Is a gap year for me?
The transition from school to post-school can be overwhelming, and students may require support in managing this time. There is a lot of pressure on young people to know what they want to do by the time they complete school. This can cause anxiety, stress and feelings of being overwhelmed. It is important to reassure students that it is very normal to be uncertain about what they want to do after school is finished. Encouraging them to take time to contemplate their options during a gap year could be the reassurance they need to alleviate their uncertainties and anxieties during this transition.
Year level
12
Duration
5 minutes
Type
In class activity
Take away activity
Year assembly activity
SEL Competencies
Self-awareness
Self-management
Learning intention
Students will understand how a gap year could assist them by giving them time to consider their options.
Key outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
explain what a gap year is
identify the benefits of taking a gap year.
Materials needed
Access to the ReachOut.com article ‘How a gap year helped me decide what to do with my life’.
Mapped to
Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities
Personal and Social Capability:
Self-awareness
Self-management
Activity 1
Instructions
5 minutes
Explain to students that the transition from school to post-school can be challenging and overwhelming. A gap year could make this transition easier by giving them time to consider their career options.
Ask students to identify their post-school options (e.g. work, university, vocational education and training, apprenticeship or traineeship, volunteering, travel, etc.).
Read to students the ReachOut.com article ‘How a gap year helped me decide what to do with my life’.
Class discussion:
What are the benefits of a gap year?
Does a gap year suit everyone?
What are some things to consider when planning a gap year?
Debrief
Ask students to visualise themselves post-school and to consider the benefits of a gap year for them. It is a personal decision with lots of considerations, so it’s best that students seek advice from, and chat with, their support networks before making a decision.
