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Benefits of a Gap Year
Taking a gap year after high school can be a transformative experience that offers numerous advantages. It provides an opportunity for personal growth, cultural immersion, and skill development through travel, volunteering, or work experiences. A gap year allows you to step back, explore your passions, and gain clarity about your future goals before committing to higher education or a specific career path.
Gap Year Programs & Opportunities
Taking a year off prior to continuing your post-secondary studies is commonly referred to as a gap year. Whether you need to save up for post-secondary education, you just aren’t sure what you want to study after high school, or you want to explore the world outside of school, there are many different ways you can spend your gap year. Most gap year opportunities allow you to figure out exactly what you want from your post-secondary education while also being productive.
Gap Year Resources
The Canadian Gap Year Association (CanGap) is a registered non-profit organization with a mission to support young people looking to take an intentional step off the conveyor belt of life to explore and experience ‘the real world’ according to their talents, goals and interests. They support gappers and their families through one-on-one coaching, a year-long certification program and free resources.
If you are considering taking a gap year but aren’t quite sure if it is the right decision for you, take this quiz and CanGap will help you decide and provide you with some additional resources to help you out!
Workaway builds a shared community of global travellers who genuinely want to see the world whilst contributing and giving back to the places they visit.
Canada Roots Exchange (CRE) is a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth who believe that in order to bridge the gap between Canada’s peoples and work towards reconciliation, we need to become educated and aware of the teachings, triumphs, and daily realities of Indigenous communities. Get involved during your Gap Year!
Katimavik is a Canadian non-profit dedicated to youth development. With a variety of programs to choose from, including National Experience and FuturePerfect, you can gain essential skills, engage in your community and take part in enriching travel experiences that promote diversity and the exchange of languages and cultures.
Discover Year is a one-year life and career skills program that helps young people better understand what they want in life and build the skills they need to get it. High school graduates aged 17-21 will participate in work, travel and volunteer experiences with coaching and mentorship. Completing the program will earn you a Double Certificate in Career & Leadership Skills.
Volunteering
While all high school students are required to complete 40 volunteer hours in order to graduate, volunteering has lots of positive benefits, acting as a great option for creating a meaningful and worthwhile gap year.
Explore Volunteering HERE
Build Skills
From participating in STEM and arts programs, to learning a new language, there are plenty of new skills you can learn to boost your employability, add experiences to a resumé or just figure out what excites you.
Discover your next great passion or learn more about an existing area of interest HERE
What do Real Students Say?
Hear first-hand from a Waterdown District High School graduate about what she found valuable about taking a gap year.
