Please find below some of the more common questions put to us. We’ve tried to categorise them to help you find the information you want. Please feel free to contact us with any query or concern as this list is by no means exhaustive!
Careerbreaker the company
About Careerbreakers as people
Your time on Career Break
The cost of your Career Break
Prior to you Career Break
Support, Health and Safety during your Career Break
After your Career Break
Careerbreaker the company
Who is Careerbreaker?
Careerbreaker is part of Madventurer (www.madventurer.com), a successful ABTOT bonded development travel company, established formally in 2000 and based in Newcastle upon Tyne.
What is the company’s history?
Careerbreaker is part of Madventurer. Madventurer's first development projects and adventures were based in Africa where its name originated. Although MAD stands for Mottey African Development, it now undertakes operations all over the world, assisting sustainable development strategies and tourism initiatives.
Madventurer started in 1998 when John Lawler set out on his gap year to teach in a small village in Ghana, West Africa. His experience had a big impact and the elders of the village enstooled John as a village chief (Torgbui Mottey I) for his contributions to development. He decided that he wanted other people to have an amazing experience like his, so the next year he went back to Ghana with a group of friends who all worked together to build a school and to teach the children subjects in their curriculum. From this Madventurer and subsequently Careerbreaker and Gapclub was born, facilitating development and adventurous travel opportunities all over the globe.
Madventurer has been awarded the Shell Livewire UK Award for Sustainable Development and the Prince’s Trust Best Business Award.
What is Careerbreaker’s mission?
Careerbreaker brings together development projects and adventurous travel to offer individuals a unique experience. Careerbreaker’s ethos is 'developing together'. It aims to assist in community development, whilst at the same time enabling individuals to gain experience through work and adventurous travel. Specialising in group and solo projects, our management, HQ staff and overseas crew focus all their resources and passion into making your career break work for you and your host community.
What size is the company?
Our UK Head Office in based in Newcastle upon Tyne where we have 15 full-time staff. Our overseas operations have four permanent Regional Managers, long-term senior crew in each destination and seasonal project crew. During the summer months our overseas staff levels rise to 35-40 people.
What are the company’s registration details?
The Company Registration Number is 3904898 and our ABTOT registration number is 5122.
What is the Mad Foundation?
The Mad Foundation is a registered charity (No.1111805) which helps people in some of the world’s poorest countries to help themselves, by supporting and working with them at a grassroots level to develop much needed community resources. Careerbreaker and Madventurer help to support the work of the Mad Foundation by making regular donations and fundraising on its behalf.
Learn More about The Mad Foundation
What industry accreditations, awards or partners does the company have?
We are an ABTOT bonded company, giving clients peace of mind and financial security. In recent years Madventurer has won the Shell Livewire UK Award for Sustainable Development and the Prince’s Trust Best Business Award.
To learn more about our accreditations, awards and partners click here
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About Careerbreakers as people
What type of people take part?
Careerbreakers are from all sorts of backgrounds and there are no academic prerequisites for most of our programmes, generally the motivation for taking a career break is one or several of the following: because there is a desire to challenge themselves, escape the routine, learn more about themselves and the world, get over a difficult period in their life, enhance their CV , explore what it is they might really want from life, try something totally different, see a bit of the world, do something great with an unexpected windfall, learn a new skill, fulfil a long-held dream, scratch their itchy feet or simply beat the kids at their own game!
What age range are Careerbreakers?
Generally the age range is from late twenties to beyond retirement age. Our trips are designed for people who have some or even a lifetime’s working or family experience; there is no definite lower or upper age limit.
Do you have any selection criteria?
You don’t need to have specialist skills for most of our Community Development Projects but we will request at least one written personal reference. Our Work and Sports Placements, which allow you to use and share your work and sports skills, may require specific experience and qualifications, and we may request career history, professional references and where appropriate copies of certificates etc.
How many other Careerbreakers will be on my project?
This will very much depend on the type of project you choose. Generally on Community Development Projects you will be with a group of up to 12 people, Work and Sports Placements are individual programmes but you will share a house with 4-12 other volunteers.
