Digital Gap Year is an idea I think should become a community service movement.
The aim is to create an environment and social network that facilitates personal development through exposure to problem solving using real-world digital technology, startup culture and the entrepreneurial mindset.
It should coordinate with high schools and tertiary education to ensure participants have a meaningful and satisfying gap year experience including personal development, travel and community service with a digital flavour.
It isn’t intended that DGY becomes a giant unpaid intern scheme. As participants develop commercial skills they may find paid work from within the programme or from external collaborators.
There are mechanisms that should allow the secondary and tertiary education sectors to directly support DGY by offering course credits.
It is intended the DGY programmes in other locations mesh with each other so that participants can travel, learn through service and work, earn some income and expand their social and collaborative network.
Participants should emerge from the programme with energy and enthusiasm for a lifetime of learning, personal achievement and confidence in their ability to make a positive difference to their world.
What do you think of the Aims? Leave a comment below.
Digital Gap Year 