Gap Jobs...

What is Gap Jobs?
Gap Jobs is part of Madventurer, an award-winning development travel company based in Newcastle upon Tyne. We specialize in offering rewarding volunteer placements and educational work experience worldwide.

Our volunteer placements are individual, and are designed to suit your interests and experience. They are also totally flexible in terms of duration.

How long has Gap Jobs been in existence?
The Gap Jobs name is brand new; however Madventurer has been organising placements for several years. John Lawler, Madventurer’s founder and owner, first undertook development work and adventurous travel in West Africa in 1998 and has been leading groups ever since.

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Planning your trip...

How do I go about planning my trip?
When you sign up we will give you 2 thorough pre-departure packs. The first of these will give you all the advice you should need to get started. It includes full health advice from our partners Interhealth, including a list of recommended vaccinations; a full kit list; detailed information on your country, including information on any relevant etiquette or customs.

A dedicated desk officer for your chosen country will also be on-hand to answer any further questions you may have, either by telephone or email. Just get in touch if you have any concerns or queries.

How can I go about fundraising for my placement?
In your first pre-departure pack, Gap jobs will give you a fundraising pack to give you some ideas on getting the money together for your excursion. We also give you a letter of support, which explains your project and its benefits to the local community. You can show this letter to potential sponsors.

Gap Jobs also runs fundraising events that you are welcome to join us on. So if you would like to do a sponsored challenge, why not take part in the annual Mad 3 Peaks Challenge?

What kind of extras do I need to budget for on top of the placement cost?
Flights are not included in the Gap Jobs price, so this is your main additional expense. You should also budget for a comprehensive travel insurance policy, which needs to cover you for all planned activities and excursions. Depending on your chosen country, you may need to budget for visas, as well as spending money. Remember to save extra cash for any special excursions or activities that you want to enjoy, such as visiting the Maasai Mara in Kenya, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania or trekking Gorillas in Uganda. If you need advice on what activities are available within reach of your placement for a long weekend break, just give us a call or email team@madventurer.com

I want to book, so what do I do now?
Either complete a paper booking application or apply online at http://www.gapjobs.com/gap-jobs-application.htm. Then send a deposit cheque of £175 made payable to Madventurer to Gap Jobs, 1-4 Forth lane, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 5HX. When we have both the application and deposit the relevant desk officer will call you to confirm your place and answer any questions you may have. Please note that the deposit is not refundable.

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Your placement...

How much of my day will be spent on the placement?
Placements are usually designed to be full time, so you should be working for several hours a day, 5 days a week. Sometimes placement hours are affected by external factors such as school holidays, facility restrictions etc. If this is ever the case, we will make you aware of the situation well before your departure. Gap Jobs placements are totally flexible, so if you would prefer a part-time placement, or would like to take longer weekend breaks, just let us know as this can be arranged.

Do I need experience or qualifications to do a work placement?
On most of our placements there is no need for qualifications or experience, just bags of enthusiasm! A notable exception to this is our healthcare placements in Tonga which are restricted to 3rd year medical student or above. We can cater placements to fit your level of experience, so don’t worry if you are looking to try something new!

Are Gap Jobs work placements paid work?
No. Gap Jobs only offers unpaid volunteer placements. You pay us to set up your placement, provide you with thorough pre-departure and on-project support, and make sure that your whole experience goes as smoothly as possible.

What’s the minimum and maximum placement duration?
We recommend that volunteers stay for a minimum duration of 4 weeks. This means that you have the opportunity to become immersed in the community and you will gain more from the experience. However we recognise that some people require shorter placements so we can arrange shorter 2 week placements.
Subject to visa regulations for your chosen destination, there is no maximum duration.

What’s the average age range of volunteers?
The minimum age for Gap Jobs volunteers is 17. Because we organise work experience placements for school leavers and university students, as well as volunteer work for career breakers, we have a broad age range.

The website says dates are totally flexible, but is there an ideal day of the week to arrive?
From our perspective, it is preferable for you to arrive on a weekend; however our crew will meet you at the airport at any time, any day of the week. Just let us know when you would like to arrive, so we can ensure crew is there to pick you up!

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Accommodation...

Where will I be living?
Accommodation is usually in a shared Madventurer house or apartment in your chosen destination. Facilities in many of the locations where we work are basic; however you can usually expect running water and electricity. There should be facilities within reach of the Madventurer home, such as internet access, post offices, general stores etc. For details on accommodation in your chosen destination, just give us a call 0845 833 1992.

If you are particularly interested in host-family accommodation, please let us know and we can look into this for you.

Who will I be living with?
You will be living with fellow venturers (volunteers) who are doing similar professional placements in areas such teaching, healthcare or journalism. Depending on the location, you may also be living with venturers who are doing sports coaching placements. Crew lives in the house or apartment with you to make sure that you placement runs smoothly.

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