For school leavers considering a gap year

You don’t need your whole future mapped out.Start with what to try next.

Find ways to work, learn and gain experience that fit your interests, budget and starting point.

Find my starting point See what’s inside

Get the Map for R99. Once-off.

The Gap Year Map workbook cover in a black frame: a practical starting point for life after school

There’s more than one reason to take a gap year.

You’re not sure what comes next.

You might want time to explore your interests, understand your options and figure out what feels like a good fit.

You know where you’re heading.

A gap year can help you build experience, strengthen your application and feel more prepared for what’s next.

You’ve changed your mind.

It’s okay. A gap year can give you space to reset, explore new possibilities and make a plan that feels right now.

It’s easier to choose when you’ve tried something.

The Gap Year Map helps you go from ideas to action with simple, practical steps. You’ll explore what interests you, try things out in the real world, and reflect on what you learn along the way.

I think I might like design.

Try
Redesign a confusing poster for a local event or business.
Ask
Talk to a designer about what their work is actually like.
Notice
Do you enjoy the creative process? The problem-solving? How did it feel to get feedback?
Decide
Based on what you’ve learned, do you want to explore this further, try something else, or keep it as a hobby?

From “what now?” to something you can do.

  1. Find your starting point

    Answer a few simple questions about your interests, budget and starting point.

  2. Choose your first moves

    Get tailored ideas and a first-week plan to help you take action.

  3. Try, reflect and adjust

    Put your plan into action, reflect on what you learn, and adjust as you go.

What kind of start would suit you?

These are starting points. You can change your approach.

Eight Gap Year Map workbook pages previewing the introduction, starting point quiz, modes, skills and practical toolkit

Ideas are useful. Knowing how to act on them helps more.

You'll get access to a 44-page planning workbook and a quick quiz to find your starting point. Everything you need to turn "what now?" into a year with real skills, experience and proof to show for it.

Planning workbook
Step-by-step guidance to help you make a plan.
Ideas to explore
A wide range of realistic options, with practical next steps.
Your first-week plan
Turn your ideas into a simple plan for the first week.
Practical scripts
Ready-to-use templates for emails, messages and conversations.
Track your progress
Reflect on what you learn and see how you’re growing.
Tools for when you get stuck
Gentle prompts and practical support to help you move forward.
Get the Map — R99

Your year can include more than one thing.

Work and earn

Get a job, freelance or do short-term work to build experience and save.

Try a short course

Learn something new, in person or online.

Make something

Start a creative project, a small business or something just for you.

Explore a career

Get a feel for different industries and what day-to-day work is like.

Contribute

Volunteer, join a community project or support a cause you care about.

Build independence

Develop practical life skills and confidence for what’s next.

For parents

Something practical to put on the table.

The Gap Year Map can help you and your young person have a more productive conversation about their gap year — including expectations, budget and support — while they make their plan.

Read the parent guide

A few things you might be wondering.

Do I need to have decided on a gap year?

No. You can use the Map to explore what a gap year could look like before you decide. Start with your interests and choose one small thing to try.

What exactly am I buying?

A self-guided toolkit with a 44-page planning workbook, ideas to explore, planning templates and practical scripts, plus an online quiz to find your starting point. Work through it at your own pace.

Do I need a big budget?

No. Your plan can include local work, volunteering, online learning and small projects. Choose activities that fit your budget; the cost of any activities you choose is separate from the Map.

Can parents work through it too?

Yes. Parents can use the Map to support conversations about expectations, budget and practical support, while the young person takes ownership of their plan.

Is there a subscription?

No. The Gap Year Map is a once-off R99 payment. Yours to keep.

Start with one useful next step.

Explore your options, choose something to try and begin building a year that works for you.

Get the Gap Year Map — R99

Once-off payment. Yours to keep.

Find your starting mode