School's out and summer's here but it's not too late book the gap year experience of a life time... GVI, one of the most widely respected volunteer travel and gap year specialists have places on some incredible projects departing this summer.

 

GVI offers safe, responsible travel expeditions, exceptional training and career development opportunities to its gap year volunteers. The programmes are carefully created by the team to ensure volunteers return with new and valuable skills, lifelong friends from contrasting cultures and memorable, life changing stories.

 

Read on for the ultimate Gap Year inspiration list from GVI including adventure, community and volunteering opportunities in some of the most remote and dramatic locations in the world with availability from August 2013:

 

Best for the soul... Volunteer with novice Buddhist monks in Luang Prabang, Thailand

Be a part of one of the most intriguing and inspiring GVI programmes and experience this rare opportunity to work closely with novice monks.  Volunteers will be based in the beautiful ancient city of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World heritage site, located in northern central Laos surrounded by Buddhist temples and monasteries.   Volunteers will teach the monks English, improving the quality of the young men's education. In return, volunteers will learn about the life of these young men, their culture history, religion and language and food.

Placement length and starting price: From 2- 14 weeks, prices start from £ 895 per person

 

 

Best for the thrill seeker...Jaguar Conservation in Jalova, Costa Rica 

 

Forget bungee jumping and white water rafting, true thrill seeking volunteers are summoned to work and live together in Costa Rica's rainforest assisting in the protection of endangered Jaguars. Accessible only by boat and within the boundaries of Tortuguero National Park, the tight-knight group will experience life at the research station, learning about the wildlife and their habitat and searching for signs of jaguars and their prey species, by setting up remote cameras and conducting beach patrols. Furthermore, volunteers will contribute to the long- term development and management of wildlife conservation efforts along Central America's Caribbean coast. During the programme volunteers will gain a holistic understanding of the Costa Rican rainforest and its ecosystem by also conducting important research on turtles (seasonal) and aquatic birds.

Through hands-on training students will have the opportunity to understand the rainforest and the variety of wildlife that depend on its future whilst free time can be spent admiring Tortuguero's amazing scenery, incredible beaches and through dawn patrols, spectacular sunrises as the backdrop.

Placement length and starting price: From 2- 12 weeks, prices start from £ 3,100 per person

 

 

Best for the aspiring teacher... Volunteer to Teach English to adults in Phang Nga, Thailand

Thailand is known and loved by gap year travellers for its tropical beaches, hidden caves and lush rainforest, however in the southern province of Phang Nga GVI are offering volunteers to experience Thailand in a new light, guaranteeing a truly individual view of Thailand that would escape regular holiday-makers. Volunteers are invited to receive TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) training and earn the well-respected TEFL certification whilst leading English classes for local adults.

Once certified, volunteers will lead their own classes in local community centres and schools, giving the locals the valuable opportunity to learn English and aim for a better future.

Hard work is rewarded with weekends exploring the Thai culture and language, experiencing and exploring the authentic local meals and relaxing in stunning surroundings. Placement length and starting price: From 2- 12 weeks, prices start from £ 995 per person

 

Best for water babies... Learn to scuba dive whilst delving into Marina conservation in Yucatan, Mexico

 

Travel to the exotic turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea and immerse yourself in a tropical paradise whilst learning to scuba dive and earning your PADI. Volunteers will have the responsibility of monitoring the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world. Volunteers work directly on coral reef and fish monitoring, conduct turtle nesting surveys (seasonal) and assist with community programmes to raise local environmental awareness amongst many other tasks.

There is time to enjoy and experience a vibrant and colourful culture, joining in with community programs, teaching English and raising the environmental awareness of the local community.

Placement length and starting price: From 4-12 weeks, prices start from £1,795 per person

 

 

Best for the surf dudes and sporty types... Teach children in a deprived township how to surf and play sport in Cape Town, South Africa

 

Perfect for sport lovers, volunteers are invited to join the GVI team in working alongside the local community teaching surfing lessons and other sports in the city of Cape Town to deprived local children. From football to cricket, tennis to netball, volunteers will run sports programmes, activities and events at schools in these impoverished townships that border the city.

Volunteers live in a traditional coastal village between Cape Town and Stellenbosch, and enjoy optional excursions to the famed Robben Island, Table Mountain and Cape Point, or can embark upon a Cape Town wildlife safari and wine tasting in Stellenbosch. A trip here provides plenty of opportunities to tick off that bucket list! Even better, GVI are on hand to assist with any side trips that appeal upon arrival in Cape Town. And better still, volunteers can often benefit from discounts on these trips owing to their association with GVI on the ground.

Placement length and starting price: From 2-12 weeks, prices start from £995 per person

 

Best for animal lovers... Protect the endangered wild dog species from extinction in the South African Bush

 

Animal lovers are invited to head out into the African bush to collect vital data on wild dogs in their natural habitat, an endangered species currently threatened with extinction.

Volunteers receive full training in animal identification, tracking and the use of research equipment and every single piece of data recorded is hugely valuable to further understanding of the wild dog and contributing to efforts to conserve them.

Africa is world-famous for its incredible wildlife, and this project gives volunteers the inimitable opportunity to research one of its most fascinating but also most at threat residents. Volunteers live alongside FGASA qualified guides, constantly learning from these inspiring individuals and sharing experiences from two contrasting cultures. 

Placement length and starting price: From 2-12 weeks, prices start from £1,145 per person

 

 

Scholarships

GVI are always looking for enthusiastic and dedicated people to join their team. Various GVI projects offer qualifying and high-performing volunteers the chance to stay on the project for a longer duration on a GVI Scholarship free of charge and as part of the staff team in the field. Successful scholars may find themselves offered full time employment with GVI. To find out more click here.

 

     

*All projects include the following:

Pre-departure support and discounted services 24-hour emergency phone Airport pick-up (unless otherwise stated) Arrival orientation Long term experienced staff Safe and basic accommodations (usually shared) All meals (unless otherwise stated in field manuals) Welcome meeting Location orientation All necessary project training by experienced staff All necessary project equipment and materials 24-hour in-country support

What's Not Included:

Flights Medical and travel insurance Visa costs Personal kit Additional drinks and gratuities Extra local excursions International and domestic airport taxes

 

NEWS for 2013

Watch this space for further information on exciting news and developments from GVI, including social media developments on Facebook and Twitter.

 

To find out more on volunteering abroad, check out www.gvi.co.uk and join GVI's 100,000 fans on Facebook

 

-ends-

 

For further PR information on GVI please contact Emma Powell, Nicole Lovett or Charlie Fox at Grifco PR on 0207 385 7090 or email Emma@grifcopr.com, Nicole@grifcopr.com and Charlie@grifcopr.com.

 

Notes to Editors:

 

 - Global Vision International (GVI) was formed in 1997 to provide support and services to international charities, NGO's and governmental agencies. Through our international network of over 100 personnel in 13 countries, GVI continues to support many of the most critical conservation and humanitarian projects around the globe.

 - GVI is a non-political, non-religious organisation, which through its alliance with aid-reliant organisations throughout the world provides opportunities to volunteers to fill a critical void in the fields of environmental research, conservation, education and community development. To date over 20,000 volunteers have joined projects resulting in the direct financial support of over UK£2,500,000 / US $4,000,000.