Our Mission

Our Mission
The Leap is a small independent gap year company offering the choice of an unrivalled collection of financially protected, high quality gap year placements, organised and supported by caring and experienced staff - the founders having worked in the industry since 1994.

You can be assured of a very personal service enshrined in the Year Out Group’s Code of Conduct.

The Leap is the only gap year company providing a unique mix of opportunities in eco-tourism, community projects and conservation across the globe.

We are passionately committed to helping young people travel, develop and fulfil their potential whilst making a positive difference both financially and through worthwhile voluntary projects amongst indigenous and economically deprived communities, forging life long friendships based on mutual respect and cultural appreciation. At all times guided by our Responsible Travel Policy.

Why The Mix?
We have specifically chosen a mix of conservation, community and eco-tourism projects because:

• They are interlinked and positively and mutually beneficial to the community and environment as a whole.
• By focusing on all three areas, together we are more likely to make a significant difference, leaving the community with a higher standard of living, better quality of life and the means themselves to self–sufficiently progress.

Conservation Projects – An Overview
Conservation projects are those that have direct benefits for wildlife or the natural environment. This can encapsulate a wide range of activities from working with animals or birdlife, to environmental conservation issues: erosion, re-forestation etc, to developing ecological farming methods and positive action which minimises the impact communities have on their local environment.

Community Projects – An Overview
Community projects are those which involve personal interaction with local people and directly benefit their lives. This could be a tangible, physical benefit such as development of community infrastructure and amenities or an emotional and educational benefit through teaching, playing sports and developing trusting relationships with local people.

Eco-Tourism Projects – An Overview
Eco-Tourism is a broad term which describes any form of responsible travel, bringing positive benefits to the people and places you visit. In this sense all Leapers are in themselves eco-tourists, volunteering on small scale projects with an average of 63% of your placement fee invested in the local economy. In addition we classify any volunteer activities which allow communities to profit from tourism or to develop new sustainable income as forms of Eco-Tourism.

We are proud of what we do and we care about what we do.

Guy Whitehead
Managing Director.