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Media releases > Mind the gap says VSO
International development charity warns students to choose gap year carefully
(15 August 2005)
International development charity VSO is urging A-Level students awaiting exam results this week to be careful when choosing their gap-year activities and to think about the impact they will have on the developing world.
The charity is concerned that some commercial companies offering gap year volunteering have no selection process to vet volunteers, offer little support or training, charge extortionate fees and, at worst, run projects that have no benefit to local communities. VSO today (16 August) publishes a checklist to help young people make an informed choice about gap year projects.
Thousands of students take a gap year before starting university and a ‘year off’ combining overseas travel with volunteering on community projects has become a popular choice. With an unprecedented level of interest in developing world issues sparked by the Make Poverty History campaign and Live 8 event, VSO anticipates the number of young people choosing to volunteer in the developing world is set to increase.
Mark Goldring, VSO chief executive, says:
It is really encouraging that more and more young people are seeing value beyond simply travelling abroad and want to make a difference to the lives of people in developing countries. But we hope gap year students will make sure that the projects they select are genuinely benefiting the communities involved and be work they can learn from. For many young people a gap year is their first experience of living in a developing country and they would be wise to make sure they will get adequate preparation and support to make sure they have a really positive experience.
Key points from the Mind the Gap checklist include:
- How much is the company charging? Does this include flights or accommodation? Does the local project receive any of this money?
- Will your placement be part of a longer-term strategy for work in that community or country? Have local people been consulted and are they involved?
- What support and training will you receive before you go and when overseas? What happens if you get sick, have problems with your work or accommodation or need to return home?
- Can you speak to previous volunteers about their experience?
VSO is the largest international volunteering charity in the UK and works through skilled professional volunteers. The average age of volunteers is 38. In addition, the charity has two youth programmes for 18-25 year olds which can offer young people from the UK a meaningful and focussed experience in the developing world. All VSO volunteers placements are developed in response to overseas partners needs, volunteers go through a stringent selection procedure and receive comprehensive training and support.
Editor's notes- For more information and spokespeople please call Abigail Fulbrook or Neera Dhingra in the VSO Press Office
- VSO’s Youth for Development programme (YfD) is aimed a young people with one year's experience of voluntary or community work. YfD is a one year placement overseas which aims to provide VSO partners overseas with willing volunteers who work towards one of VSO’s goals and provide the volunteer with worthwhile and meaningful experience.
- World Youth Global Xchange is a six-month exchange, run by VSO, CSV and the British Council. Nine young people from the UK are teamed up with nine people from a developing country. They work together for three months in the UK and then go to the developing country for a further three months working together. No qualifications or experience are necessary for this programme, just enthusiasm and a willingness to learning about other cultures in your own country and overseas. Participants work in community projects such as refugee mentoring, children’s play schemes, disability projects and environmental regeneration.
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