FAQs
About the Preparation Year
1. Why did we start a Preparation Year?
2. What is the difference between a GAP Year and a PREPARATION Year?
3. What type of commitment is the Preparation Year?
4. Will I have more clarity on which career to choose after the Prep Year?
5. How much free time will I have, when enrolled in the Prep Year?
6. Who should join this Prep-Year?
7. What will I be doing in the Prep Year?
8. What can I expect from this Prep-Year?
9. What makes this Prep-Year different from others?
10. Will I cope with such a full program?
11. Will this year not be wasting my time?
12. Am I ready for a Prep-Year?
13. What are common misconceptions about a Preparation Year?
14. Where are you located?
15. How do I apply for the Prep-Year?
16. Do you have student accommodation available?
17. What is the age limit for the Prep-Year?
18. What will I need for the Prep-Year?
19. What work experience will I be exposed to?
20. What if I have a part-time job or studies?
21. What is the academic calendar for the Prep-Year?
22. Do I need a car or some form of transport?
23. Why scuba diving as a Prep Year course?
1. Why did we start the Preparation Year?
We started the Preparation Year because we realized from our own experiences, as well as our work with young people, that people need guidance and support, especially in making big decisions like choosing a career. Learning practical and especially emotional life skills is vital. We help young people to make the best transition possible into adult life.
2. What is the difference between a GAP Year and a PREPARATION Year?
When people hear GAP year, they usually conclude that you are taking a year off. The definition of a Gap Year is a period, typically an academic year, taken by a student as a break between school and university or college education.
A Preparation Year in contrast to this is a program designed to prepare students for their first year of higher education. Our Prep-Year is a year where the students engage in different courses, travel, work experience, and volunteer work. It’s taking the time to develop your emotional and practical skills to prepare you for university or entering into work life.
3. What type of commitment is the Preparation Year?
The Prep Year is a full-time commitment. It’s a year that you take to invest in yourself and your future without any other distractions. We work according to the school terms, and students get to go home for two of the four holidays during the year, the remaining two holidays are spent on tours.
There are written and practical assignments to complete each term. The Certificate courses we offer will require written exams.
4. Will I have more clarity on which career to choose after the Prep Year?
Yes. This is one of the main focus points of the year, to expose the students to many different career options. There is an in-depth career guidance session involving aptitude and personality questionnaires and throughout the year we guide and advise our students in private sessions.
5. How much free time will I have, when enrolled in the Prep Year?
You will have free time to spend with your family and friends on weekends and off days. The schedule can sometimes feel demanding therefore, we monitor the students and also schedule free time or relaxation time into the Prep Year schedule. This is also a great way to teach practical time management.
6. Who should join this Prep-Year?
This Preparation Year is for young people that are not sure what they want to do after matriculating as well as for those who want to gain experience doing various courses, tours, and volunteer work. The life skills we teach are practical life skills and emotional life skills. We have a holistic approach and focus on a balanced body, soul, and spirit. This Prep year will be of most value to people who are interested in personal development, like learning, and experiencing new things, and has a positive attitude. This is for young people ages 18 to 22 years old.
7. What will I be doing in the Prep Year?
This is a formative year for young people to learn a variety of Life Skills. All courses include theory and practical sessions as well as assignments to be completed.
Some of the emotional life skills courses that you will be doing at the Prep Year include emotional intelligence, people skills (interaction with others - thus communication and conflict resolution), personal skills (self-consciousness, managing your emotions and stress), cognitive skills (critical thinking and problem solving).
Some of the practical life skills courses that you will be doing during the Prep Year include Scuba Diving, Photography, Social Media Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Business Management, First Aid levels 1 & 2, Biblical Foundations, Career choices, Ocean conservation courses, and volunteer work.
The courses are presented in a group setting, our groups are kept to a minimum number of students per year because we pay attention to each individual. You will be learning and growing within a mentoring relationship. You will also have regular one-on-one sessions where you have the opportunity to talk through more personal matters.
You will also have one on one career guidance sessions as well as take part in regular job shadowing.
The Prep Year also includes various trips and tours where students get the chance to practically apply what they have learned through the term as well as relax and enjoy the trip. Every year is unique and we visit places like Egypt, Mafia Island, Madagascar, and St. Helena Island. We have an Africa tour where we travel through 5 African countries. We also do local trips in our beautiful country. These tours will expand your mind, experiences, and interests.
