Australia Gap Year Program with Letz Live

Your Comments.

Ryan, thank you for your feedback and thoughts on improving the programme. I am disappointed that you have - following your phone call apologising for the ‘bias comments’ - not readdressed some of our concerns since your departure… as promised. Therefore, in fairness to those who may be considering this programme - I do feel the need to respond to your comments on this platform to give other potential participants the opportunity to hear the ‘other-side-of-the-story’.

Whilst some of your comments are justified and indeed have been rectified since your departure, a good number simply don’t ring true. You will be pleased to know that the internet access (and speed) has improved significantly. Having spent 12 months working at the school, I am sure you can appreciate why applications like SnapChat / Facebook etc may be blocked by the school’s internet filters. These are to ensure students do not misuse the applications during the school term. This is common practice across all schools – globally!

Your host school is one of Australia’s leading establishments in a location that – whilst ‘rural’ is classed as a 'regional city'. It has its own airport, train station, shopping centre, cinema's and university - Wagga Wagga has a population of 65,000 people!!! Additionally there are frequent and very easy connections to both Sydney and Melbourne via train (the train station is literally a hundred metres from the school). If you are organised and prepared, travel is relatively cheap to both destinations. Moreover, unlike a good proportion of boarding schools, you were afforded every weekend off allowing you to immerse yourself into the community and participate in a variety of activities including joining the local sports clubs – which you jumped at. Most participants have weekdays off and not weekends. This also afforded you the opportunity to travel regularly to Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra where you had friends.

Unfortunately, some participants do need to return to their home country earlier than expected – that’s life! Your concerns regarding picking up ‘all her work’ is simply untrue. The nature of the programme at this particular host school is that the male participant works with the male boarders and the female participant with the female boarders. Of course there is crossover and interaction throughout the school day – but you would’ve been rostered into these irrespective of your ‘companions’ departure. Simply put; it is against every school’s policy for a male participant (member of staff) to be working in a female dormitory with female boarders present. You were actually advised of this during your induction training in the orientation upon your arrival to Australia. Therefore, I find it hard to believe you were left to pick up all her work.

With regards to your suggested improvements; we have several schools that take only one participant annually in far more ‘rural’ locations across Australia (some don’t receive mobile phone coverage) than the one you were placed in. These placements have been a huge success because the participant involves themselves in the school wholeheartedly.

Further to this, the two participants at your host school currently have embraced their experience and as they look to depart in the coming weeks back to the UK they are leaving with the mixed emotions of the excitement to return home to see friends and family but also sad to see the experience they have embraced come to a conclusion.

Ryan, of course I appreciate your thoughts, comments, and thank you for you 9 / 10 review, 90% / 100% for 'Overall Experience' and 100%/100% for 'Value'.

I wish you best of luck with your future endeavours!

Nick.
Company Director.
Letz Live Pty Ltd.