid and successful." Baroness Andrews, House of Lords, July 2000
"In a National Centre for Volunteering survey of 500 top employers, 80% affirmed that volunteers demonstrated above average self-confidence, team work and communication skills. Those with generic skills, irrespective of degrees, who could lead, manage and solve problems, were much sought after. Global players are looking for the extras. An ability to relate to different cultures and speak another language is an advantage."
Baroness Andrews
