Rated #1 Volunteer Travel Organisation on TrustPilot
At Plan My Gap Year (PMGY), we’re passionate about creating life-changing opportunities for anyone looking to explore the world, make a real difference, and build unforgettable memories. With over 10 years of experience, PMGY is proud to be recognised as the global leader in affordable and trustworthy volunteer programs, offering hosted experiences lasting from 1 to 40 weeks.
Our programs are designed to be safe, structured, and social, providing the perfect balance of meaningful volunteering, cultural immersion, and travel. With low, transparent fees, we make volunteering abroad accessible to everyone, ensuring you can make a difference without breaking the bank.
At PMGY, you’ll have the support of dedicated teams in the UK and across our host destinations, offering round-the-clock assistance throughout your journey. Whether you’re a first-time traveller or a seasoned globetrotter, our programs create the ideal platform to meet like-minded people and engage in impactful volunteer work.
We also ensure a vibrant social element to every program! Get in touch with fellow volunteers via Facebook before you set off and arrive knowing you’re part of a global community. With participants joining our programs all year round, you’ll never feel alone — even if you’re travelling solo.
Our mission is to make volunteering abroad an exciting, accessible, and affordable experience for passionate travellers from all walks of life. We are dedicated to delivering the essentials of a volunteer program: safety, structure, and an unforgettable social experience.
We believe in complete transparency with our fees, so you’ll always know exactly how much of your contribution directly supports the local community.
At PMGY, we are proud to offer some of the most affordable volunteer opportunities out there! Unlike other organisations that rely on glossy brochures, expensive high-street offices, or large corporate structures, we’ve embraced a modern, streamlined approach. By focusing on an online presence and cutting out unnecessary overheads, we can keep our costs low while still providing an exceptional experience.
We are proudly independent and free from external financial interests. What sets us apart even further is our dedication to quality — just take a look at our reviews. They highlight our outstanding support service and the structured programs we’re renowned for.
Join us, and let’s make your volunteer journey a truly life-changing adventure!
Your safety is our absolute top priority. While no experience can ever be 100% free of challenges, we’ve gone above and beyond to ensure our programs are as safe and secure as possible.
Every program offered by PMGY has been personally inspected, experienced, and handpicked by our team. We’ve stayed in the accommodations, joined the orientations, and worked on the volunteer projects ourselves. Through regular visits and daily communication, we’ve built strong, trusting relationships with our incredible local staff.
In the unlikely event that something does happen, rest assured that you’ll have multiple layers of support at your fingertips:
• Local Team
• Project Staff
• PMGY International Team
Our local teams are seasoned experts with years of experience hosting international volunteers. They are PMGY’s trusted representatives on the ground and are available to assist participants 24/7 throughout your stay. Plus, our 24-hour International Emergency Line is always just a call away, giving you peace of mind wherever you are.
PMGY is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion across all aspects of our programmes. We believe that volunteering should be accessible to people from every background, and we actively strive to create opportunities that welcome and celebrate differences in race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, ability, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.
We ensure that our partnerships, projects, and host communities are approached with respect and cultural sensitivity. By listening, learning, and adapting, we aim to create an environment where every participant feels valued, supported, and empowered to contribute. Our goal is not only to strengthen the communities we serve but also to inspire volunteers to carry forward inclusive practices in their own lives and future endeavours.
Our International Team is dedicated to supporting our volunteers every step of the way. From the moment you sign up to the day you return home, we’re here to ensure your journey is seamless and stress-free. With a wealth of online resources, detailed handbooks, and accessible communication channels, no question goes unanswered.
We aim to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of what to expect when volunteering with PMGY. Each of our online project pages offers in-depth overviews to help you choose the destination that’s perfect for you. Through these resources, we hope to give you the clarity and confidence to make an informed decision about your volunteer journey.
Our International Team works tirelessly to ensure all information is accurate, up-to-date, and reliable. For anything not covered in our literature, our comprehensive support network is ready to assist. With 24-hour phone and online support, you’re welcome to ask as many questions as needed to feel confident in your choice.
Once your place is confirmed, you’ll receive a Volunteer Handbook, packed with essential advice on preparing for your trip. From what to pack to obtaining a visa and understanding local culture, this guide has everything you need to get ready for your adventure.
