Gap Year

Creating opportunities to grown in faith, explore your skills and develop in confidence.

GAP YEAR 2025-2026 APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN!

Applications open until 23 May 2025. Apply soon to avoid disappointment as placements are limited.

Selection Days:

  • Mid February: Apply by 31st January to be considered
  • Early June: Apply by 16th May to be considered

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO...

  • make a difference in Scotland
  • encounter God as you step out in faith
  • be discipled, trained and mentored
  • grow in faith as you discover new gifts and callings
  • share Jesus with young people
  • go on an international mission trip

...then this might be the Gap Year for you!

Are you looking for time out that provides personal growth and discipleship as well as opportunities to make a difference? If so, then a gap year with Scripture Union Scotland, may be for you!

Our gap year programme runs from August to August each year, with a strong missional focus. Our aim is to train and equip young adults to be salt and light by providing them with opportunities to help children and young people encounter God through sharing their faith and exploring the Bible. Further information from gapyear@suscotland.org.uk

This is for you if you’re…

  • a school leaver up to age 25+
  • passionate about young people’s ministry
  • seeking guidance about your future
  • exploring a calling to mission or ministry
  • wanting to serve God in a hands-on way
  • looking to challenge your faith and move forward in your walk with God

What to expect...

  • A unique and exciting experience both here in Scotland and internationally
  • Specific and practical training for your placement alongside experienced practitioners.
  • To work with and affect the lives of young people in a huge variety of contexts.
  • Support, care and advice throughout your year and beyond.

You have the chance to choose from a huge range of placement options to begin to shape a gap year that will meet your needs, gifts and interests.... and then shape you!

  gap:local 

gap:local is a busy, varied placement in the front line of ministry. Alongside a regional worker you’ll help to run SU Groups, Weekends, SU Holidays, youth groups, holiday clubs, discipleship groups for senior pupils or training with volunteers. Be ready for the unexpected!

 gap:centre

gap:centre is based at one of our three centres (Lendrick Muir, Alltnacriche, or Gowanbank), working mostly with the schools team, providing an excellent residential experience for others.

gap:margins

gap:at-the-margins is based with youth projects in priority communities across Scotland. You will help lead a range of social and emotional support groups and SU Groups; take part in detached work and drop-ins clubs; and be on the team for relevant residentials. Due to the nature of this placement it is only open to applicants over the age of 20.

  gap:fusion

gap:fusion is a split year between gap:local and one of our centres. Lendrick Muir and Alltnacriche provide school, SU and church residentials during term time, with activities from mountain biking to nature trails, and, of course, SU Holidays in between terms. You’ll work with groups directly as well as practically contributing to the day to day running of the centre.

 gap:church

gap:church is your chance to gain insight and expertise in what it means to work for a church. You’ll serve on staff at a local church with their youth and children through the week and participating in their Sunday programme. You will also spend part of your time with a Regional Worker to see how church and schools work complement one another.

  gap:digital

gap:digital is your chance to get involved in every aspect of our digital youth work programme. If you have a passion for building community online, gaming and getting hands-on with content creation that’s all about faith and young people, then this placement is for you!

We are very excited to be able to offer  Gap Year students/participants? a level 7 qualification in Youth and Children’s Work, worth 99 SCQF Credit Points. This qualification has been SCQF credit rated by the SQA.
 
Will  Gap Year  be like being at school or college for another year?
No. Training will include a mix of great seminars and workshops, personal study and devotional time, and a whole lot of placement based growth. The qualification, if completed, is our way of recognising how much you have grown and giving back to you in a way that will be meaningful for your future.
 
Why might this be useful for me?
Whether you want to explore a career in youth and children’s work or  you just want to take a year out to grow in faith and share that with others, you will be able to: reference the qualification on future: UCAS forms, CV’s, and Job applications, with potential employers or volunteering opportunities. Highlight a lot of transferable skills, such as, leadership, teamwork, public speaking, and behaviour management. And include this as  a useful qualification to have when applying for further study or jobs.
 
What will the training look like?
We’ll provide exciting and relevant training that will prepare you for the challenges you will face on placement and beyond. The training programme primarily takes place on-the-job by experienced practitioners ready to help you develop your gifts and interests. You will be amazed at the new skills you discover as the year goes on!
 
There are a series of residential training blocks when the whole team can come together to reflect, refresh, receive training and develop practical core skills related to work with children and young people.
 
Each week you will also have some time individually to work through a discipleship and training programme. There will be time  to reflect and notice what God has been doing in, through and around you over the previous week. To spend time with the Bible and in prayer, getting to know God better, and learning how to share God’s love with others.
 
You’ll meet with your mentor regularly for pastoral support and guidance. This is a great opportunity to ask the hard questions, learn from someone a little bit further on in life and faith and move on in your own faith journey.
The  study programme has been created specially for gap year and is tailored to fit you, whatever your age, ability or passion. While you do work towards a qualification, our focus is not the ‘academic’ exercise, but to see you flourish as the person God made you to be, in relationship with God, and as part of God’s plans for Scotland and beyond. Can you tell we’re excited!

There's no way to get around it: gap years cost money. We’ll help you with ideas and resources to raise support for your gap year, as well as help to write regular prayer letters for your financial and prayer supporters.

Gap year without accommodation: £3000

Gap year with accommodation: £4400

Accommodation will be in an SU Scotland centre or with a host family local to your placement.

Both options include the costs of the mission trip and specific travel expenses.

As part of an organisation working in over 130 countries, we want you to get a real taste of what international mission looks like! Prepare to step out of your comfort zone as you take part in a 2 week international mission trip. You’ll receive training before you go, support from a team leader and will find a huge variety of ways to serve the people you meet.

Apply Now >

Support the current Gap Year team

If you would like to financially support those currently on gap year, you can find their team pages here:

Ewan Cairns

John Pizzuto-Pomaco
“I really loved that I had the opportunity to talk about Jesus with many kids who had never even heard of a Bible before, and it really increased my confidence in sharing my faith with others… Gap Year, I would say go for it! You never know how much you can achieve until you take that first step out of the boat and before you know it, your whole life has changed.” - Sophie T
“The number of opportunities available whilst on an SU Gap Year is incredible. Getting involved in a wide variety of different SU events, projects and more is one of the things that has defined my Gap Year, as well as being many great circumstances for learning.” - Finlay
“Yes 100% you should do an SU gap Year, it will be the most life changing thing you can do. You will grow and be challenged and get to experience so many new aspects of life and faith while being supported by SU. And you will meet so many amazing people who may become friends for life and you will never regret the decision in doing it.” - Sophie Mc

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