Overview
GapGuru is a gap
year specialist offering a wide range of exciting volunteer, travel and
internship opportunities across Asia, Africa, South America and Europe.
Participants on GapGuru programmes could be doing anything from teaching underprivileged children in rural Nepal, to managing
micro-finance grants for HIV/Aids sufferers in Tanzania, or providing medical
support in Cambodia.
GapGuru programmes last from 2 weeks to 12
months and are carefully selected and supported by our UK and in-country teams.
Our comprehensive pre-departure briefing and personalised service ensures that participants
make the most of their gap year experience, giving them the chance not just to
travel, but to journey with a purpose!
Who are we?
GapGuru is
primarily aimed at school leavers and the gap year market - whether before or
after university. The demographic of our audience ranges between the ages of
13-25, though typically our participants are between the ages of 17-25, and the
male/female split is roughly even.
GapGuru has a unique
position in that our volunteer programmes support our own UK registered
charity, The FutureSense Foundation (Charity Number 1132101). The Foundation is
the basis of everything GapGuru’s volunteer programmes are trying to achieve –
namely stimulating sustainable international development. This work focuses on
education, child welfare and livelihoods and every GapGuru volunteer programme
is researched and assessed within the framework of these objectives. GapGuru is
therefore genuinely trying to have a positive impact on developing communities
around the world.
Career Opportunities
Students gain incredible life experiences
for their CVs and this is always a fantastic talking point at interviews and
helps to show employers that they are well rounded and have developed personal
skills beyond academia. Our programmes also add an international dimension to
CVs and this helps young people to show prospective employers that they are
effective communicators within an international environment and a new culture.
Our internship programmes offer incredible work
experience in the fields of business, medicine, journalism, publishing and
editing. These internships offer a great range of hands on, real world
opportunities that really enhance CVs for job and university applications. For
example with our medical internships GapGuru works with organisations from
world class hospitals in Delhi to community health centres in rural Nepal so
there is something for everyone!
Training and Development
With our programmes GapGuru participants
have the opportunity to discover new countries and cultures, to meet new people
and immerse themselves in local communities. Our volunteers work in
underprivileged communities, helping those in genuine need, while building
their own skills, confidence and experience.
The personal and community benefits are combined
with the excitement of a new adventure, a personal challenge and the discovery
of a new world.
What we look for
Volunteers need to be
adaptable, self-motivated and creative; have the ability to listen and learn
and be open to changing their mind so they can identify the approaches that
best suit the environment. They will need patience, common-sense and
sensitivity to a different culture. Participants on GapGuru programme will also
require self-assurance, as they will be working with and training others.
Additionally they need a desire to learn and help others learn, so that together
with the local community they can devise the strongest solutions together.
How to apply
Visit http://www.gapguru.com/