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Hello!
As The Leap’s resident Agony Aunt and a regular Leaper myself (that’s right, meet itchy feet personified!) I’ve tried and tested our gap placements and am on hand to impart the information and advice you need.
The Leap offers a variety of placements to suit everyone, whatever your age or interests. To help you decide which is your perfect Leap and answer those all-important niggles that have been keeping you awake at night here are the answers, plus a few tips that should help you to get the most from your gap experience. Be inspired…
What's your question?
Making the Right Choice
Making the Right Choice
Why the Leap?
Our placements are unique, as is the way we think about volunteer travel. We know that the success of a placement rides on matching, and surpassing your expectations. We offer unrivalled back up and support to you both before and during your placement, meeting every Leaper, where possible, and making sure you select the trip that will best suit you.
We are able to do this because we are a small, family run company with years of expertise in organizing gap years. Last year we sent just 250 people overseas, knew every Leaper by name and had regular communication with them and their family whilst on their placement. With us, you are not just a number and the success of your experience is our priority.
We're not a charity but our placements give you real value for money and honesty about where your funds are spent. A donation to the community is made on your behalf, and used to finance on-going development projects chosen by Leapers and community leaders. Want a gap experience that leaves a lasting legacy? Choose The Leap.
What makes our placements special?
The Leap is the only organisation that allows volunteers to combine community, conservation and eco-tourism projects all in one placement, with the chance to do some amazing adventure travel at the same time. This ensures that Leapers are constantly challenged and stimulated in different ways, getting the most from their experience and ultimately making a valued contribution.
Regardless of which Leap you choose, we provide you with opportunities and in-country expertise that would be impossible to find on your own. Whether it is running a kids club in the Amazon or managing a luxury safari camp in Botswana, we have got the knowledge and contacts to facilitate a unique experience for your gap year.
The projects we run are well researched and managed by experienced in-country hosts, and above all are sustainable ensuring that the efforts of volunteers really make a real difference to local lives and environment. The communities we work with have a great, pro-active attitude to development, get fully involved with Leapers and ultimately feel a sense of ownership of the projects. We are not interested in paying lip service to development and neither are Leapers. It is as simple as that.
How do we financially support our placements?
On average approximately 60% of the cost of the scheme (Team Placements) is spent in-country amongst the community ensuring volunteers receive a first class placement and you can, therefore, be confident that the community, wildlife and environment really benefit. Last year we spent over £240,000 overseas. Our ethos is to employ as many local people as we can to help us facilitate the projects recognising that an employed individual in the developing world tends to support a much larger extended family.
In addition we include a donation in the cost of our placements to help fund community or conservation projects specifically chosen by our volunteers. We are proud of the fact that we have spent over £96,000 helping in a number of ways - building new classrooms, sponsoring kids through school and improving water to mention a few. Leapers make a big difference to some of the worlds poorest people and come home feeling proud of their impact and lasting legacy they have left.
Can you really help?
You bet, the majority of your money is spent in the country you are visiting, by the project host, in the local economy to pay for your food (this obviously supports small local businesses), accommodation, project materials, their running costs like fuel for vehicles and basically looking after and delivering you the projects and most importantly staff salaries. Employment of local people is one of the best ways your money can make a difference as they tend to support family members without jobs. Leap volunteers are very important to the overall success of these projects and obviously the many small businesses and communities that rely on the projects.
Included in this expenditure is the £80 per person (sometimes more) you directly donate on things you feel are important. This is traditionally used to fund direct projects in communities like buying the nails, cement, wood etc to build a new classroom or improve the water. Although this seems quite little in UK terms when it is converted into local currency and when multiplied up by say 14 in your group to £1120 (given the local wage is probably no more than about £45 per month), it becomes a reasonably significant project fund. This enables many local people to benefit.
In many countries we operate in even the local teachers are not paid as they communities cannot afford it, so your help does make a terrific difference.
Which Leap is for me?
Team Leaps are our most popular placements and take place in 10 different country destinations in Africa, Asia and South America. The big idea is to give Leapers a chance to experience several different types of volunteer work in one trip, community, conservation and in some cases eco tourism projects. These are the 3 Leaps.
