Episode 131: Why Gap Year GPS will level up your gap year. Guaranteed.

Taking a gap year can be exciting—but figuring out what to actually do with that time can feel overwhelming.

In this episode of The Gap Year Podcast, host Michelle Dittmer sits down with Julianne “Jewlz,” Youth Program Manager for the Canadian Gap Year Association’s GPS program, to unpack how GPS helps young people create a gap year with purpose.

They explore how personalized coaching, practical workshops, resources, and a supportive community can help gappers move past indecision, build confidence, explore future possibilities, and make progress on goals that matter to them. Whether your gap year includes work, travel, volunteering, personal growth, or figuring out what comes next, GPS is designed to provide support along the way.

Best of all, GPS is free thanks to funding from RBC, helping make structured gap year support accessible to young people who want it.

3 Key Takeaways

You don’t need to have your gap year figured out before you start. GPS coaches help young people sort through their ideas, identify what matters to them, and turn uncertainty into manageable next steps.

A gap year doesn’t have to mean travelling the world. It can include working, volunteering, improving your health and wellness, exploring careers, preparing for university, building life skills—or simply creating space to decide what you want next.

Community can make a big difference. Taking a different path from your peers can sometimes feel isolating. GPS connects gappers with coaches and other young people who understand the experience, creating opportunities for encouragement, connection, networking, and positive peer support.

___________

CanGap helps you decide on a gap year, access resources for your journey & connect with other Gappers!

Take the Gap Year Quiz: www.cangap.ca/quiz

Plan your gap year in 4-steps: www.cangap.ca/planner

Join our Gap Year GPS: www.cangap.ca/gpsprograms

Subscribe to our list: https://www.cangap.ca/subscribe TRANSCRIPT Michelle Dittmer

Hey there, everybody. And welcome to the Gap Year podcast. My name is Michelle Dittmer and I'm your host. And Gap Year Experts.

Today, we are going to be talking about all things GPS, which is the CanGap Signature Year-Long Program, and there is no better person to be talking to about this than the lovely Julianne, also known as Jules, member of our team extraordinaire.

Julianne

So, Jules, welcome to our podcast today. Thank you so much for having me. Hello, everyone. I'm Julianne, or Jules, as Michelle said, and I'm the Youth Program Manager for the GPS Program for CanGap.

Michelle Dittmer

I'm excited to be here. Amazing. So you've been in our atmosphere for a while, dabbling in different projects, but you keep coming back to us.

You keep coming back and getting involved in our Youth Facing Program.

Julianne

So why don't give us a short little snippet of that history and what you're bringing to the conversation today?

Absolutely. So I actually started in 2023 with the Impact Fellowship, and that's a program that we were running. Where we gave youth $1,000 to run a community social project.

And it was pretty awesome. had projects ranging from breakdancing girls in Saskatoon to outdoor adventures for immigrants to Canada to a mental health podcast for a second generation immigrant.

So the youth were really getting creative. And what I loved about that program was that there was no failure, so to speak.

We didn't expect the success of the project to be that you have 100 people attend your event or 70 immigrants that are registered for the outdoor projects.

It really was just about program management and design thinking. How do you think through a project? How does it go?

And if no one shows up, what did we learn? And so it gave the youth a lot of space and the coaches a lot of freedom.

So I actually started as a coach with that program and then transitioned into program manager after coaching with GPS, which was a different program in terms of providing coaching and workshops.

But we'll chat about that later, I'm sure. So that's kind And it's been my journey into now getting a bird's eye view of the program and the back end of what happens and being able to manage all of that, including the coaches for the youth now.

Michelle Dittmer

Amazing. And we're so lucky and grateful that you're here with us because you do an amazing job and the program is just absolutely flourishing, which is really exciting.

But for folks who are listening and maybe don't know very much about the GPS program, maybe they've got a young person just starting a gap year or they are just starting a gap year.

What does GPS have to offer? What does that look like? What does it feel like? What can people expect if they sign up for a GPS in 2026, 2027?

Julianne

Yeah, that's a great question. And we've talked about this a lot because there's a lot of misconception around gap years.

We typically think richer kids going backpacking around Europe and that can be part of it. Backpacking and travel can absolutely be part of a gap year.

But we've also. We've that a lot of kids are facing burnout during high school, sometimes bullying during high school.

We had the pandemic that happened and changed the structure of school and readiness for university. So a lot of youth are actually taking gap years just for a pause to be able to think about what is it that I actually want to do next and how do I figure that out?

And how can I take some space to be able to pour into myself? And I feel like that's the gap that CanGap really stands in with our program and our coaches.

