Gap years: Ten questions to ask when choosing a project Responsible organisations will be very transparent with their costs. Your time and energy is extremely valuable, but to be successful any project needs financial support to ensure work can continue into the future. Make sure your money is reaching the host project where it can benefit local communities and recompense your hosts. What level of support will I have if something goes wrong? Many people choose to travel with an organisation for the support they can provide in emergencies, so make sure that you are comfortable with the amount of help you will receive. Exactly what work will I be doing? Well run projects with clear goals and long-term plans will be able to explain in detail what work you will be doing, and how your role fits into the wider project as a whole. What proportion of my money is going to the project and how exactly is it managed? While some organisations provide full funding for project costs, others will just pay for your food and board. Some organisations expect local project partners to cover the cost of food and board. If you are making a payment for a volunteer programme, make sure you understand how much of this goes to the project itself. How will I be useful at the project and what happens after I leave? While you are sure to arrive full of enthusiasm and keen to help, if the project actually requires a doctor or an engineer and you don't have those skills then you may feel frustrated. Also, if you are going for a short period of time, you want to be sure your work is continued after you leave. Asking these questions helps to ensure the sustainability of the project is realistic. Can I speak with some ex-participants? There is nothing better than hearing it from the horse's mouth. Many companies also have Facebook groups which you could ask to join and speak with people who have already been away with them. Can I speak with the local contact on the ground before I leave? This will help you understand the project in more detail, get first-hand feedback on the organisation, and to get a clearer idea of the local impacts the project is having. 9 Can I see your responsible tourism policy? Responsible organisations will be working hard to make sure all their activities are benefitting local people and local environments and will be able to show you how they do this. How is my payment protected? If you are paying for a programme well in advance, find out what financial protection you have and what exactly it covers you for. ATOL protection, for example, only protects the cost of flights, not any local trip costs. At the end of the day, it may just be the length of time that an organisation has been running which you can rely on, but any additional protection is worth asking after.