A leading charity has today (August 14th) championed the value of taking a gap year and travelling around the world.
Lattitude Global Volunteering specialises in volunteering work for people aged between 17 and 25, and specialises in the type of placements that are now a regular fixture in gap year plans.
Spokesman Ben Clifton explained that taking a year out is an excellent opportunity to recharge the batteries after the deluge of school or university exams and to prepare for a life in employment.
He said: "It gives young people an opportunity to get out and do something a bit different when they finish school.
"If you go into work you are going to be there for the best part of 40 years on average so it's a perfect opportunity, once you have finished at school and you've done all your exams, to actually take a bit of time out and do something worthwhile and experience something really different before starting on your university or your employment career."
Lattituide has also issued its five top tips for people about to head off on their travels, namely doing background research, thinking ahead, budgeting carefully, going for it and getting stuck in, and safety - not least by securing backpacker travel insurance.