And coaches are the top review that we get from all the gappers that go through the program in terms of the benefit that they have.

And so we're really here to walk youth through their gap year, to be able to structure and plan it in a way that fits for them.

And we've seen trends in terms of what they typically experience emotionally through the gap year. And we've been able to map self-directed courses, workshops, and themes for the coaching sessions to those trends and challenges like personal identity.

What are your values and how do you move through your career with those values? What is your health and weight?

What's like during your gap year? And how do you pour into yourself in terms of a fitness routine? What is your future career potentially going to look like?

Have you spoken to a mentor about it? Have you looked at your resume? These are some themes that CanGap focuses on both with our coaches and with our tools and resources.

And so it really, again, stands in the gap for a lot of the gappers and essentially gives them the support that's outside of mom and dad.

And hopefully someone who can hold space and ask questions and get curious, which I think many of us could have used at that age.

Michelle Dittmer

Yeah, I love that. And I love that it is something. Can you hear my dog?

Julianne

You know, GPS so much because it really.

Michelle Dittmer

is all the things that you didn't learn in high school, all of the things that you want to do from a personal or a professional standpoint, but at 18 to 21, where do you even get started with this?

And as parents, how do you even advise someone in 2026 when you did this 30 years ago and the world was a completely different place?

So GPS is that safe space to have that guidance while you're going through this exploration, while you're experiencing this transformation of like me pre-gap year to me post-gap year, because they're two different people.

And the growth that happens is just extraordinary. So GPS is that safe space, that vehicle that's going to guide folks along their gap year journey and keep them accountable to the goals that they might set.

for themselves. And I think the coaches play a really good role there. Maybe you could share a little bit more like what is a coach and what is their role and how does a gapper interact with their coach?

Julianne

Yeah, for sure. So we hire diversity of coaches really who had different life paths. And so we have the people who are in the coaching lane specifically, we have folks that are in learning and development in the nonprofit space, we have travel focused coaches who have explored the globe and started cafes in India or globe-trotting experiences in Southeast Asia.

And so really exceptional people that have gone through life. Most of us, I want to say, have taken a gap year or taken a pause at different times in our life and had to redirect or pivot or think about what our next steps are.

And all of our coaches hold a high degree of empathy and are able to hold space for the youth to just figure themselves out along the way.

So we have coaching sessions for 30 minutes a month. It's be themed looking forward for 2026, 2027, but really it is a chance for the gapper to come with what their questions are for their gap year.

And this can be anything ranging from how do I have this difficult conversation with family to I'm preparing for an interview and need support with that to I'm not able to wake up in the morning at the same time that I desire to.

11 a.m. seems to be my constant. And so coaches are really there. Like you said, they are people who have probably done it maybe 10 years ago or 15 years ago.

They may have been in the same space as a gapper. And so they're able to resonate with the experiences that they're having.

I myself have been a coach and I took a gap year and it was quite sudden because it was from an eye condition that I discovered I had and it changed my entire trajectory.

I went from university in South Africa to university in Canada. I was the first person to go to college in my family and figure out credit cards and living independently.

And going to uni all at the same time. And so that's an example of a coach that the kids are meeting and being able to sit and chat with.

So when they bring up things like, I'm scared I'm going to miss home, or I don't know how to work out a budget, we're able to talk about it while they're still at home and figure out what their next steps are for life.

And for university, some of them even end up going to UBC, the same as I did. So it's kind of nostalgic being able to go through course lists and say, maybe you don't want four back-to-back courses on a Monday.

And so just having someone who can walk in step with them, and that's who our coaches truly tend to be, and different personalities to match different people as well.

Michelle Dittmer

Yeah, they're all super cool and friendly people too, which I think is really nice because it can be intimidating to be meeting with someone.

And you can look at it like a mentoring relationship, you can look at it like a coaching relationship, but it's somebody that's just a couple steps ahead of you in life.

That is going to ask the right questions so that you can untangle all those thoughts in your brain and make some steps forward.

And I think one of the or the biggest problem with folks on a gap year is that they just get stuck in paralysis and there's too many thoughts, too many ideas, too many options.

So I'm just going to sit here and worry about all of them. And the coach can really help say, OK, let's focus on this.

Let's take this step first and help to guide and navigate through all of the processes that happen on that gap year, whether that's logistical, whether that's interpersonal, whether that's going inwards, whether that's setting yourself up for your future.

They're very skilled at supporting people, even if they're nervous and uncomfortable meeting somebody. Our coaches are so good. If you are a young person that doesn't have much to say.

