Govt to pay for gap years abroad
UK government will pay for some gap years after university
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By Adam Leveridge
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Saturday, 01, Aug 2009 02:45
The government has confirmed that a scheme to encourage out-of-work graduates to go travelling by funding their trips is to be launched next week.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has given the green light to a programme that will be run alongside expedition company Raleigh International for young people to visit far flung reaches of the world.
Under-24s, who are having trouble finding work because of the recent credit crunch, will have their expenses paid in order to undertake projects in less developed areas of countries such as India, Sri Lanka and Costa Rica.
The work will see the graduates building schools and providing other useful commodities such as access to fresh drinking water and building sturdy homes and shelters.
However, the project has been dismissed by some quarters has a 'headline-grabbing initiative' that does not provide the kind of opportunities it seems to represent.
According to Saturday's Times newspaper, applicants must raise a large percentage of the cost themselves while also covering additional expense themselves such as flights and vaccinations.
A typical six-month Raleigh International programme costs around £3,000.