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Your time as a Careerbreaker
How has my project been chosen, planned and vetted?
Careerbreaker specialises in community-led, sustainable development projects and skill-sharing work and sports placement programmes. This means that the communities approach us with their plans and we set about trying to help them achieve them. This is done to ensure that the projects are what the communities want and not an extension of our own desires for a communities' development.
We have permanent highly trained Regional Managers covering all our destination and long-term Senior Crew who ensure that volunteer project and placements are appropriate to the host community and to the volunteer.
What kind of support will be available to me?
On all our programmes there will be a full-time Crew Leader, and sometimes an Assistant Crew Leader, available to support you and assist with any queries you may have. Our Regional Managers are there to support crew and volunteers if needed. The UK office is happy to receive calls from you if you have any concerns, day or night.
How will my time actually be spent?
This very much depends on your given preference at the time of joining. On group projects, as standard, we offer, building, teaching and sometimes medical and conservation placements. The main thrust is building project spending days away from the site doing other activities.
On Work and Sports Placements the volunteer chooses one or a number of professions or skills sets to specialise in, for a fixed period of time.
Weekends and mid-project breaks give you opportunity to explore the area you’re staying in and do a bit of sightseeing. Gapclub can also organised longer adventure and sight-seeing trips to complement your volunteer programme.
What will living and eating arrangements be?
On Community Development Projects we live and eat with the community. This is done for the purpose of full community and cultural integration. Whilst volunteers are generally catered for, by a paid cook from the local community, we still encourage you to get involved with the preparation of meals to help bolster the sense of integration. Accommodation will vary depending on the project site; sometimes you will live in a very basic ‘cabins’ sleeping in bunk beds, others in school or orphanage dormitories, sometimes in pairs with local families and sometimes in a rented house. Be ready to eat local food beans, rice, chicken, goat, beef, lentils, fresh fruits and spices but any special dietary requirements will be catered for.
If you are participating in a Work or Sports Placement you will be living in a communal house with up to 12 other volunteers, full cooking and washing facilities will be provided for your use. Our crew leader will also be living in the house and will ensure that there is plenty of food and drink available for you to cook yourself a meal or cook communally with your housemates.
What is expected of me?
We will share with you details of certain etiquette etc. for your specific destination/s in your pre-departure pack. On your arrival your crew leader will remind you of any appropriate cultural and behavioural issues that you should bear in mind.
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The cost of your Career break
What is included in my payment to Careerbreaker?
- All pre-departure support and advice, including two detailed information packs
- Telephone support whilst your away for family and friends
- Airport pick-up on the agreed start date
- All food and accommodation on the project/placement site
- Orientation and training on arrival, to help you adjust to your new surroundings
- A guaranteed placement for the duration of your time with us
- Dedicated and well-trained crew to give support on and off the project/placements site
- 24 hour emergency contact with Careerbreaker UK headquarters for you and your family
- Post project support, including upon request, references to help build your experiences into your C.V.
What’s not included in my payment to Careerbreaker?
- Flights
- Insurance. It is a prerequisite that you have comprehensive insurance to cover all eventualities
- Visas. Our staff can advise on visas requirements for your selected destination/s and help you obtain all the essential paperwork
- Vaccinations and medication
- Personal kit and spending money
What are the payment and cancellation terms?
To review our terms and conditions (click here)
Is there anything else I should budget for?
We find that volunteers need to allow approximately £40-60 a week, depending on destination, for personal spending money during their volunteer placement. Do be aware that this amount varies from week to week and depends largely on how much you eat and drink out, how much you travel independently at the weekends whilst on the project and the souvenirs you wish to buy. For adventure and sight-seeing trips from the Gapclub specific advice about your trip will vary and will be provided by the trip provider.
Can I fundraise for my Career break?
It is perfectly feasible to fundraise for your trip; many people are keen to support individuals volunteering in the developing world. Careerbreaker will encourage, advise and support you in whatever way it can, however it cannot directly raise the funds needed for an individual to volunteer on one of our programmes. When you book a trip with Careerbreaker we will happily provide details and advice on fundraising.
