Project Trust
Encyclopedia
Project Trust is one of the longest established Gap Year
organizations in the UK. It is based at The Hebridean Centre on the island of Coll
off the West coast of Scotland
where prospective and returning volunteers are required to attend residential selection, training and de-briefing weeks intended for suitability, preparation and dealing with culture shock.
experiences. Project Trust attracts a range of school leavers mostly from the UK, but also from Ireland
, the Netherlands
and other Western European countries. It sends them to over 100 projects around the globe. There are projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America including Guyana
, China
, Japan
, Botswana
amongst many others.
It is a small educational charity, which offers a full year overseas compared to the more common six months other gap year companies offer. This is potentially more expensive as it denies the participants the ability to work before leaving, however, all of the projects involve paid work so participants can live relatively cheaply once there. Project Trust claims that volunteers do not take away from the local job market and their volunteers immerse themselves within the local community.
. The first is based on the Northern Island of Hokkaidō
, in the town of Toyako at Lake Toya
. Two volunteers work for the Toya Board of Education doing a variety of jobs. These include working at Elementary schools, Toya High school, the local nurserys, volunteering at the local Hospital (no longer as of sept 2010) as well as taking an adult evening class. Being a slightly isolated location, it tends to require volunteers who are independent, capable and awesome. There are five months of snow offering opportunities to ski or snowboard at resorts such as Niseko and Rusutsu.
The second project is based in Tokyo, working at Junten Junior High School. It offers volunteers a variety of opportunities to be involved in Japanese culture.
The final project is based in Kyoto, working and living in a Buddhist community.
, spanning from The North on the borders with Laos and Myanmar, to the North-east area of Issan. A number of the projects in Issan are located around Ubon Ratchathani. Det Udom, Srisaket, and Lerng Nokta are several of these and are all English Teaching Projects.
All projects are English Teaching projects spanning from primary to higher secondary level students. It is generally of a TEFL level of educating. The projects in the central plains are in the towns of Tak, Tharua, Nakon Sawan and Uthai Thani. Tharua is the longest running project in Thailand, about to begin its 19th year with volunteers.
The projects are usually set up by either the schools themselves or the local Thesaban
(municipalities). Thesaban project volunteers usually work in several of the schools in the area, ranging from primary, monks and secondary. Privately set up projects are exclusive to one school. These are usually Technical Colleges where the level of English is usually quite low and the standard of teachers is lower also as English is not seen as important as other schools may regard it. Many volunteers end up doing secondary projects in their surrounding area as the interest of having a Foreign teacher is high by other schools and are usually invited to do some extra work.
Gap year
An expression or phrase that is associated with taking time out to travel in between life stages. It is also known as sabbatical, time off and time out that refers to a period of time in which students disengage from curricular education and undertake non curricular activities, such as travel or...
organizations in the UK. It is based at The Hebridean Centre on the island of Coll
Coll
Coll is a small island, west of Mull in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Coll is known for its sandy beaches, which rise to form large sand dunes, for its corncrakes, and for Breachacha Castle.-Geography and geology:...
off the West coast of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
where prospective and returning volunteers are required to attend residential selection, training and de-briefing weeks intended for suitability, preparation and dealing with culture shock.
History
Founded in 1967 it has provided almost 6000 volunteer students with various Gap YearGap year
An expression or phrase that is associated with taking time out to travel in between life stages. It is also known as sabbatical, time off and time out that refers to a period of time in which students disengage from curricular education and undertake non curricular activities, such as travel or...
experiences. Project Trust attracts a range of school leavers mostly from the UK, but also from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and other Western European countries. It sends them to over 100 projects around the globe. There are projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America including Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
amongst many others.
It is a small educational charity, which offers a full year overseas compared to the more common six months other gap year companies offer. This is potentially more expensive as it denies the participants the ability to work before leaving, however, all of the projects involve paid work so participants can live relatively cheaply once there. Project Trust claims that volunteers do not take away from the local job market and their volunteers immerse themselves within the local community.
Japan
There are three projects available in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The first is based on the Northern Island of Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, in the town of Toyako at Lake Toya
Lake Toya
is a volcanic caldera lake in Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Abuta District, Hokkaidō, Japan. The stratovolcano of Mount Usu lies on the southern rim of the caldera. The lake is nearly circular, being 10 kilometers in diameter from east-west and 9 kilometers from North-South. The lakes biggest town,...
. Two volunteers work for the Toya Board of Education doing a variety of jobs. These include working at Elementary schools, Toya High school, the local nurserys, volunteering at the local Hospital (no longer as of sept 2010) as well as taking an adult evening class. Being a slightly isolated location, it tends to require volunteers who are independent, capable and awesome. There are five months of snow offering opportunities to ski or snowboard at resorts such as Niseko and Rusutsu.
The second project is based in Tokyo, working at Junten Junior High School. It offers volunteers a variety of opportunities to be involved in Japanese culture.
The final project is based in Kyoto, working and living in a Buddhist community.
Thailand
There are Currently 10 projects in ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, spanning from The North on the borders with Laos and Myanmar, to the North-east area of Issan. A number of the projects in Issan are located around Ubon Ratchathani. Det Udom, Srisaket, and Lerng Nokta are several of these and are all English Teaching Projects.
All projects are English Teaching projects spanning from primary to higher secondary level students. It is generally of a TEFL level of educating. The projects in the central plains are in the towns of Tak, Tharua, Nakon Sawan and Uthai Thani. Tharua is the longest running project in Thailand, about to begin its 19th year with volunteers.
The projects are usually set up by either the schools themselves or the local Thesaban
Thesaban
Thesaban are the municipalities in Thailand. There are three levels of municipalities - city, town and subdistrict municipality. Both Bangkok and Pattaya are special municipal entities outside the thesaban system....
(municipalities). Thesaban project volunteers usually work in several of the schools in the area, ranging from primary, monks and secondary. Privately set up projects are exclusive to one school. These are usually Technical Colleges where the level of English is usually quite low and the standard of teachers is lower also as English is not seen as important as other schools may regard it. Many volunteers end up doing secondary projects in their surrounding area as the interest of having a Foreign teacher is high by other schools and are usually invited to do some extra work.