Our History

45+ years of volunteering overseas

Lattitude Global Volunteering, formerly GAP Activity Projects, was founded in the UK in 1972 with the mission to find and create worthwhile volunteer work, in a safe environment, for school leavers looking to do a ‘gap year’ between school and university.

The first volunteers were sent to Germany and from there GAP/Lattitude Global Volunteering progressed to where we are today: sending volunteers to a variety of countries across Asia, Africa, The Americas and Australasia, as well as welcoming volunteers from across the world into the UK.

Lattitude Global Volunteering (GAP) was awarded charitable status in 1976 and became a founding member of the Year Out Group in 2000. In 2001, Lattitude Global Volunteering offices were opened in Australia and New Zealand, followed by Lattitude Global Volunteering, Canada in 2009.

In 2008 GAP re-launched as Lattitude Global Volunteering to address the impact of the organisation as more focused on youth development and global volunteering whilst continuing its mission to make a positive difference to the lives of others whilst developing and educating young people worldwide.

Today, Lattitude Global Volunteering operates from across the world, with in-country managers and a team of dedicated volunteers to ensure that volunteering opportunities are available to all young people.