Julianne

At the beginning, building that relationship so that you feel more comfortable to share is one of their areas of expertise for sure.

That's right. That's right. And I think it also is a grounding space for them to be able to figure out what they actually want, not just out of their day-to-day and their gap year, but moving forward.

And I see why the stats are so high for youth who've taken gap years being able to stick through their decision for what they want to study in university or what they want to do moving forward or where their balance is in their day-to-day life, because these are skills that they're able to build during their gap year.

I think having that coach there who isn't giving them what they should do, but helping them figure out what they want to do.

And so you'll have youth come to a session and say, OK, my dad's saying this and my brother's saying this.

And what do you think? But having someone who's like, well, how do you feel about what they said? And what is that bringing up for you?

And what do you feel your next step is? And have you thought about what you value? So having someone who holds space to say that, you know, your opinions matter.

And trying to figure out what those are outside of your family as well.

Michelle Dittmer

Yeah, it's just such a great tool to have. And I like that you said that it's not prescriptive. This is not like school.

This is not like a course. This is your journey. And it can be done alongside anything else that you're doing on your gap year.

So if you are traveling, hey, you know what? Virtual program, we can meet you before you leave, after you leave, while you're on the road even.

If you're taking courses, we can be alongside with that. Whether you are working or, like you mentioned, working on your personal fitness or wellness.

This can be done alongside of all those things. So it's not designed to be a nine to five, get you out of the house all day long.

This is a tool that's going to come with you with those other things. And if you don't have. If those other things set up yet, your coach can help you figure out, well, how do I find a volunteer placement?

How do I make a decision about a travel opportunity? But really, it's just such a powerful tool to have with you throughout your entire gap year, regardless of what else you're doing.

Julianne

Yeah, that's right. That's right. I love it.

Michelle Dittmer

And so what would the ideal person look like? So who signs up for GPS? What type of person?

Julianne

How would they know that this might be a good program for them? Great question. So it's all walks of life, really.

And the main thing that we have is that you're on a gap year or a pause. And some of that is straight out of high school and on a pause.

Some of you may have been on your second gap year and you just didn't know about CanGap before. So you're continuing the gap year and you're looking for some support and structure as you continue on.

And some folks have started university and gone through first year or second year or even third year. I decided actually I don't know about this program or my mental health isn't in the best space and I'd like to take a pause now before I go back or before I go back and change programs and need to figure out what that program even is.

So I would say those are typically the people that we have coming into CanGap for our programs.

Michelle Dittmer

I love it. What about if we have folks that are super quiet, super shy, super indecisive, and this feels really intimidating?

Is this a space for them as well?

Julianne

Absolutely. Absolutely. We have all the introverts, as you mentioned before on the call, we have the one word answers sometimes at the beginning of the program and that's totally normal.

Until you get to know us and trust us, it's going to feel a little bit scary. I think a gap year is already pretty scary.

So if you're on that journey, kudos to you already. There was a lot of courage you had to do to take that step.

And I think having more people along that journey, one of the things that comes up is loneliness and isolation on a gap year.

So if you have the opportunity to have a community. Even a virtual one, then I recommend you still jump in, even if you are the quieter person, because you'll be able to engage in a heartbeat platform, which is almost like a Discord platform where you can chat with other people.

It's not always face-to-face and video. And when it is, it's usually with your coach. So you're building an intimate and safe relationship.

And they will usually lead the conversations if you're not sure where to start.

Michelle Dittmer

I love that. And you mentioned the community piece as well. Tell me about the GPS community and what does that look like and how valuable is that?

Julianne

Yeah, community is huge, I think, for any season in life, but especially when you're kind of going against the grain.

So you're not going to university with a bunch of your friends. So who do you speak to about what it is that you're feeling or going through and who's having the same experience?

And I think CanGap really provides that. So we have an online platform called Heartbeat. So we put everyone who's registered into Heartbeat.

Next year, we're actually looking at creating little pods with your coach. And with your other gappiers that are in the pod.

So we're looking at like five to six other people to make it a little bit more intimate. So think like breakout room if we're going virtual.

And so there's chances to connect with other gappers and connect on different interests and experiences. So it's not always in relation to what is your plan for the gappiers.

Sometimes it's, do you watch anime? So do I. Or, hey, you love crocheting. Let's talk crocheting. Let's share pictures about crocheting.

And so it's offering that virtual space for connection. And that's also why we have our workshops as well. So we have themed workshops on different topics.

The coaches are able to lead them, but you also have a chance to connect with other gappers there and ask any questions you might have.