What this means is that rather than committing to a single task for your entire stay e.g. teaching the same class for 2 months or spending every day of your trip in the back of a jeep counting antelope, Team Leapers take part in a series of different small-scale, achievable projects that really make an impact and are very rewarding. By trying your hand at the 3 Leaps you will be challenged and stimulated in lots of different ways, ensuring that you maintain your enthusiasm and enjoyment of your gap year. You will develop loads of new skills that will benefit you in the years to come and may even discover talents and passions you never knew you had!
On a Team Leap, no two days are the same. For example, one week you could be teaching indigenous kids, the next you would be thatching people's homes and putting in irrigation systems before heading out to the bush to study elephants or dolphins, all topped off with organizing a local football league or putting together a drama performance to educate villagers about AIDS or Malaria.
Mixing it up allows you to really get under the skin of a country. In addition to this, some of our placements are split between two or even three different environments giving you the chance to experience life at the beach, bush, mountains and jungle. Variety is the spice of life!
Team Leaps ideally suit young people aged 18-27 with lots of energy, who want to spend 6 or 10 weeks in an amazing environment, making an impact to local lives and being stimulated and challenged in loads of different ways. If you are sociable and fancy making new friends and having fun with like minded people of a similar age, go for Team every time.
Solo Leaps are how it all started. Three month voluntary work placements in Africa's most exclusive tented camps, organizing Safaris, escorting guests on horse back across the savannah and helping to run a lodge in some of the world's most breathtaking and challenging environments. A few of our Solo Leaps are based at camps which offer horse back safaris and give you the opportunity to work closely with the animals and escort guests on rides daily.
As the name implies, Solo Leapers go it alone, although if two people fancy the same placement at the same time and we were able to match them up and the camp has space, we will happily send pairs. My first gap experience was a Solo Leap to Kenya, working as a hostess and hippo-dodging water ski instructor at Island Camp. It was one of the best things I've ever done! My three months with The Leap challenged and developed me in ways I never thought possible and opened my eyes to another world, which most gappers and tourists never get to see (and I'm not just talking about the infinity pool!). I fell in love with Africa hook, line and sinker and have never looked back. I was even offered a permanent job when my placement ended.
We would recommend a Solo Leap to those of you who are adventurous, independent and self-motivated, who want a truly unique experience on their gap year or sabbatical. You need a certain level of maturity to deal with the isolation of a safari camp and the ability to deal with guests from all walks of life, which is why we recommend that unless in exceptional circumstances you must be aged 22 and over.
Sports Leap are our most specialised placements. These trips run for between 25 days and 10 weeks and allow you to make sports the focus of your gap experience. You don't need any previous experience, although a good level of fitness and, if you choose our Polo placement, competent riding skills, are a must.
We offer Sports Leaps in 2 continents with activities as wide ranging as team horse riding in South Africa and polo in Argentina. These placements ideally suit adrenaline junkies and fitness fanatics aged 18-27, looking for a fun, physical challenge in an exotic environment. Experience new cultures, acquire and develop your skills and make friends for life on a Sports Leap.
If I'm on my own can I join a team or do I need to apply with friends?
This is an easy one. You're welcome to apply as a group of friends (in fact we can offer an attractive discount for group bookings), but it's not necessary. We put the teams together and although some Leapers may know one another from home or school, most do not. Group sizes range from 3 to 26 like minded people, depending on the popularity of the placement, we will put you in touch with the other group members before you go and you'll hopefully have a chance to meet some of them at our training days. Team Leaps are a great way to make friends for life and find travel buddies. it is really common for Leapers to extend their flights and take an adventure together once their placement is up.
What's the average age of a Team Leaper?
Most of our Team Leapers are predominately school leavers with a reasonable number of recent graduates. Usually the teams have a good mix of ages and genders, although we can't really control who applies for which placement! If you are over 20, worried about feeling old on a team placement - don't! I was one of 2 graduates in the Ecuador team last year and we all got on amazingly! It was a really pleasant surprise to find that age was but a number, and some of the 18 and 19 year olds on the trip were more mature than us in many ways! I made friends for life, The Leap experience was new for everyone and we were all seeing Ecuador for the first time - which really helped to even out the playing field.
How many people choose to travel after their Leap has ended?