We also offer weekly online webinars hosted by a member of the PMGY International Team. For prospective participants, our Introductory Webinar runs once a month, providing an interactive opportunity to learn more about PMGY projects and ask questions.
For confirmed participants, we offer three specialised webinars designed to prepare you for your program abroad:
Travel Essentials – Everything you need to know before joining our teams in-country.
Program Preparation – A strong foundation to make the most of your volunteer project.
Safety & Wellbeing – Expert advice to help you avoid risks and stay safe during your adventure.
These interactive sessions provide invaluable guidance and an additional opportunity to ask questions as you prepare for your trip.
When you arrive in-country, our dedicated local team will meet you at the airport and help you settle in. During your first few days, you’ll participate in an orientation course, designed to introduce you to your destination. This session covers safety advice, local culture, and what to expect from your volunteer experience.
Our local teams are seasoned experts with years of experience hosting international volunteers. As PMGY’s representatives on the ground, they are available to assist participants 24/7 throughout their stay, ensuring your experience is safe, enjoyable, and impactful.
Embark on this incredible journey knowing that PMGY is with you every step of the way!
Our responsibility goes beyond our travellers — it extends to the projects and communities we support. At PMGY, we’re passionate about offering a safe, structured, and social platform for volunteering, travel, and cultural immersion.
We work tirelessly to make our opportunities affordable and accessible to everyone who wants to make a difference. That’s why our fees are 100% transparent — something our international volunteers truly value and appreciate.
Your safety is our highest priority. While we can’t promise a completely trouble-free experience, we’ve taken every precaution to make our programs as safe as possible. You can learn more about how we manage and promote health and safety overseas here.
Additionally, all PMGY participants are required to submit a Criminal Background Check before travelling. This official document, issued by a Governmental or Police Body, ensures that the volunteers we place are trustworthy and of sound moral character. As part of our commitment to the projects we support, we cannot accept participants with previous criminal convictions.
At PMGY, our International Team is with you every step of the way. From the moment you sign up to the day you return home, we’re here to guide and assist you. We work hard to ensure you feel fully prepared before joining your volunteer project. This is achieved through detailed literature, interactive webinar sessions, and accessible contact services. This proactive communication ensures your skills align with the needs of the project, setting you up for a truly meaningful experience.
We are committed to ensuring that our projects are need-driven and impactful. By working closely with our local partners, we ensure our volunteers make a genuine contribution to the community. Furthermore, we prioritise gathering and acting on feedback from the communities we serve — including local residents, our on-the-ground teams, and our international volunteers. This helps us continually improve our programs and ensure they remain as productive and impactful as possible.
We truly know and love our programs! Every volunteer program offered by PMGY has been personally inspected, experienced, and handpicked by our dedicated team. We’ve stayed in the accommodations, participated in the orientations, and worked on the projects ourselves. Through regular visits and daily communication, we’ve built strong, trusting relationships with our local communities and teams, ensuring you have the best experience possible.
We take the time to carefully assess each application to ensure your skills and expectations align perfectly with the volunteer project. If you’re unsure which program is best for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch. No matter your query, our team is always here to help, speaking from real, hands-on experience. At PMGY, we’re excited to chat with you and guide you every step of the way!
Our International Team is made up of passionate travellers who’ve explored extensively, experienced the projects firsthand, and absolutely love talking about them. So, don’t hold back — reach out to us! It’s the perfect excuse for us to share our enthusiasm and dive into all the amazing details about our programs.
One of the most exciting aspects of volunteering is the chance to meet amazing, like-minded people from around the globe! Every year, we place thousands of volunteers, creating the perfect platform for a vibrant social experience. Living and working alongside other international volunteers means you’ll build lifelong friendships and create treasured memories of your incredible journey abroad.
In many of our destinations, we offer exclusive Volunteer House accommodation designed to enhance your social experience. By staying in shared spaces, you’ll have countless opportunities to connect with fellow volunteers, exchange stories, and enjoy the camaraderie that comes with making a difference together. Plus, our friendly local team is always on hand to help you plan any independent travel adventures!