8. What can I expect from this Prep-Year?
The students that take part in this program undergo a rapid learning process. This is a personal development year where we help you realize your potential and develop your talents and strengths. This year will broaden your horizons and open your eyes to many possibilities and opportunities. It is our goal to help young people remove their personal stumbling blocks and to live a fulfilling life.
9. What makes this Prep-Year different from others?
We have a passion for people, to help them develop and see them succeed. This is not a job to us but a calling. The young dynamic group that is involved with our Prep-Year has the same values and ideals.
The programs we offer are adjusted around each student’s individual needs.
10. Will I cope with such a full program?
The program is jam-packed to give our students as much as possible in the time they are with us. We monitor the students and schedule relaxation time, off days as well as fun outings. We are flexible and consider each student. We will not expect things of you that you are not capable of, but we like to push student’s a bit so that they realize how capable they really are. We only grow outside of our comfort zone.
11. Will this year not be wasting my time?
The Prep Year is an investment that you make in yourself. You take time to focus on yourself, get to know yourself better, and develop yourself. This year will help you mature, make better decisions for your future as well as give you lots of practical experience. After this year you will have a head start because: you will have worked through issues, know your strengths and weaknesses, gained experience, improved your emotional intelligence as well as gained lots of practical life skills. You will have more clarity on what you want to do and the way you need to take to get there. This is a road lesser travelled, but it is definitely worth it!
12. Am I ready for a Prep-Year?
This comes down to your attitude. If you are positive and willing to learn, you can achieve anything. The year will be what you make of it. We give as much as possible to each student, to give them the most opportunities to grow and learn, the rest is up to each student whether they seize these opportunities or not.
13. What are common misconceptions about a Preparation Year?
Thinking it is a year that you take to do nothing.
This Prep Year is quite the opposite of doing nothing. It is a jam-packed year with a very demanding schedule. You will complete the year having done various Certificates and courses.
Think that it’s for people who are ‘not very academic’.
The Prep Year will be of great value to anyone. Even though the main focus of the Prep Year is to further your emotional intelligence and practical life skills, academics does form quite a big part of our Prep Year.
The Prep Year is in Gordon’s Bay, a coastal town 45min drive from Cape Town city bowl.
15. How do I apply for the Prep Year?
We advise you to
This allows you to meet the team and get a sense of what we are all about. After the meeting, you will have much more info to make a decision. If you decide you are interested, you can send in the application form and we set the enrollment process in motion. You are also welcome to arrange more meetings if you need to discuss something or ask more questions.
16. Do you have student accommodation available?
Yes. Fully furnished self-catering apartments on sharing basis in central Gordon’s Bay. Walking distance from a shopping centre, laundromat, take-away restaurants and more. More info...
17. What is the age limit for the Prep Year?
We will accept students between 18 and 22 years old for the preparation programs.
18. What will I need for the Prep Year?
Appropriate Clothing and shoes for each of the following:
- Sportswear
- Swimwear
- Hiking wear
- Presentable clothes for working with customers
- Passport and ID
- Cell phone in good working order
- Digital Camera
- Laptop/ tablet
19. What work experience can I be exposed to?
You get exposure and/or experience in the following areas:
Marketing, admin, communications, retail, travel & tourism, customer service, facilitating classes, marketing, entrepreneurship, presentations & public speaking, compiling information, writing articles, social media management, content creation, photography, underwater photography, graphic design, websites, and volunteer work.
When a student shows interest in a specific area they have the option to do job shadowing in that profession. Job shadowing is part of our program and will be arranged every term.
20. What if I have a part-time job or studies?
Since the Preparation programs are a full-time commitment, you will not be able to take part in the Prep Year while having a part-time job. You will, however, be able to join our Skills Development Program. Contact us to discuss your specific needs.
21. What is the academic calendar for the Prep Year?
We work according to the Western Cape government school calendar.
22. Do I need a car or some form of transport?
No, you will not need a car. We have Prep-Year vehicles and mostly travel as a group.
23. Why scuba diving as a Prep Year course?
Scuba diving is used in the Preparation Program as a tool to teach emotional life skills since it's physically and mentally challenging to varying degrees. It gives a great sense of pride and accomplishment, especially where there were fears and/or low self-esteem.
If you have any other questions please CONTACT US.