Most Leapers last year decided to spend extra time travelling once their placement had finished. Some stay on for a few weeks, others months and even those who have previously had no interest in independent travel usually change their minds! A 6 or 10 week Leap is a fantastic way to gain the confidence and in-country knowledge to get yourself around as a back packer- and equip you with the contacts, friends and knowledge to travel safely and cheaply.
After my team placement had ended in Ecuador, I travelled with a Leap friend to the amazing Galapagos Islands, climbed a volcano and trekked to Macchu Picchu in Peru, where we met up with the rest of the team. Before the Leap I couldn't speak a word of Spanish and didn't feel ready to backpack safely around South America, but I left the placement feeling inspired to travel, full of confidence and really knowledgeable about the culture and customs of Ecuador! My memories of that time are some of the best from my gap year and I'd urge all Leapers to budget for some independent travel at the end of their trip. You will not regret it!
It's important to remember to extend your insurance, and your flights with STA are valid for six months so it's easy to change your return date with the payment of a small fee.
Argh! I still can't decide which Leap is right for me...
If you are finding it hard to choose between our placements but know you would like to take The Leap, do not delay! Send in your application form and select more than one team option. We call you for a consultation and give you plenty of advice and guidance, then get you along to the next training day where you can meet us and other Leapers face to face, wade through our photo albums and listen to the briefings for each of the countries that take your fancy. There is no better way to help the decision making process!
If in doubt we will happily put you in touch with past Leapers so you can hear it from the horses mouth.
Failing that, well there's always the option of doing more than one placement! This is becoming an increasingly popular choice for gappers and a great way to make the most of your year off. A gap year is actually more like 15 months in length, so there is plenty of time and opportunity to have more than one adventure. And with the generous discounts we offer to Leapers doing multiple placements, it makes financial sense too! Woop.
Money Matters
How much will it cost?
Please look at the Dates and Prices 2011 and the Dates and Prices 2010 pages.
We offer attractive discounts to 3+ friends booking together, siblings of previous leapers, past leapers and people doing 2+ placements.
Any hidden costs?
No. Please see the placement pages for a cost breakdown. For personal expenses, such as drinks, partying and any independent travel at weekends, we recommend approx. £350 - £400, less if you are going for 6 weeks only. If you want to do specialist sports like scuba-diving or white water rafting in your spare time or you have a taste for swanky hotels, this will cost more. It's worth considering for when the placement has ended. Many Leapers decide to do some independent travel together when they have finished, this is something you may need to budget for.
Why pay to do voluntary work?
Team placements involve helping communities from far poorer backgrounds, such as teaching local African primary school children to read English and play sport. They clearly cannot afford to pay volunteers to share their skills. Placements need to be self-sustainable and have lasting benefit, allowing volunteers to go into these communities in a safe and effective way to make a real difference. Your chance to give something back.
On average the cost of our scheme comes to approximately £25-£35 per day which our volunteers tell us is good value for money to be able to participate in unique projects that no tourist or back packer could do, and not a lot more than they would spend if they were travelling and having to pay for transport, food and accommodation every day. Considering the additional benefits of 24 hour back up and support, training and having an in-country host on hand to help you make the most of your time, that's pretty good value!
When do I pay?
The payments for your trip are broken down into easy to manage instalments, so please don't worry about finding the full amount straight away. We ask for a £100 deposit to secure your place on the trip and pay for the training day. This is included in the full cost of the placement- it is not a hidden extra. A second payment of £500 is due six months prior to departure, and we don't ask for the final instalment until two months before you go. Having taken two (entirely!) self-funded Leaps, I can testify that this system makes it much easier to work and save for your gap year as it helps you to set financial goals and manage your money better.
How do I raise the money?
One of the challenges you will face in your gap year is raising the money to pay for your it, but fundraising is all part of the experience and in many ways is as valuable as the adventures you will have with the results! The sense of achievement that comes from earning and saving for yourself is hard to beat, and it will look great on your CV.
Do not be put off the idea of a Gap Year by the costs, it is possible to be completely self-funded, over 70% of Leapers raise more than £2400 towards the cost of their gap year through a combination of work, sponsorship and fundraising events. It is not uncommon to hear Leapers raising around £3,500 or more. If they can do it, so can you.
