More Gap Years and Travel Information

100% of Graduate Recruiters recommend a constructive year out….

This is your chance.

If you’re in your penultimate or final year, the chances are you are already thinking about the big “What Next”. Born from a sense of conforming to the “done thing”, rather than taking time to consider what indeed they are applying for or why, most will rush to apply for multiple graduate recruitment schemes. Graduate recruitment is an increasingly competitive market, but by approaching this crucial time in your life from another angle you could see yourself jump ahead of you fellow graduates.

Organising a structured and worthwhile gap year brings high returns. Not only will you make the most of your precious time away, your experience and the skills learnt will make you more attractive to employers on your return. 100% of employers interviewed for a survey by the Association of Graduate Recruiters believe a constructive gap year helps to prepare young people for the work place.

But time out doesn’t have to be all about gaining CV points. How can you please your future employers while fulfilling that need to travel to far flung destinations? How about combining adventure travel with a structured worthwhile and sustainable project all in one?

Imagine this. Leaving Britain and travelling to a place few people have ever been. Meeting people from different backgrounds and nationalities.

Spending three weeks working in a small group on a vital environmental project in a remote region of the world – perhaps working on an international project surveying endangered species, constructing coral reefs as part of a marine survey project in Costa Rica. Then spending another three weeks living and working closely with a remote community – perhaps constructing a school in Namibia, or learning Spanish whilst living with families in Nicaragua.

Then how about a further adventurous project, getting completely off the beaten tourist track – trekking to the Patagonian Ice Cap, kayaking past dolphins, hiking in the mountainous sand dunes of the Namib desert. All this on a 10 week expedition with Raleigh International.

During this time you will have met lots of people from very different backgrounds and countries, contributed something of real value to the country you visit, seen and done things you never imagined you could do and possibly had one of the best experiences of your life.

What’s more all this can be achieved whilst learning the kind of skills you will use for the rest of your life – team work, effective communication, problem solving, leadership, understanding of society, self awareness and confidence. You’ll be able to tick all the relevant boxes on those lengthy application forms and give genuine and different examples of how you have experienced each one.

Expedition participants come from around the world. These include those from our International, Host Country and Motive8 programmes. The Motive8 programme is unique to Raleigh, and exists to re-engage disadvantaged and socially excluded young people back into society. After a Raleigh expedition many of these young people will go onto gaining employment or enrolling at college or University.

Raleigh International have an unrivalled reputation for running high quality expeditions, with worthwhile projects. The unique social and cultural mix on a Raleigh International expedition makes for an exciting and developmental experience. Expedition life fosters a sense of mutual responsibility and respect between otherwise socially segregated groups.

As a charity dedicated to youth development Raleigh are focussed totally on our participants.

We deliver this experience in a consistently challenging yet safe environment. Our expeditions run throughout the year, including ones specifically in the summer break. Additionally we also run 4 and 7 week options called Raleigh Explorer.

To find out more please visit www.raleighinternational.org, or contact Carl Challenger on 0207 371 858 or at info@raleigh.org.uk

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