Programs

Gap Year Base Camp has a vast list of programs and opportunities that are vetted and reputable and connections around the world that will insure your absolute best experience. We’ve done the research and have spent years looking at the best options for Gap Year Experiences for all ages! Read on to determine the best type of program for you. We always offer a sliding scales for our services as we believe that everyone should be able to have a gap experience! Email ivey@gapyearbasecamp.com for information.



Volunteer Programs

Volunteer programs are bountiful, both in the US and abroad. It’s hard to put into words the impact you will feel personally when you give your time and talents through volunteering. It requires a special person to step out of their comfort zone and immerse themselves in cultures that have deep needs. Volunteering at home or abroad enables you to make meaningful contributions to community projects in the areas of education, healthcare, sustainability, construction, childcare, community development, women’s rights, conservation, working with animals, wildlife, or social justice issues, to name but a few.



When looking for volunteer abroad programs, you should also consider how your time abroad will impact the community you’re there to support. Your focus should be on helping and working with the local community, so it’s vital that your volunteer work is driven by their needs and your stay doesn’t put any pressure on the community itself. Volunteering can be affordable, meaningful, and life changing in a way that will impact you long after you return. In some cases, your trip might be tax deductible and future employers or schools will appreciate your desire to serve in this meaningful way.



Working Abroad / Internships

Would you like to work in a chosen field or experience a variety of work situations? Following your interests into a chosen field is a wise way to truly understand if it’s for you and is always time well spent. We can guide you in this process with inspiration and potential opportunities.



Another choice is working for your room and board in any number of positions. Do you want to help raise emu’s in Germany? Tend a garden in the south of France, work at a bed in breakfast in the Swiss Alps, or muck stalls at a horse ranch in Colorado? In exchange for a portion of your time, you can typically receive room and board and a unique experience! There are endless possibilities and we can help you navigate the system. Young and old alike can explore an area, virtually for free, when they are willing to give a bit of time and work!



Travel and Cultural Immersion

There are many who set out on a Gap experience with the sole goal of traveling and experiencing as many cultures and locations as possible. We love intrepid travelers (of all ages!) and can help you plan an amazing long term adventure within your budget. Do you want to learn a language, stay with a local family and live like a local all over the world? We can help you structure what can potentially be a daunting task and offer ideas and inspiration for a deeper experience, taking you out of the ‘tourist zone’!





Conservation Programs



Conservation Programs also might fall into the volunteer category, but are typically more strenuous and might involve a more natural or remote setting. Name your passion and there is a program to support it! Elephants in Thailand, game preserves in Africa, sea turtles, wetlands, the rain forest…are but a few of the many options. As with any volunteer activity, it’s important that it’s a reputable organization who is not using ‘volunteerism’ as a money making machine. If you have a heart for adventure and our beautiful planet, let us help you find your perfect fit.





Education and Certification Programs

Would you like to go to school abroad, join a post graduate program, or receive certification in a field of interest while experiencing a new culture? This is all possible! Experience a gap year and push forward on your studies at the same time. Some examples: TEFL certification, Dive Master training, study abroad at university in your chosen field, culinary school, etc. Is there something you’ve always wanted to learn? There is no better time than right now!





Wilderness Adventure Programs

There is no denying the very powerful and real call of nature. If you like sleeping under the stars and the rewarding feeling of accomplishing a physical feat larger than yourself, then you should consider a trek, or wilderness adventure. If you don’t like those things, well, we still think you should consider it. With the right program or plan, you will exit the other side a better, stronger, more resilient person. There are so many amazing programs! Let us help you summit that mountain, climb that volcano, sail the seas, and row the rivers. Being challenged physically will shape your character and soothe your soul. Trust us!





What’s Your Passion?

Travel is not a reward for hard work, it is education for living. Give yourself or your young adult the gift of time. Time to learn, time to find their strengths and improve their weaknesses, time to dream, time to pursue that which sings to the soul. Time to experience their gifts and time to discern their path. Dance, Italian cooking, art history, painting, meditation, yoga, the performing arts, graphic design, cartooning, book making, film making, architecture, ecology, marine biology, black smithing, bread baking, weaving, sustainable farming …it’s endless, really. Say yes to your passion and yes to adventure.





“Tell me, what is it you plan to do, With your one wild and precious life?”



~Mary Oliver





Gap Year Base Camp offers all the tools and supplies to make your Gap Year Experience the best year of your life. If you feel that a gap year is financially out of reach for you, think again. Let us help you find a program that fits your budget and ignites your future! Sliding scale available for GYBC consulting.



GYBC and its staff are proud to work with people of all orientations, abilities, ethnic origin, gender, gender identity, marital status, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. We believe that the very truest essence of a gap year experience is one of inclusivity.