To give you a idea of what is possible, I worked for 6 months before embarking on my first Leap to Kenya, doing a range of character building weird and wonderful jobs and really putting in the hours. I earned £1000 a month and saved as much as I could, which is fairly easy when you live in the middle of nowhere! The cost of my Solo Leap, including airfare and kit was £3000, which left me with over £2000 in the bank to spend on independent travel adventures, parties and all important souvenir shopping! I was able to stay on in Kenya for an extra 12 weeks.
Fundraising?
The Leap provides gap year volunteers with an effective and comprehensive Fundraising Guide. The aim is to give confidence and the advice needed to help reach financial goals.
The Fundraising Guide provides details on:
Setting a financial target
Sorting out a plan to achieve your target
Getting a job
Sponsorship and fundraising
Charities
How should I manage my money when I'm abroad?
I recommend setting up an internet bank account before embarking on your gap year. It is a hassle free way of keeping tabs on your (hopefully!) growing funds and managing your finances. And when you are halfway across the world and need a cash top up from the bank of Mum and Dad or want to report a stolen card, it's simple as pie to organize!
Also, consider getting a credit card. Even if you've never owned one before and have no intention of using it after your gap year, the benefits of having an instant pot of money to fall back on should there be an emergency such as suddenly needing a flight home, are obvious. It's a stress free solution and you needn't worry about keeping it safe whilst you are on your placement as the in country host will happily take care of it for you.
More tips are available in the Pre Departure Travel Booklet Leapers receive before their placement.
During the Placement
Independent Travel
Leapers have time and days off during their placement to travel, have fun and experience local attractions. Leapers on Team Placements get most weekends off. Air tickets are booked with a 6-month return and insurance is easily extendable should you want to travel further a-field at the end of your placement.
What behaviour is required?
The hosts expect high standards of behaviour where you must be punctual, friendly and polite. You must also comply with their dress codes: in general 'smart casual' in the safari camps and working outdoor clothes on the projects. You will not be allowed facial jewellery: nose rings, tongue studs etc. The work can be physically demanding, sometimes in challenging conditions. It does require you to be motivated, enthusiastic and be prepared to get your hands dirty when necessary.
Accommodation and Food
You are met at the airport by the host and transferred to and from the placement at the start and end of the scheme. Accommodation varies depending on the environment and style of camp or project phase: in safari camps, expect to live in comfortable tents and bandas on the beach; on the conservation and community phases you may sleep in more basic tents or huts. All meals and drinking water are provided and the food is good. Please refer to the specific placement information pages.
Are you paid?
No - all placements are voluntary, however volunteers (on solo placements only) will receive £40 pocket money, monthly, in line with local wages.
How hard will you have to work?
Please do not expect a holiday. The placement will certainly be fun and you will get time off, but you are going there to contribute and complete a placement. You will have to work hard and the hosts expect you to. These placements require you to be motivated and show determination and initiative. Failure to perform to the standards set by the host will, if serious, result in your placement being terminated early with no refund. Ultimately this is your chance to put something back, and the more you put into it the more you will get out of it.
Working hours and time off
Hours on the Team Placements are normally 8am to 4pm and you get weekends off to travel. Life on a solo placement in a lodge or camp is busy with irregular hours. Some days may start at 6 am and not end until the last client has left the campfire after midnight! Other days may finish far earlier, offering the opportunity to explore and enjoy the unique environment or go on a game drive or walk in the bush. The message is to remain flexible: you do get time off.
Communication and Preparation
You will have no problem communicating as English is either the official language or is spoken widely. In Latin America it is a little more difficult as many of the locals only speak Spanish. The Team Leaders will, however, speak English and in certain places we provide translators but it is an excellent opportunity to improve or learn Spanish. It is useful to learn as much about the country you are visiting including the local language - you will gain more from your experience. Excellent travel guides such as Lonely Planet, Footprint etc can be found in all good bookshops.
Security overseas
We only offer placements in countries that are safe and stable, although there are obviously risks in any overseas trip. Our aim is to manage these risks to an acceptable level and base our advice on thorough risk assessments of the countries and placements we operate in. In addition, we source professional and expert advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our in-country directors, placement managers and friends who actually live overseas. You will be thoroughly briefed prior to departure and on arrival overseas.
