Year Out Group founder member welcomes 5,000th volunteer

Africa and Asia Venture (AV), a founder member of Year Out Group, arranged its 5,000th volunteer placement earlier this week.

Peter Bell, co-founder of AV, waved goodbye to a group of gap year students heading for Mexico, which included the landmark volunteer among them.

He said all of the 5,000 volunteers will have memories from their experience with AV that they will never forget, while also knowing that they have taken the time and effort to commit to a rural community in the developing world.

One of the gap year specialist's volunteers said that they owed a huge gratitude to the hard work which goes into arranging the projects.

"I personally think this landmark is a fantastic achievement and deserves a big round of applause. I'd like to stick my neck out and say on behalf of the other 4,999 volunteers whose lives you have changed: thank you. Here's to the next 5,000," they added.

In addition to arranging gap years in Mexico, AV sends students abroad for voluntary projects in southern and east Africa, Asia, Costa Rica and Ecuador.

See the different gap year destinations on offer.

( Last Updated: 2010-02-03 15:35:21)