Media releases > Changing Face of Gap Years

Gap year programmes offering young people from the UK the chance to volunteer overseas are at risk of becoming outdated and a new form of colonialism, according to international development charity VSO.

The charity today released new figures which show that young people from the developing world are increasingly choosing to spend their gap year volunteering in the UK. It is predicting that the UK is set to become a popular destination for gap year students from developing nations, reversing the trend which sees thousands of UK youngsters volunteering in some of the world’s poorest countries. The charity is calling for a radical rethink on gap years that takes full account of the increasingly globalised world and is fit for the 21st century.

A-Level results out later this week will prompt many young people in England and Wales to turn their thoughts to their gap year activities. According to VSO, many students in developing nations will be doing the same. Its Global Xchange programme, run in partnership with the British Council and CSV, has seen a 400% increase in participants from poor countries over the last six years. This trend is set to continue as the university-educated elite from developing nations seek the same opportunities as their western counterparts and increasingly choose the UK as their gap year destination.

Judith Brodie, Director of VSO UK says:

“The prevailing attitude towards gap years risks becoming out-dated and colonial as it tends to focus on how British youngsters can help poor communities overseas, rather than on what we can learn from them. Some gap year providers seem to pay little attention to whether young people are actually making any real long-term difference to the communities they are working in. It’s an ‘all about us’ attitude.

“‘VSO has recognised that the UK faces challenges that young people from other countries can help us to tackle. These young people are often looking for the same opportunities as their western counterparts and want to do some good, whilst polishing their CVs. Gap year providers need to raise their game and ensure they are contributing to a truly global movement of young people, with a wider appreciation of the world around them.”

Ennik Fajaarwati, 23, from Surabaya in Indonesia, is one of nine Indonesian young people currently spending part of their gap year in Glasgow on the Global Xchange programme.
Ennik says:

“At home, we never see any of the problems in Britain on television. It’s as if they don’t want touch the bad side. We’ve created the stereotype that western countries have a modern life and society and won’t need anything. But although everything is high-tech here, it seems there are a lot of things for us to do.”

For more information or to speak to overseas volunteers spending their gap year in the UK contact Abigail Fulbrook or Leona Daly in the VSO press office on 020 8780 7365 / 07790 628733 or email abigail.fulbrook@vso.org.uk or leona.daly@vso.org.uk  

• VSO is an international development charity that works through volunteers.
• Traditional VSO placements are for skilled professionals in education, health, business and management. We also run two dedicated youth programmes for young people aged 18-25. Find out more about VSO's youth programmes.
• Global Xchange is a six-month exchange for young people, managed by VSO, the British Council and CSV. Young people from the UK and a developing country work together on community projects for three months in both countries.
• Nearly 1000 people have taken part in Global Xchange in its six-year history. There has been a 400% increase in the number of participants from the developing world.
• Exchanges have taken place between Glasgow and Indonesia, Bradford and Philippines, South Wales and Kazakhstan, Bristol and Nigeria, Selby and South Africa.
• VSO also runs a scheme called Youth for Development, a one-year volunteering placement for young people interested in overseas development who have experience of volunteering or have worked on community projects in the UK.