Mind the Gap
What is a ‘Gap Year’? What should I expect? When should I consider taking one? What are some of the “do’s and don’ts”?
These are just some of the questions that Mind the Gap, a Small Talks lecture can help to address. Designed and delivered with over fifteen years of well-travelled experience, Mind the Gap elicits important critical thought for post-school ventures. The talk explores topics linked to PSHE, SMSC and Careers. Key themes within this talk include:
“Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road”
– Jack Kerouac, On the Road.
Volunteering | Responsible Travel | Cultural Awareness | Empathy
The talk
“It’s 2.00am, it’s pitch black and there’s no-one around apart from my friend Kanaeli and a Maasai. We’re trapped halfway up an active volcano in Africa with a lion behind us and 2,000m of steep volcanic rock ahead, leading only to the summit which is a bubbling pit of lava. Between us we have one stick and a tube of toothpaste”
This is not a lateral thinking challenge but where this talk begins…
Mind the Gap engages students in the world of Gap Years and volunteering overseas. Written and spoken from personal accounts of travelling abroad, adventuring and volunteering post-16, this is a thought-provoking, entertaining and highly engaging talk that covers key topics to engage young people in exploring the world outside of their classroom.
Alongside personal anecdotes of volunteering in East Africa, Mind the Gap introduces students to some of the opportunities that volunteering or ‘Gap Year’ travel can provide. The talk is designed to engage students in debate about the role of the volunteer, learning in context and skills-sharing. Students will also broaden their understanding of what being a responsible global citizen can actually mean.
Mind the Gap is available in the following formats. If you are not sure which format may suit you or you would like to find out more details, including how we can tailor a talk to fit your school’s needs, please get in touch.
1 Hour Talk
Duration: 45 Minute talk + 15 minutes Q&As
Number of students: unlimited
Most suitable for: KS4 – KS5
Half Day Programme (includes creative career skills activities)
Duration: half day
Number of students: up to 30
Most suitable for: KS4 – KS5
We use real-life interview tasks undertaken for global companies and mirror scenarios that often occur when working in developing environments with different cultures and norms. Students will uncover their strengths and make considered choices under pressure.
By the end of the workshop students will understand and identify key practices in preparation for interview, in higher education or career.
Our speakers
Mind the Gap is delivered by speakers with who have worked and travelled for pleasure abroad. All speakers have experienced the ‘gap year’, whether it was straight from school and college, or as a mid-career break. From these perspectives we are able to bring your students thought-provoking, engaging and even entertaining introductions and insights to real-world experiences and tips on how to travel responsibly.
Careers education
Each talk has been designed to include the option of adding interview preparation activities for higher-education and careers.
Designed with first-hand experience of conducting and partaking in interviews at graduate and senior levels of industry, Small Talks tasks are engaging, inspiring and offer students the opportunity to explore their own skills set. A half-day Small Talks workshop is ideal for students wishing to improve their interview skills for university or employment.