The Village has released a second instalment of their Matriculant Guide, this time focussing on the concept of taking a gap year.
South Africa (13 November 2023) – Following on from The Village’s useful guide to help people matriculants looking for opportunities after school, the team have now created a guide for Grades 10, 11 and Matrics to find guidance in life post-matric and what gap year options are available.
There is a South African Facebook group made up of over 50,000 people who discuss family, parenting and so much more; it is a safe space for many. The group thrives because it values kindness above all else! It is called The Village because it takes one to raise a child.
Founder Vanessa Raphaely along with the Village team and a few external contributors, made up a useful “digi-zine” to help matrics and students heading that way, find their footing after school is over.
Trying to navigate after-school studies, which universities to apply to and what options are out there can feel overwhelming, especially if those options are not options for right after school. This guide will help teens figure it out, or at least get a better idea of what is next.
“It’s that time of year, when universities have sent provisional acceptances, or not. Our matrics are writing their final exams. And the whole family is walking around on eggshells (well, we would be if we had any eggs!)
Yes, there are many kids who know what they want to do. And who have already planned their next four years in detail. But the reality is that they are the exception. Most of our kids really truly don’t know what they want to do with the rest of their lives. And, for many of them, the thought of jumping straight back into another year/s of studying scares them half to death.
The good news is that there is another option. A gap year. Whether it’s working in a local cafe, or on the ski slopes in Vermont; teaching kids to speak English in Thailand, au pairing in America or helping your neighbour with lifts to and from school to earn a little cash and a lot of independence, the options for taking a gap year are as wide and varied as your imagination – and budget – allow.
If your child is considering a gap year, but you’re not sure which direction he/she should take, take a look at The Gap Year Guide, a free digital publication brought to you by The Village, South Africa’s most supportive – and informative – parenting platform.”
You can find the guide here.
You can find the guide for Matriculants looking to study further after school here. Or if you are interested in a guide on setting up a side hustle or reentering the workforce, this one is for you.
What is The Village?
The Village is an online community aimed at parents of tweens, teens and young adults, founded and managed by Vanessa Raphaely. Having raised three children herself, all while running a successful career, Vanessa is no stranger to the old adage that ‘It takes a Village to raise a child’. She has also watched in dismay as South Africa, in particular, has lost this sense of community as families retreat further and further behind their high walls and into their own small circles. Most especially during the COVID-19 lockdown years.
With a small inkling that she could recreate this sense of community in cyberspace, she launched The Village in 2017 – with some very strict rules, the most stringent of which is one simple rule we should all abide by in life: Just Be Kind. The result is an online community of over 50,000 parents, from all walks of life, who are supportive, non-judgemental, kind, and giving.
The content in The Village is primarily user-generated, which is to say it is created by members, posting their questions, advice, comments and thoughts on parenting in the modern age. From help and support surrounding teenage mental health to practical solutions for parents looking for alternative solutions for their neurodiverse kids, from subject choices to career guidance, and from skincare to real advice about sex, drugs and rock n roll from parents who have been there, and done that.
The entire group is expertly curated by Vanessa and a small group of trusted admins, to ensure that it remains a safe and respectful environment for its Village members.
To join The Village, click here https://www.facebook.com/groups/1718861155110611/