And we've gotten into the habit of leaving the workshop Zoom open so that you can stay and chat because we know socializing is huge in a year of a gap year.

I love that so much.

Michelle Dittmer

And I think another thing that's really exciting about the community is the inspiration. And positive peer pressure. When somebody is posting their crochet project, because I love crochet, we'll continue on with this example here, but it could be anything.

We have lots of digital animators. We have lots of folks that are posting projects that they're working on. But when you see other people sharing the things that they are working on or accomplishing, or like, hey, I got my driver's license, it's motivating for other people to be like, hey, I want to do that.

Or I want to post something that I'm working on, because look at all that positive response that we're getting and that positive feedback.

When you maybe don't have that local peer group, like you did maybe in high school, this is your, these are your people for your gap time.

And you're going to cheer each other on, you're going to support when things get challenging. And it's just such a powerful community of people that come together and all people.

People that get it, which is not always the case when it comes to gap years, because like you said, it's the road less traveled.

So you don't have to explain yourself. Everybody gets it. And you can commiserate, but you can also motivate and share tips and tricks that have worked for you in tackling some of the same challenges.

Julianne

Yeah. And what's awesome is it can go all the way to the end. Like we finished our program in July.

I still had a Gapper reach out two weeks ago who's feeling really nervous about college. So they asked if I could connect them with alum who've actually gone through the experience.

So I was able to start a little email chain and now she has two other people who are connecting with her via phone and email that have gone through CanGap and a Gap Year and started university.

So the community is still ongoing, even past the program as well.

Michelle Dittmer

I love that. And I'm going to go on a tangent here for a second and talk about the importance of networks.

As the world is shifting and changing, I'm going to be. On my little high horse here, the importance of networks has never been stronger.

You are not going to get a job by going on Indeed. You are not going to find opportunities by asking Google or even ChatGPT.

You need to be talking to people and connecting with other people. And the GPS program is a great safe way to start to learn how to build a network and how to connect with other people and how to create a sphere of people around you that are going to be healthy and supportive and encouraging and potentially able to open doors for you.

So the earlier you can learn these skills, the better you're going to be practiced at it, the more opportunities you're going to make for yourself.

So another little checkbox for GPS is learning that networking skill and then using it to your advantage.

Julianne

As you navigate life. So there's my little my little tangent.

Michelle Dittmer

That's a big one.

Julianne

And I'm glad you mentioned it, too. All right. So we've got everybody super stoked about GPS.

Michelle Dittmer

It is yearlong support. It is coaching. It is workshops. It is resources. It is community. It is everything you need to have a successful gap year.

Now, where can people sign up? How can they get involved? How much does the program cost? All of the details.

What are the details?

Julianne

So the program is free, which is a great sell to all of you. You can find it by going on CanGap's website.

So cangap.ca slash GPS. Or if you just literally type in CanGap GPS, it should be the first link that pops up.

And then there's an application that you can access on our website. An application may sound big and scary, but it will literally take about five minutes of your time.

And it's essentially asking, why are you taking a gap year? Or what made you decide to take a gap year?

What are you hoping for from your... which after this video hopefully you get a bit more of a sense on what a coach is and what they can support you with and just what are you hoping to see out of your gap year as well.

So very quick and easy questions, ways that we can contact you about your application and then we take it from there.

Amazing.

Michelle Dittmer

Yeah, we want to keep it nice and super simple. We don't want to be the barrier to you having a good gap year.

We want to have those doors open. So huge thank you to RBC for funding this program and making sure that anybody who wants access can get access to the program.

So kudos to them for seeing the value in this. And folks, head to our website, get registered. We are closing the doors in September.

So it is not now or never, but if you can get on that list, the sooner the better. We will have a better sense of who you are, what you need, and we can get you in that door even faster and get you the support that you

We know that end of August, beginning of September is the toughest time for taking a gap year because you're starting to see other people on other paths and a lot of self-doubt can kick in, a lot of maybe FOMO might be popping up as you're scrolling your social feeds and we want you to be excited about it.

So having that community there, having a plan, knowing you're being going to be part of something can really help with that mental health component of that transition out of summer after school into your gap time.

So get those applications filled out as soon as possible and we would love to see you in the program.

Julianne

Yeah.

Michelle Dittmer

Jules, thanks so much for joining me on the podcast today. It has been so wonderful to get the experts' opinion on this program and give us a little bit of a walkthrough.

Julianne

So thank you so much for joining. Thank you for having me. Excited to see everyone. one on the other side.

Michelle Dittmer

Until next time, all of our listeners, you guys have a great day and keep on adventuring.