Our team of inspiring facilitators guide our students in the development of relevant, practical skills and foster an engaging and supportive environment. The sense of belonging and connection amongst our students and staff is a key factor that fuels the growth and self-discovery of our students. Here are a few additional program details that distinguish us from other educational programs.
One Educator For Every Six Students
In many post-secondary institutions, students will often be in classes with hundreds of their peers and only one professor, resulting in few opportunities for relationship-building and indiviudal support.
At Discover Year, we have one educator for every six students. This ratio helps ensure all students have an engaging and meaningful year by allowing them to form lasting relationships, be vulnerable with one another, and explore their strengths and interests without fear of judgement. Ultimately, this structure helps create a caring, open and inclusive environment in which all students can discover, explore and grow together.
One Day of Dynamic Learning, Six Days of Purposeful Education
Discover Year is unique as it helps students develop practical skills required for success in any field through hands-on, experiencial learning. Every week, students come together for one day of dynamic education in the form of workshops, career panels, small group discussions, and coaching and mentorship.
For the remainder of the week, students then have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they are learning in real-time, through their work terms, travel period, community service project, and ongoing self-reflection.
Opportunity to Save Money
While other gap year programs offer travel and volunteer experiences, and some even offer organized skills training, there is usually a net financial loss for the student or their family over the duration of the year due to high program fees.
At Discover Year, our goal is to make our program as accessible as possible to students of all socioeconomic levels. The financial model for our program has been developed to help students self-fund their gap year and even save money through two work terms from September to February, and from March to June.
Mentorship From More Than 100 Successful Professionals
Our low program fees are made possible through our ability to harness the power of meaningful community service. Our incredible mentors and coaches offer their support on a volunteer basis, and students in the program will have access to over 100 successful professionals from a wide variety of industries and backgrounds.
These mentors will provide important insights into the challenges, rewards and skills required for success in a range of careers and industries.