All Parents need to Know

As a parent myself I understand the anxiety involved in packing off your child to the other side of the world.  So to help I have put together this 'space' to direct you to your most relevant sections, to help alleviate any unanswered questions and to instill confidence in your child's decision.

Any questions?

Understandably you'll have questions that often one's child is bored by, such as risk assessments or basic hygiene!  Please feel free to bypass them and ask us at anytime.  We are an open house when it comes to parents and trust me we've answered many a strange one, so don't be shy!  Alternatively take a look at the Ask Alice section which answers our most FAQ's.

Who’s in charge?
We are a small friendly company specializing in personal development through travel, with an experienced, professional and caring team both here in the UK and Overseas.

Milly and I have been organizing gap years since 1994 and have sent over 1000 volunteers overseas since starting The Leap in 2002.

Our UK team have taken a gap year (or two!), career break or are well travelled and so fully understand the motivations and needs required to embark on such a journey.

Come and meet us
Please come along with your son or daughter to our UK Briefing Day. If you cannot attend or live overseas then we can brief you in our office or over the telephone. It is the perfect opportunity to provide you with detailed information on clothing, medical, safety, placement, flights, insurance and management etc.

Safety
Our combination of professional overseas project leaders and staff, who are responsible for your son or daughters health, welfare, safety and day-to-day management ensures our thorough support infrastructure.

We have a responsible travel policy to ensure that our placements are both challenging and beneficial to both volunteers and the overseas communities we  support.

Your son or daughter will be participating in placements which are regularly checked and monitored (risk assessments available on request) by our UK staff and overseas project leaders. We carry out approximately 6 trips a year to see our ‘leapers’ in action and to review projects.

We only have one team placement in each country we operate in. We prefer this approach as we build up genuine relationships and personal friendships with our host communities. In many cases we have been operating for 4-5 + years in each destination, sending teams of volunteers 4 times a year ensuring that the communities never feel deserted.

"Thank you for keeping Lily safe and giving her the time of her life." Mrs Hunt

Are we a member of the year out Group?
Yes, we are a full member of the Year Out Group, an association of leading Gap Year organizations and the Foreign and Commonwealth’s Know Before You Go Campaign.
 
What are the benefits of doing the Leap for University and Employability?
University or Further Education
It is a very competitive market and we know from first hand feedback that Universities rate those who have done some structured work overseas helping them develop skills for life.  The Leap will take your child out of his/her comfort zone and present them with challenges which will directly improve/train their soft skills (listed below).

Universities like young people who have taken worthwhile time out as they feel they return:
•    Fresh
•    Mature
•    Had the chance to perhaps learn a relevant language
•    Strong participants/contributors
•    Essentially very likely to commit to completing their degree (very important for the universities finances)

“…….. an experience that enables a young adult to immerse themselves in a different culture, to deal with challenges and return more confident and mature can only be beneficial.” Celia Brayfield - University Lecturer Brunel University

Employers – Getting a Job
Employers like young people who have taken structured and constructive time out as they will be able to demonstrate developed soft skills in the work place:
•    Drive and initiative
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Analytical (budgeting, fundraising, planning)
•    Commitment (completing projects and overcoming obstacles).

We would be delighted to write a reference for your son or daughter to describe how and what they learnt from the Leap experience.

“…….. it is essential that young adults entering the workplace understand the importance of ‘soft skills’, firstly in obtaining employment and subsequently succeeding in their chosen careers.” Charles Money-Kyrle, Managing Director.

Overall we will ensure that your son/daughter will receive:

• Placement that meets their needs with everything planned by us in advance.
• Join a team of like minded ‘leapers’ of a similar age to enjoy the placement and travel with afterwards (most make friends for life – we regularly meet up with past leapers who have been on numerous reunions and many who have been back to their placements to meet their local friends).
• We would be very happy to put you in touch with past 'leapers’ or their parents so you can ask them what they thought.
• Matching expectations, safety and operational excellence guide all we do.

“My life has been given a totally new dimension through my experience in Kenya with The Leap. I had a very rewarding and at the same time fun 6 weeks. I met a fantastic bunch of interesting people and enjoyed every minute of it.” Ed Vey

Guy Whitehead
Managing Director