There are so many choices and options for a gap year! You can:
Travel
Volunteer
Upgrade courses (ILC, Adult HS, on-line private schools)
Work
Participate in a structured gap-year program
Where do I find opportunities?
There are many companies that provide opportunities for your gap year and can help you plan.
Check out some of these websites:
Gapwork.com - The Gap Year Jobs and Volunteering Site
CUSO International - Volunteer work tackling poverty and inequality
Lattitude - Global Volunteering
Canadian Gap Year Association - Planning a purposeful gap year
WUSC/EUMC - Youth-centred solutions for poverty and inequality around the world
Government of Canada - Working abroad
Go International - Work, Volunteer and Travel around the world
Discovery Year - One year career and life-skills program
mei International Academy - High School study abroad (full year / semester / terms)
Concerns about your child taking a gap year? The information below is taken directly from CanGap where they address some of those fears...
#1 - I am scared that their gap year will be a waste of time – that they will not make the most of it.
It’s true, they may think they want to spend their year on the couch but that gets old quickly! You can be proactive too! Spend some time as a family setting some goals and making a plan for your gap year. If you haven’t already, you can check out the Gap Year Planning Toolkit. And if they can’t travel or work, what the heck will they be doing? Did you know that most gappers travel for less than a month and some not at all? A gap year is usually a combination of working, volunteering locally, taking some interest courses with a bit of travel sprinkled in. With some intention and planning, there are still hundreds of things that they can do on their gap year that will be meaningful and exciting. We can help here - Read on.
#2 - If they take a gap year, they may never go back to school OR they will forget how to study.
81% of students who take time off return back to post-secondary. Now before you think that your kid is in the 19% who won’t return – did you know that the number of students who drop out of university in the first year is about the same percentage?!?! (I suspect that number might be even higher with remote learning in place - that style is not for everyone). If your kid is destined for University, they will make it, whether or not they take a gap year. They can also defer their acceptance and then they have a guaranteed spot for next year.
#3 - I don’t think my kid is ready for an unstructured year – they struggle to get motivated already or they are really struggling with their mental health.
If this sounds like your kid, why would you send them into an online/hybrid university experience without these skills?! A gap year is a great way to build up those life skills like independence, confidence, cooking, budgeting, decision-making, etc. Your gap year will look different from what is happening right now because of the shift from a reaction to canceled school to proactive planning of activities that interest THEM.
#4 - I don’t know how to plan a good gap year – I barely know what a gap year is.
The university pathway is familiar and more structured. This is hard, you’re not a guidance counselor. But you do have some great resources at your fingertips. You can access the resources on our website and get your questions answered and learn what other resources are out there.
PS. Have you found our podcast yet? The Gap Year Podcast is recorded with families in mind – providing you with information, interviews with folks who have been in your shoes, and experts weighing in on all things gap year.
Katimavik began operating in 1977 and is one of Canada’s premier youth development organizations! Since its inception, it has helped over 37 000 youth make a difference and become change makers. Programs are guided by a simple principle: to empower youth by helping them make meaningful, lifelong connections. They believe that experience is empowerment, that meeting people is the best way to vanquish ignorance, and that youth can do anything!
Katimavik is excited about big news! Their flagship program, the National Experience, is expanding, and they are launching a totally new opportunity: Future Perfect. Youth that are looking to make a difference, are unsure of their path in life, or need a career jump-start, these are the programs for you!
Katimavik’s National Experience is a fully-funded, and fully-immersive 5.5 month program. The program brings together 11 young, diverse adults who share and manage a Katimavik house while living and volunteering in two different communities. All expenses related to participation in the program are covered, including transportation to and from the communities, group activities, housing, and meals. Katimavik is funded by the Government of Canada through its Canada Service Corps initiative. The program is open to youth aged 17 to 25.
Future Perfect by Katimavik is a new program which supports youth at the start of their careers. Not an internship or volunteer position, Future Perfect sets youth from across the country up with real employers in host communities for 3 months of fully funded, fully supported work. This means that Katimavik will cover living expenses for the duration of the program. Applicants are asked to submit their CV and work experience and, using this information, Katimavik will then pair applicants with an employer in one of the host communities. Youth are supported by a Job Developer, and will not only gain valuable job experience, but also learn valuable career and employment-based skills. Job locations are currently in Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Quebec, but youth from across the country are invited to apply and Katimavik will organize their travel and housing. The program is open to youth aged 19 to 30.
For more information or to apply, click here.
Discover Year
We're thrilled by the student applications we received during our first round of admissions! While the first-round deadline has now passed, there's still time to apply for Discover Year 2025-2026!
Submit your application through our website by 11:59pm on June 1st, 2025.