Take your gap year at home to tackle social issues
Year Here is the first ever structured, aspirational UK based gap year opportunity
di Staff
Britain is leading a revolution in gap year : the Year Here is a new type of gap year that challenges ambitious and entrepreneurial young people to a year of tackling social issues in their own backyard, rather than to a year volunteering overseas. The programme is the first ever structured, aspirational UK based gap year opportunity.
Year Here is a new organization and the 2013 fellowship will be the first. The organization was initiated at the Young Foundation, a leading centre for social innovation, and was formed in 2012.
In partnership with leading social sector partners such as Citizens UK, Teach First and O2 Think Big, Year Here provides Fellows volunteering experiences at the frontline of Britain’s social sector, a prestigious programme of training, mentoring and work experience with some of the leading organizations of Britain’s social innovation field.
Year Here Fellows build real solutions to some of the toughest problems in society, supporting the most vulnerable people in society. Once they have built relationships with marginalized people, taken a try at developing entrepreneurial solutions to society’s most pressing challenges and begun to develop sophisticated professional skills, fellows go on to lead social change from all parts of society.
There are many ways Fellows can engage: they might be support workers for young homeless people in a centre run by a charity like Centrepoint; help as a care home activities assistant for Care UK; or be a teaching assistant in a school in a tough area, like the Globe Academy.
The mission of Year Here is to bring the energy and creativity of bright youth to bear on society’s most pressing problems. As a matter of fact the UK faces tough social problems, with thousands of older people living lonely and isolated lives and youth unemployment having reached record level.
Year Here’s method is very practical. Year Here is about experiential learning: learning by doing. Fellows spend their time in real work environments, from frontline institutions like care homes and schools to professional placements including start-up social enterprises, national charities and creative businesses.
