BRIDGING THE GAP

The Gap year Option for 2021 and Beyond

It is estimated that, in India, about 320 million students are being impacted by college and school closures due to the COVID pandemic. For a number of these students, it may be timely to explore a gap year option.

What is a Gap Year? According to the Gap Year Association (a non-profit organization in the United States), a gap year is a time of “experiential learning, typically taken after high school and before college or career, in order to deepen one's practical, professional, and personal awareness." The specific length of time can be as few as two months, more commonly a semester, or a full year or more.

A gap year may include a combination of: • Volunteering and/or service • Career exploration or internship • Paid work • Unplanned time to learn more about yourself and the world.

Gap Year Benefits Here are a few benefits that have been researched and documented. • Gappers gain maturity, self-confidence, a sense of purpose, and college- and career-readiness skills. • Gap year students do well in college when they enter or return – research shows, for example, they earn higher grades than non-gapping students. • Once in careers, 86% are satisfied or very satisfied.

Gap Years and COVID Gap year professionals are working through different scenarios as COVID realities continue to unfold. First and foremost, of course, is the safety of their students as well as that of the local communities in which gappers serve.

Is Your Student Interested? If you know someone who may be interested in considering gap year options, here are a few tips. • Ask Students to Define Their “Why”? 1. How would you like to grow? 2. Are there core issues or causes that you want to contribute to? 3. What do you enjoy doing that you would like to explore as a possible career? • Research. The Gap Year Association (www.gapyearassociation. org) has numerous resources to help you along the gap year journey, including: a searchable database of programs, a

Planning Guide, and much more.

Conclusion Research and myriad personal stories support the positive impacts gap years have, even – and maybe particularly – in this time of COVID. As one gapper said, reflecting the sentiment of tens of thousands, “It is a transformational experience that has just begun to define my life. If you can dream it, you can do it!” https://www.gapyearassociation.org

Trailblazers is organizing Bridging the Gap Webinar on 9th January, 2021 . To register and know more visit www.trailblazersindia.com/ gap

BE THE CHANGE you want to see in the world

Rae Nelson is a gap year author, researcher, and parent. She is co-author of The Gap-Year Advantage and Gap Year, American Style. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Gap Year Association (GYA). She received the 2020 GYA award for Advancing the Gap Year Movement. Rae served at The White House as Associate Director for Education Policy.