Gap year advice · overseas volunteering · consulting

A gap year that actually pays off, long after the trip ends.

Fifteen years of research and 30+ countries of firsthand experience go into every conversation, whether that's a gap year, an overseas placement, or a sport-for-development programme that needs outside expertise.

See why it's worth it Get in touch

Independent. No programmes to sell you.

Why it works

A well-planned year off isn't a year lost

Done with intention, a gap year tends to leave people more independent, clearer on what they actually want, and genuinely more ready for university than the version of them who went straight through. Done without a plan, it's just a long holiday with better photos.

Most gap year advice comes from people who either have a placement to sell you or never really did this themselves. I'm neither: no programme to push, and most of my 30+ countries were the developing world, not resort towns. I'm not doing this to get rich. I do it because I genuinely love travel, volunteering, and helping students figure out their next step.

A chatbot can spit out a decent-looking itinerary in five minutes now. What it can't give you is judgment built from having actually been in these places, backed by fifteen years of research into what makes a structured year abroad work, not just look good on paper. That combination is what you're really paying for. Get in touch →

ACEST. 2026

About

Research, travel, and what actually helps.

Adam here. For the past 15 years I've taught and researched sport-for-development at university level: how sport is used to support young people and communities, from grassroots coaching to national strategy. Much of that teaching happens through classroom collaborations with local non-profits and social enterprises, not just lectures in a room.

I've also travelled to more than 30 countries, mostly across the developing world and places well off the usual tourist routes, and spent plenty of time volunteering on the ground myself, not just reading about it from a desk.

This site is where all of that comes together: honest, practical advice for a gap year, an overseas placement, or a programme that needs outside expertise. Curious about the published research? →

Work with me

Three ways I can help

Standing on a mountain summit at dusk, overlooking a lake and mountain range

Gap year advice

For students and the parents backing them

A gap year isn't one format. It might be pure travel, structured volunteering, sport, a cultural deep dive, or some mix, and it might happen close to home or on the other side of the world. I help figure out which shape actually fits the person doing it, then build the strategy around it: sequencing, budget, safety, and a way to point to what changed by the end, not just where you went.

Playing football with local children in a village community

Overseas volunteering

Sport-for-development placements, done properly

Community coaching projects, grassroots development work, and placements that never make it onto a glossy programme page. I know this field from the inside, not just the brochure, so the advice is about what's genuinely worthwhile versus what's well-meaning but hollow.

Working alongside local community members on a hands-on project

Consulting

For organisations and programmes

Evidence-informed input on sport-for-development programme design, monitoring, and strategy, for NGOs, schools, and organisations who want their work grounded in what actually works. This comes from hands-on partnerships with non-profits and social enterprises, not just theory.

Get in touch

Start with a conversation, not a commitment.

Whether you're planning a gap year, weighing an overseas volunteering placement, or after some outside expertise for a sport-for-development programme, a free 20-minute call is the easiest way to find out if I can help.

Book a free call

Prefer email? adamcohengapyear@gmail.com. Let me know which of the three you're after.