The Nitty Gritty
Booking Conditions
Please read The Leap Overseas Booking Conditions here.
Non-UK Residents
Non-UK Residents are welcome to participate in the scheme but must be able to speak reasonable English. In the past we have had volunteers from across Europe and as far away as America and Australia!
Can I use my time abroad to count towards my Duke of Edinburgh Award?
Yes. Use your placement experiences, conservation, community, expedition, trekking, to count towards your DOE awards (Bronze, Silver or Gold) on their Abroad programme. We will happily sign your Award Handbook on your return. It is highly thought of.
What do we provide before you travel?
Initial consultation followed by a comprehensive Briefing, Training and Open day.
Organisation and preparation of entire placement from start to finish.
Supporting travel documents including effective Fundraising Guide.
Management, advice and 24-hour backup and support.
A comprehensive Travel Booklet covering, safety, medical, visa and travel advice plus an equipment and clothing list.
The Placement Information Sheet describes your responsibilities, accommodation and contact details.
Briefing, Training and Open Day
We match, as best we can, your skills with the hosts requirements ensuring you are in the right placement to suit you. We hold a comprehensive Open Day (to which your parents are invited) every few months to which you will be invited. This enables us to brief you on all aspects of the scheme, including health, welfare, security, work placement responsibilities and so on. It also allows you to meet past Leapers and the other members of your team, where possible. This is one of the most important aspects of what we provide as it allows us to assess and match your expectations and ensure the success of your placement.
Volunteers who are resident outside the UK and therefore unable to attend are briefed by telephone.
Team Leap volunteers receive a detailed briefing and induction on arrival in-country.
Previous Experience Required?
Volunteers do not need any previous experience or any particular qualifications to participate on the majority of our placements. Whether you have circumnavigated the globe or never been further than Blackpool pleasure beach, taught a class of thirty or are still a student, yours will be a valued contribution. If any particular skills are needed (i.e. horse riding ability on a riding placement) we will discuss this with you when you are making your choice of placement.
The key attributes we are looking for are motivation, sense of humour, determination and team spirit: you will only get out of this what you are prepared to put in.
Do we have a Privacy Policy?
Yes. We are members of the Data Protections Act Z655 6000. We will, therefore, not share your details with anyone else unless we have your permission to do so. If you wish to find out what the Data Protection Act is all about please visit www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
We collect certain personal information like telephone numbers, email addresses and so on in order to manage your placement overseas and provide you with the placement that most suits you. We also ask for marketing information (where did you hear about us?) and regular feedback (what was the trip like?) ensuring people can find us quickly and that we are constantly improving our services.
Approximately 3 months prior to your departure we will share some of your personal details (name, email, mobile number) with your other teams mates so you can start chatting and getting to know each other. From time to time once you have completed your placement we may also give your name and mobile or email to potential future leapers or their parents who wish to find out what you thought of the experience. We will either call you for permission or copy you into the email. If you do not want us to do the above then please let us know.
What about Travel Insurance?
It is absolutely vital that you have sufficient travel insurance for your entire time abroad, including independent travel after your placement with The Leap.
Travel insurance is not included in the cost of the trip. We will provide you with information on a number of reputable companies when your second payment is due. You will not be allowed to participate on the placement without proof of travel insurance. UK travel insurance is only available to persons who are permanently resident and domiciled in the UK if you live overseas you will need to source your own local cover.
Since we started The Leap we have been recommending Global Travel Insurance to all our volunteers and many have used their policy. Although more expensive than some other providers, we believe their quality, level of cover and care when dealing with medical emergencies, make it money well spent. We know from experience that they are excellent in a medical crisis and pay out on claims when they say they will.
They have designed a unique policy specifically designed for The Leap to cover volunteers working abroad and it has many benefits that would not be available through a standard policy. There are principally three important reasons why they cost more but provide you with better cover:
They provide far higher cancellation cover than their obvious competitors ensuring that the entire cost of your trip, including flight, is covered in the event you have to cancel for an insurable reason. They also cover extra risks that most other companies do not, such as travel disruption cover due to a force majeure event, an important addition.
