Plan My Gap Year (PMGY) Reviews 

Was amazing. Great experience. Loved everything about it! Ash and the team were amazing and really went the extra mile

It was a really good opportunity to teach the local children and monks.

I visited Sri Lanka through plan my gap year and completed the childcare volunteering. It was an amazing experience, the staff were very excellent and were always there for any supporter needed as they live at the house. The house itself was very big and spacious with the rooms being very clean. Plan my gap year made my experience one to remember. Definitely recommend if you haven’t done any solo travelling before and want to gain more confidence.

We had the most amazing experience with PMGY in Vietnam. The entire team were really helpful when it came to booking tickets and filling out the necessary forms and documents. I felt supported through the process, and the intermittent emails checking in and ensuring we were ready for travel were very reassuring, especially considering this was my first time travelling with friends. The actual experience itself was also amazing, and the staff in Vietnam (Volunteers for Peace) were also really friendly and supportive, and made the experience unforgettable. I’d definitely recommend this to everyone!

I thoroughly enjoyed volunteering with the Hope Agency. I was there for only two weeks, I wish it was longer. I had two of my own classes, and a third which I ran with another volunteer. The classes had 15 students in one and 3 in the other. The students were all so lovely and well behaved and even though I didn’t know any Khmer at the start of my trip it was easy to teach using different techniques as guided by Jason and Kendob. If you are enthusiastic and happy to dive in you will fit in very well. Jason was happy to support us volunteers at anytime of the day with any queries.

The location of the school is very rural so if you want to immerse yourself in village life then it is perfect for you!

I am missing it already!

Thank you PMYG

Really good experience. Got to experience Vietnamese culture, meet amazing people from all over the world and learn from top doctors!

The most amazing people in the Vietnam program house, I've never felt more welcome in a home so quickly.

I went to Cusco, Peru, on the Language and Cultural Immersion Programme. As there was no one else at my Spanish level, I had four hours of private Spanish lessons from Monday to Friday. This had its pros and cons. My lessons were tailored to my needs, I could work at my own pace, and my teacher really pushed me to improve my speaking skills. However, concentrating for four hours of one-to-one lessons could be tiring, and it also meant I had fewer opportunities to meet other people on the project.
I had a good amount of free time to explore, and booking my Machu Picchu trip through the project was a real highlight. It was well organised and communication was excellent throughout. I also stayed with a Peruvian host family, which was one of my favourite parts of the experience. They were incredibly caring and welcoming, and living with them encouraged me to speak more Spanish in everyday situations. I also loved trying their homemade Peruvian food.
My advice to future volunteers would be to make the most of every opportunity to practise Spanish, even if you make mistakes, and to get involved in activities and trips outside the programme. Overall, it was a great experience in a beautiful part of the country

I spent 3 weeks in Tanzania doing medical volunteering, and I had the most incredible time. I found everything to be so organised which helped me to settle in so fast, and made incredible friends for life.

I enjoyed the snorkelling the most with all the scenery and different fish. Busting all of the different areas of Bali was amazing seeing tourist and none tourist areas. All of the staff were amazing and answered all questions!

This an amazing and unique experience, I met so many lovely people and made so many memories in such a short time. The people who worked there made our day tasks so much fun, and I'll miss all of them. The workload was not too much but we still saw the kind of work that needs to be done to help Bali's wildlife. The accommodation helped socialising and was very comfortable for all of us. I would definitely recommend this to anybody who wants to step out of their comfort zone and discover something new.

Volunteering with PMGY over summer was the best experience!

I signed up for the medical volunteers programme in Vietnam and I had the best time. I was introduced to the Vietnamese health care system through one of the most prominent hospitals in Vietnam- Viet Duc University Hospital. The experience I had here was like no other. To make my experience run smoothly, I was paired with a doctor who was able to translate ward rounds and explain patient's conditions to me in English. This was really beneficial, as it meant that I could make the most of my placement. I was placed in the ICU ward and learnt a lot about different conditions and how healthcare differs in Vietnam compared to what I am used to in the UK. I had the opportunity to observe medical procedures and learn more about internal medicine and surgery.

