Graduate skills boosted with Raleigh gap year bursary

Graduates can give themselves an opportunity to develop key skills which will help them find employment by undertaking a gap year placement.

The Raleigh Graduate Bursary Awards, of which there are still over 300 available, assists university leavers from lower income families to undertake a ten-week overseas expedition as part of a gap year.

With placements departing between summer 2010 until spring 2011, graduates could find themselves picking up vital skills by working on projects in Borneo, Costa Rica or India.

Graduates will need to fundraise £1,000 towards the expedition and pay for flights and other vital kit, however, they could take away everlasting memories of working in remote communities and improving the lives of people in them.

Tim Eklund, a 2009 Raleigh Graduate Bursary Award beneficiary, said: "For me, I'm much more flexible now than I was before. I think Raleigh has given me the opportunity to demonstrate skills like leadership, communication and teamwork in different scenarios ... the experience is out of the ordinary."

Another recent Raleigh gap year student, Benita Sabharwal, said that bursary gave her the funding boost which allowed her to do something that she was passionate about, while helping her gain vital experience.

Check out all the difference gap year programs on offer.

( Last Updated: 2010-02-11 14:59:32)