Membership Enquiries

Why join Year Out Group?

1. Year Out Group (YOG) is a gap year provider network with a great reputation. We have been operating since 2000.

2. YOG keeps Fully Approved Provider members up to date with changes in legislation that will impact on their activities.

3. Fully Approved Provider members meet twice a year to network, listen to industry speakers and to consider issues that might impact on their businesses.

4. The press and media approach us regularly for information and comment on gap years. We feature in the broadsheets, radio and TV.

5. Members are able to contact Year Out Group for help and advice or simply to talk through an issues they are working on.

6. YOG has an independent arbitration service through which members can settle disputes with clients.

7. Our website is well established and attracts future participants from all over the world,  mostly in the 18-30yrs age group and from the UK & USA.

8. We only promote programmes run by our members because we know they have met our selection criteria and are committed to our upholding our charter and code of practice.

9. Advisors and parents use Year Out Group to  recommend gap year providers to students.

9. We are well known amongst schools, universities and careers advisors as an organisation that provides comprehensive & impartial advice to students and parents. They often ask us or our members to give talks or webinars about the benefits of gap years and how to plan for them.

Membership Categories

Fully Approved Provider members meet all the requirements listed and have access to all the benefits mentioned above. They will have priority for any requests by the public and press and have opportunities to network, collaborate with other Fully Approved Provider members. They will also receive updates on industry news, insights and be invited to attend speaker events from industry professionals.

Verified Providers need to meet the same standards as Fully Approved Providers. They are able to promote themselves on our website but are not part of our networking group and therefore do not have access to our professional development resources. They might have to comply with standards set by other professional bodies.

Aspiring members do not yet meet the conditions of membership, usually because they have only recently begun trading. However they have provided evidence that they are legitimate businesses and committed to meeting our standards. Their owners have been interviewed as part of our screening process and YOG feels they demonstrate the motivation and competence to give them every chance of creating successful businesses and great experiences for the public.

Year Out Group will be working with these business with a view to them attaining full membership in the future. Please remember to use our questions to ask organisations check list with them or indeed any organisation whether they are a member or not.

Associate members provide travel services and have submitted evidence to prove they are legitimate companies but they are not required to meet the conditions we expect of Full members. Any programs or services they sell or recommend are therefore NOT vetted or approved by Year Out Group. They are not a ‘provider’ of programs but may offer related services or products.

As with all our full members, Year Out Group cannot provide any guarantee of organisation particulars. See Disclaimer