The local VPV team were great! I was given a detailed induction session to ease me into the programme with the other medical volunteers. The team also organised a neighbourhood tour, where I was able to see key facilities that I would need during my time in Vietnam, such as the bank, pharmacy, laundrette etc. I was also taken on a city tour, where we explored Hanoi and the history of the country. PMGY also offers excursions that you can book on your days off (Friday - Sunday). I booked a Ha Long Bay excursion through them and had the best time!

This experience was absolutely incredible and I have no regrets at all!

Had a great time volunteering in Sri Lanka! Met amazing people and enjoyed how organised the activities where!

The team was so helpful and accommodating during our stay and we always knew where to go whenever we needed help.

I spent time in Zanzibar with Plan My Gap Year for a midwifery placement, and this volunteering experience gave me so much more than I ever expected.

The midwifery placement itself was incredibly valuable. Working in a hospital in a developing country exposed me to a completely different healthcare environment and gave me opportunities to learn and practise things that I may have had to wait much longer for in the UK. It was challenging at times, particularly seeing the limitations in resources, infection prevention, privacy and support available to women, but it was also incredibly rewarding. I was able to support local midwives, work alongside doctors and medical students, teach and share knowledge, and gain experience that I will carry with me throughout my career.

What made the whole experience even better was everything that happened outside the placement. Plan My Gap Year organised so much more than I expected — including a Stone Town tour, Swahili lessons, a cooking class, bonfire night, karaoke, games nights and plenty of opportunities to meet people and experience Zanzibar beyond the hospital.

The accommodation was great, I opted for a private room and it came with my own bathroom and a comfy double bed with a mosquito net. Breakfast and dinner cooked by the local mammas was amazing, and both the PMGY team and my housemates were incredibly welcoming. Having 24/7 support from the team also made a huge difference, particularly when travelling around the island and living somewhere completely unfamiliar.

In my spare time, I got to travel around the island, exploring many stunning beaches (including Paje, Kendwa, Nungwi and Nakupenda), discovering the culture, the wildlife and local food of Zanzibar and these experiences created some of my favourite memories ever, including seeing starfish and urchins in the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean!

The best part of my experience with PMGY, however, was the people I met, including the PMGY team members, always smiling, helpful and welcoming, fellow housemates volunteering at different projects who quickly became friends to share adventures with and the people of Zanzibar who always welcomed us with a friendly hakuna matata no matter where we went.

I arrived in Zanzibar expecting a valuable midwifery placement, but I left with friendships, memories, confidence, cultural experiences and lessons that went far beyond what I had anticipated.

I would absolutely do it again in a heartbeat and would highly recommend Plan My Gap Year to anyone considering a similar experience. ❤️

Always open to more volunteer work in the afternoons. Translators are really helpful when teaching to younger/ less developed pupils in the English class. Overall such a great experience I’ll remember forever.

The staff are so kind in the house in Sri Lanka and will help with all extra requirements such as arranging transport for airport, weekend trips etc and always ensure we felt safe.

The accommodation was clean and food was always available. Lots of activities and chances to socialise with the other volunteers from all programmes.

We attended the midwifery programme and attended maternity and general wards. The staff at the hospitals are so welcoming allowing us to see the difference in their hospital and culture.

Such an amazing experience, would recommend to anyone! I did the 4 week healthcare elective in Vietnam, Hanoi and it was so fun, the whole programme was very well supported by the staff and I met such great people.

The people that organize everything once you’re there really helps to accommodate.
I really like the smoothness of it all.
The staff was amazing.

The whole experience with PMGY was easy and stress free. The team were helpful every step of the way and I felt supported through the entire programme. I did the Medical Volunteers programme in Vietnam for 3 weeks. This involved shadowing top professionals at Viet Duc University Hospital throughout the week from Monday through Thursday, while the weekend was free to explore Hanoi or take day trips through Vietnam, like Ninh Binh and Sapa. It was eye opening to see how different the practices are overseas, and it was really helpful having the support of the local medical programme coordinator throughout the project.
Living at the volunteer house is also a unique experience, I will always cherish the incredible memories and the lifelong friends I have made on this opportunity.
My tip to future volunteers would be to make the most of this experience and keep an open mind approaching this opportunity.