Purposeful Gap Year Program - Discover Year

Before I started this program I had no clue who I was and what I wanted to do with my life. This program helped me discover my values, and helped me gain the confidence to follow my own path in life. It feels amazing to be part of such an open minded community who supports you in everything you want to achieve in life.

This year helped me grow so much, in so many different ways! The reason why I chose to do this program, is because of it's unique concept! You will learn a lot of new skills, work, have a personal coach, meet amazing people every week who will talk about their career paths and TRAVEL the world, all in 1 year!

Discovery year is not your average program, it provided me and all my peers with a ridiculously Safe environment to talk about what’s on our mind and what bothering us. I made so insanely close friends and connected at a level I never though possible. Discovery year also gave me space to think about life, I changed my mind about so many things over the years ( like post secondary education) and felt rushed to make choices, but Jay and his team showed us there are more important things then rushing into adulthood and making loads of cash. Discovery year really let me express my true self, break away from my cocoon and truly spread my wings like the magnificent butterfly I am. And for that I am forever grateful

There is no way I can adequately describe this program in 500 words, however, I will try my best. Before this program, I was broken, lost and torn apart by the idea of living my life for others. This program didn't only teach me skills that will propel me forward in the workforce, but they also gave me the space to be able to explore who I am in all of its glory. If you feel like you aren't to take the giant leap to college or university. Trust me, don't force yourself to. This program is worth it.

Before taking Discover Year, I felt confused and scared about my future career decisions.

After the program completion, I am more self-aware and know how to make decisions based on my strengths, values, and interests. I developed confidence to live proactively and authentically, became a more empathetic person and learnt how to ask great questions. Consequently, I have deepened my already existing relationships and developed new ones with more depth and meaning. I have also grown my network, by making connections with a lot of professionals through the program.

Discover Year creates an inclusive, empathetic, and open-minded environment, where students feel supported and challenged. Even after the program completion, I feel a sense of belonging to this community.

Discover Year challenges us with empathy and accepts us with gratitude! 😊

I knew I wanted to apply to this program the minute I heard about it. Personally, I really liked high school and I am still very excited to go into university next year. However, I enjoyed learning about a variety of subjects which meant I had no clue what I wanted to pursue in post secondary. This program has given me the confidence I was missing to move forward in life. The skills we learn through workshops and communication in one year are some we will be able to use forever. Not to mention the advantage networking with all types of interesting professionals has given me. The environment at the Discovery Days is completely open minded, safe and fun. Every week I am surrounded by people who push me to reach my goals. If you are looking to take a gap year that will allow you to understand your strengths, weaknesses and potential, better your interpersonal skills, travel, work in a community, push yourself out of your comfort zone, I 100% recommend Discover Year.

I have seen firsthand that Jay Gosselin's Discover Year truly manages to transform any motivated and open-minded person into a more confident, charismatic, and self-aware individual. This purposeful gap-year program enables students from any background to build upon areas in their lives that interest THEM. With the ultimate goal of self-actualization, Discover Year provides students with a resourceful and supportive community, through which workshops help participants practice their job search, time management, communication, and planning skills. With designated time for work, travel, and volunteer experience, it finds itself in the upper echelon of gap-year programs due to its unique and innovative model.

In turn, Discover Year truly changed me for the better. After having spent a year comprised of learning about the working world, travelling to Vietnam and Japan, and co-managing a milk bag mattress sustainability project with my peers, I found myself to have gained invaluable work experience, global perspective, and real confidence. These things, as well as making friends and valuable connections within the DY community, have helped me to start my way on a path towards a purposeful future.

I experienced huge personal growth in this program. I was pushed to discover what truly interested me in life, and I learned the skills needed to proactively engage in my interests. I made several connections within the community and I enjoyed being around students with similar motivation to learn and explore. The tips and tricks I was given have impacted me in every facet of my life, and I hope to continue the lifestyle I've created.

Amazing experiences too! I couldn't even plan my own birthday party before, but I organised a month-long trip to Spain and France to walk the Camino Frances pilgrimage. Not a day went by without mistakes, but I learned valuable project management experience and discovered the diverse lifestyles of travelers from around the world. Great program to help expand your comfort zone and discover new interests.

It's is a great program to learn about yourself and explore different career paths. In this program you meet about 100 professionals in many different domains and learn how they got there, the skills they need and use, and what they like and dislike about their professions. The staff is amazing and you will find the most open and supportive community at Discover Year. I really recommend it as a chance to immerse yourself in a fantastic environment to learn and grow during your gap year.

This is a one year program in Ottawa, Canada that incorporates skill workshops, self exploration, networking, hand on learning, personal mentorship and travel.