Gap Year with Purpose: 10 Months of Training, Travel & Impact in Southern Africa and the Caribbeans

Overview: Planet Aid and Richmond Vale Academy (RVA) are looking for motivated young people who want to do something meaningful with their year. The People 2 People Volunteer Program is a 10-month adventure where you’ll learn, travel, and make a real impact in communities across the Caribbean and Africa. You’ll train alongside other volunteers your age, gain hands-on experience, and work directly with local communities on projects that tackle major global challenges like poverty, inequality, climate change, and sustainable agriculture. If you’re passionate about the world and ready to grow, this program gives you the chance to become a confident, empowered change-maker while experiencing life in a completely new way.

Qualifications:

• 18+ years old
• Passionate about change: Ideal for individuals eager to contribute to global development, including poverty alleviation, gender equality, sustainable agriculture, and climate action.
• Open to learning: Willingness to develop new skills, embrace diverse cultures, and navigate challenging environments.
• Flexible and resilient: Ability to adapt to various circumstances and work within a diverse, international team.
• No specific background required: Open to individuals from all fields who care deeply about global issues and community development.

Program Structure:

Phase 1: Training (3 Months)

Kick off your journey in St. Vincent & the Grenadines with three months of hands-on learning. You’ll explore global issues like climate change, inequality, and cultural dynamics in. Expect team building, community living, practical workshops, and real skills you’ll use in the field and for life.

Phase 2: Project Work (6 Months)

For six months, you’ll live and work in your project country — Malawi or Zambia —the real impact is when you put your training into action. You’ll be helping with long-term community projects in areas like education, health, sustainable farming, and climate resilience. You’ll gain leadership experience, build strong relationships, and get a true understanding of what life and teamwork looks like in another part of the world.

Phase 3: Reflection & Wrap-Up (1 Month)

Your final month is all about looking back at what you’ve accomplished — personally and within the community. You’ll reflect on your growth, the friendships you’ve built, and the impact of your work. This phase helps you reconnect with home life and think about how to apply everything you’ve learned to your future goals.

Program Start Dates: April and October

Click the link below for more information!

People to People Volunteer Program | Planet Aid

Key Responsibilities:

Community Engagement

Work with local communities (not just for them) to understand what they need and help build real, sustainable solutions. You’ll be part of locally led projects in health, education, climate action, and more.

Project Implementation

Get ready to be hands-on. You might help run workshops, support small development projects, or teach skills like sustainable farming, teamwork, or leadership. It’s real work with real impact — no busywork or sitting on the sidelines.

Cultural Exchange

One of the best parts: building relationships. You’ll connect with community members, swap stories, share knowledge, and experience new perspectives that stay with you long after the program ends.

Support & Learning

You won’t be doing this alone. Throughout the program, you’ll have guidance from RVA instructors, mentors, and other volunteers your age. Training is structured, supportive, and designed to help you grow every step of the way.

Reflection & Growth

You’ll take time to reflect on what you learned, how you’ve grown, and the impact your group created. Through discussions, feedback sessions, and team reflection, you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of yourself and the world.

Behavioral Expectations:

During this 10-month gap-year experience, we want everyone to have a safe, focused, and genuinely meaningful time. To make that possible, the program follows a strict no-drugs, no-marijuana, and no-alcohol policy for the entire duration.

Because you’ll be living, learning, and working closely with your team and local communities, staying sober helps keep everyone safe and ensures you can fully participate in daily training, travel, and project work. It also shows respect to the people and cultures you’ll be partnering with.

This policy is an important part of building a positive, supportive environment where you and your group can grow, stay healthy, and make the most out of your gap-year experience.

Note: Volunteers must be committed to the full 10-month program and have the flexibility to travel and adapt to new cultural environments.