They are aware exactly what your placement programme comprises, such as working with animals, helping to build things, playing sport and so on. Many travel insurance policies, for instance, do not cover working abroad or actually doing anything of a manual nature, so please check the small print.
What about Visas?
We send you detailed information, approximately 3 months prior to departure, explaining how you get your visa (if applicable) and the cost. In many countries a standard tourist visa is free for 90 days and can easily be extended.
What Vaccinations might I need?
We send you general information in our Travel Booklet on the vaccinations you may need and advice on staying healthy. We also cover these topics in detail on our briefing days.
Do we provide emergency back-up and support?
Yes. Both from the UK and in-country. The Safety section on this site provides more details on what steps we take to ensure you return home safe and healthy having had a fantastic time.
Skills and Jobs
We find volunteers quickly develop the new skills needed to complete the projects, whether that is building a classroom, teaching children or maintaining a clinic. These are skills that you keep for life and may come in useful at a later date.We also employ as many local people as we can to help you complete these projects.
Your voluntary work does not deprive any local person of a job. It actually creates more job opportunities for local people, which is especially good news in the developing world where there is terrible unemployment and many people living below the poverty line.
Do we have professional accreditation?
Yes. We are proud to be members of the following:
Year Out Group - The Leap is a member of the Year Out Group, an association of leading UK organisations formed to promote the concept and benefits of well-structured Year Out programmes. Year Out Group Members Charter
Foreign and Commonwealth Office - The Leap is proud to be a partner in the FCO Know Before You Go Campaign. This campaign educates travellers about the role of the Foreign Office and safe travel overseas.
ISCO and UCAS - We attend ISCO and UCAS fairs around the UK and look forward to meeting you there.
Flights and Airfare
Flights are not included in the cost of the scheme, allowing you the flexibility to get the best deal. We use STA Travel (ABTA 99209 and IATA 9122411) to arrange volunteers flights, as they offer great value and are great at round-the-world tickets. They will happily advise you on the best combination of routes. Flights will be on scheduled airlines departing and returning to London.
Our policy is to fly you as close to the host a possible, which may mean we need to book you on to internal flights. Costs will be discussed on booking. We ensure the flight tickets are flexible too, so you can maximize the value of your flight ticket and stay on and travel around the region after you finish or head off to another continent.
Financial Security
Financial Failure Insurance & Protection: You are insured up to £5,000 for any non recoverable money paid to the The Leap in the highly unlikely event that The Leap goes into administration. This is only available through Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd's travel insurance policy, designed for those travelling with The Leap, for whom The Leap are an Introducer Appointed Representative.
In addition in the highly unlikely event that the Company becomes insolvent (copies of the annual accounts of the company are held by The Year Out Group and Companies House), the Company has provided for a Volunteer account, which holds the Final Payment paid to the Company by the Volunteer. The funds are held by this account up until the Volunteer's air tickets are sent. After which point any in-country expenses and arrangements on the Volunteer's behalf will have been confirmed and paid for. In addition we may elect to purchase Tour Operators Failure Insurance to protect all monies paid to the Company and would provide full details and conditions on request.
Once the person travelling has insurance in place he/she will be covered for all payments, including flights, if he/she books their Travel Insurance through Global Travel Insurance Ltd (GTI - our recommended insurance policy) or another company with a decent level of cancellation cover i.e. Up to £5000 for insurable reasons as described in their policy.
We have excellent cash reserves and we strictly abide by the Year Out Groups Code of Conduct regarding protecting our clients financial security. If you wish to talk to Richard Oliver the CEO of the Year Out Group for reassurance the number is: 01380 816696.
We book flights, on behalf of the person travelling, through STA travel (one of the world’s largest student travel companies). They are ATOL bonded (3206) through the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) so your flights are fully protected and would be reimbursed in full. You are welcome to book your flights elsewhere but ensure they have an ATOL bond.
The Leap is a member of the Year Out Group an association of leading UK organisations formed to promote the concept and benefits of well-structured Year Out programmes
The Leap Overseas Ltd, 121 High Street, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 1LZ Tel 01672 519922 Fax 01672 519944 Email info@theleap.co.uk
