This is a unique gap placement scheme that has been running successfully for over ten years. Volunteers are chosen each year to live and teach in pairs in Ethiopia, spending three months as guests of the local community and teaching English Communication Skills to small groups of secondary school students.
There are generally about sixteen young people in each teaching group, many of whom speak fairly fluent English. Their ages range from 14 to 22 years old and they all attend these extra classes voluntarily.
Unlike many other gap schemes, Gap Ethiopia is run entirely on a non-profit basis and, as a result, provides a highly accessible and affordable experience.
The total cost of the scheme, shown on the insert slip, includes all flights and accommodation expenses. This only leaves the volunteer to meet the cost of food and leisure requirements while in Ethiopia. Food costs are typically only a couple of pounds a day.
Places on this scheme are limited, and there is therefore an ongoing selection process which starts during the first term of Year 13.
Whilst there is no one type of person suitable for this sort of experience, the interviewers will be seeking young people who are positive and friendly in their outlook and who are generally well rounded in their interests and skills. There is no advantage in being a top brain or a top sportsman; reliability and a pleasant character matter most. It also helps that applicants have thought through the situation to some extent and can show a sensitive awareness of how they may handle such an experience. We want both Ethiopia and the volunteers to enjoy each others’ company!
The brief answer is - an unforgettable three-month experience, surrounded by very friendly and welcoming people! In addition, by living with a local family and teaching in a school, volunteers get to experience everyday life in a country that is very different in its culture from the UK. Past volunteers have frequently returned to the towns where they lived and taught.
Living away from home in another country is a challenge for anyone, but it is a challenge that all of our volunteers have really valued and found beneficial. They are given lots of help and advice in advance, they are provided with teaching ideas and materials, and they are given all the necessary knowledge to ensure a satisfying and successful experience. This is made all the easier thanks to the warmth of the Ethiopian welcome which they undoubtedly receive.
All volunteers receive a visit from members of our UK team during their time in Ethiopia, they have the constant guidance of our Ethiopian Country Manager on site, as well as regular email or telephone contact with the UK to support and advise as necessary. And there is always at least one fellow volunteer alongside at all times.
Whilst schools in Ethiopia lack many of the facilities expected in a UK school, the students there attend school no less enthusiastically. Discipline is not a concern because the young people are all keen to learn, and silence in class is almost universal. Much more of a challenge can be the boosting of their confidence so that conversations flow without inhibition. We have had many years of gap teaching experience and this helps volunteers to make a real success of their time in Ethiopia. The more senior Ethiopian students become good and lasting friends.
Interviews take place throughout the year so that volunteers may get on and plan the rest of their gap year without delay. Successful applicants will be offered a place to teach either between mid-September and mid-December, or between mid-February and mid-May in the academic year following their A levels.
If you are interested, you can learn more about the work of Link Ethiopia and about the country itself on this extensive website. If you’ve got any further questions, or would like information on how to apply for this scheme, please email our Director, Chris Grant, at chris@linkethiopia.org.
We look forward to hearing from you!
