Does the idea of going straight from secondary school to university bring you out in a cold sweat? Or are you at a bit of a loss as to what you actually want to study at university? In these instances, it is an excellent idea to sign up for a gap year project and broaden your horizons. India offers gap students loads of different projects that are focused on making a difference through social or conservation projects.

Projects in the South

India is a massive country and there are conservation projects for gap year students that are available all over; from Goa in the south to the Himalayan region in the north. Cotiago Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Goa in the south of India and offers you the chance to meet some of India’s most endangered animals. Programs offered here run between four and eight weeks and you will be engaged in collecting data, research and practical hands on care of the animals too. There are a variety of tasks that you can assist with, from helping bottle feed orphaned baby animals to guiding tourists visiting on responsible tourism campaigns. In your time off, you are conveniently close to the world famous white sandy beaches of Goa.

At the foot of the Western Ghat Mountains there are several conservation projects that include tree planting and teaching locals how to use sustainable farming practices. For thousands of years farmers have populated the fertile and bio-diverse region around the mountains and have had little impact on the environment, but in recent years, population explosions have led to increased environmental damage. Your assistance can help to stop the destruction and rebuild the ravaged flora and flora of the region.

International Organisation Involvement

The World Wildlife Fund is heavily involved in conservation in India; they run many projects in tandem with gap year organisations. Some of the projects they are involved with include model farms to teach sustainable farming practices to local villagers, and protection campaigns for the highly endangered Bengal tiger. Karnataka National Park offers a fascinating project where you work with the park rangers to repair anti-poaching infrastructure in place. This is an essential service whereby your elbow grease will be providing the facilities needed to protect endangered species in the region from poaching.

Conservation VS Social Projects

You can often divide your time on gap year projects between assisting with environmental and wildlife conservation and helping out with different social projects. By combining your time between conservation and social projects you can ensure that your efforts make the maximum impact and you get the broadest experience available during your time in the country. India remains a very poor project, where there is a large proportion of the country that live in abject poverty with few opportunities for a better future. There are many different projects throughout the country where you can assist with health care at local hospitals and clinics, volunteer at local schools teaching underprivileged children, or help out at local orphanages.

Gap year projects in India are an overwhelmingly positive experience for people who want to give something back and help those less fortunate, or reduce the environmental impact of human habitation around the world.

Author Bio: Mark Bottell is the General Manager for Worldwide Experience, an online tour operator offering extended breaks on gap year and other

Category: Travel
Keywords: gap year