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Prior to your Career break
What information will I receive?
We send out two pre-departure packs prior to departure. The first will be dispatched as soon as we have received your completed application form, a £175 deposit and have allocated you a place.
This contains information on how to fundraise, further information concerning your destination/s, your placement type/s, vaccination requirements and other health issues, kit list and all necessary travel information. If you are also planning an adventurous/sight-seeing trip with the Gapclub your specific trip information will be sent with, or shortly after, this initial pre-departure information pack.
Four weeks before you depart we will send you final details in a second pre-departure pack. This will include information relevant to your specific placement/project, contact details for any Careerbreakers who will be on your project site (where relevant) and arrangements for your arrival at the overseas airport and information about Careerbreaker crew who will be available to you during your volunteer placement.
What information will I need to provide?
This depends on the type of volunteer placement you choose.
For most Community Development Projects we will require some basic background details about who you are and details of someone who can provide a written personal reference.
For Work and Sports Placements, depending on the nature of your placement, we may ask you to provide an up to date C.V. or complete an additional form, outlining your career/playing/coaching history and qualifications. Professional referees and photocopies of certificates may also be required.
If you are likely to be working with children or vulnerable people we may also run a Criminal Records Bureau check.
All Careerbreakers will need to provide certain personal details and details regarding flights, insurance and health details. If we, or you, have any concerns about health or medical conditions we advise that you speak to you GP or your local Interhealth centre; in some instances, depending on age and information given, Careerbreaker may request a report from your GP or other medical professional to ensure that you are fit to travel.
What arrangements am I responsible for?
The key areas that volunteers must consider are:
a) Insurance
b) Flights
c) Visas
d) Vaccinations and medication
Failure to inform us of details regarding any of the above prior to your trip may result in us refusing to allow you to travel with us; we can advise and help on all of the above issues. Please note that certain countries will not allow entry without the correct visa or without the correct vaccination certificates.
Comprehensive insurance is essential when travelling. Make sure your insurance has comprehensive cover for personal accident and medical expenses and includes repatriation home.
Flights and insurance can be obtained from our in-house travel agency Gapclub.
How do I deal with medical and healthcare precautions and planning?
Your first pre-departure pack gives health advice, including required and recommended vaccinations, malaria advice and what to carry in your own first aid kit. However we advise that you must talk to your GP for the most up to date and appropriate advice for you.
I need visa/s, how do I arrange them?
Careerbreaker can advise you on how to apply for the specific Visa/s you need, we will either send you the appropriate forms for completion, or advise you on how to obtain them.
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Support, Health and Safety during your Career break
What happens when I arrive at my Career break?
We pick you up from the airport on the start date of the project/placement. If you want to arrive earlier than that then we can arrange a transfer for you, for a small fee. Late arrivals can also be picked up, but like early arrivals, this will involve a surcharge. Please contact us for details.
Please remember that you are responsible for getting yourself to the arrival airport.
What emergency procedures are in place?
For all projects and placements your Careerbreaker crew are available 24 hrs a day and the UK office is available 24 hours a day.
Careerbreaker has a crisis management procedure in place for all eventualities. And Careerbreaker crew and Regional Managers have a good system for communication with the UK office.
What do I do if I have a problem whilst on my Careerbreaker placement?
Please talk to your Careerbreaker crew, who is available to you 24 hours a day and is supported by their Regional Manager. The UK office is also available to you night and day should you wish to speak to someone here.
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At the end of your Career break
What are the arrangements for travel to my departure airport?
We will, for all Careerbreakers at the end of a volunteer placement (but not Gap Club Adventure Trips), ensure you are returned to your city of arrival and advise you on the best method of transfer to the airport. Many people take this opportunity for sight-seeing, souvenir buying and relaxing for a few days prior to flying home, or onto their next destination.
What kind of contact can I expect after my Career break?
On your return Careerbreaker will send you a debrief questionnaire asking you to assess your career break with us.
We’re very happy to assist with any reunions and socials that ex-Careerbreakers may wish to organise.
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