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Location
Multiple Locations +3
  • Spain
  • Portugal
  • Morocco
Length
4 - 12 weeks
Program Tags
Adventure Travel College Credit Conservation Cultural Immersion Hands-On Learning Language Immersion Post-High School Volunteer Abroad
Financial Support
Need-based funding, General grants/scholarships, Payment plans, 529 Plan eligibility, BIPOC funding

Program Details

Activities
City Exploring Farming Hiking Sightseeing Surfing Swimming
Timeframe
Fall Spring
Housing
Apartment Guesthouse Host Family Hostel Hotel
Age Min.
17
Age Max
20

Pricing

Starting Price
17000
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Meals Park Fees Transportation
What's Not Included
Airfare Domestic Airfare Equipment SIM cards Travel Insurance Visa
Jul 31, 2023
Wish List
2 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

A chance to experience the diverse cultures, languages, and histories of three unique Mediterranean countries – Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Partnering with local organizations, we gain exclusive access to people and places not typically seen by your average traveler. Work on your Spanish skills while living with a local host family and dive deep into the idea of sustainable living at an off-the-grid eco-village in Southern Spain. Cross the Strait of Gibraltar and examine how the movement of people has influenced the culture and language of Morocco. Learn basic Darija (Moroccan Arabic) and support a local association as they distribute endemic fruit trees on a carbon offsetting project and contribute to the financial sustainability in the area. Hopping back up to the Iberian Peninsula, we lend a hand on a volunteer run project working to reduce urban food waste and support community members in need in Porto and explore the Portuguese coastline.

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Video and Photos

ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester
ARCC Western Mediterranean Gap Semester

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Diversity & Inclusion

BIPOC Support

ARCC Programs believes that social responsibility is an essential aspect of our programming and business operations. We strongly believe that cultural immersion, cross-cultural conversations, and reflection on these experiences can increase self-awareness, promote empathy, and foster growth. We recognize that our staff, student, and participant body is not as diverse as we would hope. We also recognize that there are inherent imbalances in access, particularly when it comes to international travel and outdoor experiences. Recognizing the current imbalances and accessibility issues within the world and more specifically within experiential/outdoor education/gap year programs, we are able to move towards a more just and inclusive world.

ARCC is committed to increasing accessibility for our programs and supporting socioeconomic diversity within our community. ARCC’s Voyagers Scholarship provides up to five scholarship opportunities per semester to students who identify within the BIPOC community. These scholarships can range anywhere from $5,000-$8,000, and also includes gear lending and mentorship support throughout the gap year experience. The Voyagers Scholarship can also be combined with ARCC Financial Aid. If you are interested in applying, please reach out to gap@arccprograms.com.

LGBTQIA+ Support

ARCC Programs believes that social responsibility is an essential aspect of our programming and business operations. We strongly believe that cultural immersion, cross-cultural conversations, and reflection on these experiences can increase self-awareness, promote empathy, and foster growth. We recognize that our staff, student, and participant body is not as diverse as we would hope. We also recognize that there are inherent imbalances in access, particularly when it comes to international travel and outdoor experiences. Recognizing the current imbalances and accessibility issues within the world and more specifically within experiential/outdoor education/gap year programs, we are able to move towards a more just and inclusive world.
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Neurodivergent Support

Our Essential Eligibility Criteria outlines the requirements for participation in our programs to determine if our programs are a good fit for each student. While ARCC Gap is not a therapeutic program, we do provide an inclusive environment for students with neurodivergence. We have had students with various diagnosed neuro-differences (such as dyslexia, ADHD, ASD, TS, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, etc) find success on our gap semester programs.

During our interview process, we have open communication with students and families about the support ARCC instructors are able to provide students while on program. For students needing some additional support, we ask them to complete a “Plan of Action” with their at home support system. These plans may include additional information about communication/support preferences, coping strategies, and/or specific requirements to encourage the student to engage with the program effectively. Once on the program, our instructors will periodically check in individually with each student, help the student stay accountable to their Plan of Action, and provide general support to all participants.

Accessibility Support

ARCC Gap Travels to locations around the world that have varying levels of accommodations for students needing accessibility support. For this reason, please see our Essential Eligibility Criteria to see if our gap programs are a good fit for you.

Whenever possible (determined by specific location and program - ie. infrastructure, access to specific health care facilities, dietary options available, etc), we have successfully assisted students with anaphylactic allergies, chronic medical conditions, and other accommodations on programs. We recommend that you reach out with specific concerns to your Gap Director to find the right fit for you.

Impact

Sustainability

At ARCC Programs we recognize that all human action impacts our physical environment and the living beings on the planet. Everything on Earth plays a role in supporting life and we believe that it is our responsibility to have a net positive impact with our actions. We strive to balance the impacts of our programming by partnering with communities and organizations with similar goals toward bettering our planet for future generations.
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Ethical Impact

ARCC believes that we (as an industry) need to shift the way we think about international service. We (as a society) have now come to realize that international volunteers often benefit from their service experience, while the impact on the community can be short-lived or even harmful. We at ARCC are taking the years of experience that we have in the international service learning realm, have reflected on previous mistakes, learned from our in-country partners, and have made changes. Our goal is to live, work, and learn alongside community members while also making a positive impact. We are committed to partnering with local community-driven organizations to focus on reciprocity while contributing to established long-term projects. It is our responsibility to engage in mutually beneficial community-driven projects and teach fair trade learning principles to our students.

Program Highlights

  • Explore Madrid, Sevilla, Marrakesh, Tangiers, Lisbon, Porto and other Urban Centers to Learn about the Region’s Rich History
  • Partner with a Community Run Association to Improve Local Infrastructure in the High Atlas Mountains
  • Take Spanish and Arabic Language Lessons
  • Participate in Multiple Homestays Experiences and Become Immersed in Local Culture
  • Support Efforts to Reduce Food Waste and Help the Houseless Population in Porto

Scholarships

ARCC Gap Financial Support

A gap year is something that we hope to make accessible for all students and ARCC works to level the playing field so that all applicants may have a successful opportunity for education, travel, growth, and self-discovery post-high school. We strive to uphold these pillars of our organization through a variety of means. Each year ARCC Gap awards financial aid to support students who would otherwise be unable to cover the full cost of tuition. Additionally, ARCC is committed to increasing accessibility for our programs and supporting socioeconomic diversity within our community. ARCC’s Voyagers Scholarship provides up to five scholarship opportunities per semester to students who identify within the BIPOC community. These scholarships can range anywhere from $5,000-$8,000, and also includes gear lending and mentorship support throughout the gap year experience. The Voyagers Scholarship can also be combined with ARCC Financial Aid

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Questions & Answers

About ARCC Programs

ARCC has been offering summer and gap programs for young adults since 1983. We offer an opportunity to live and learn in some of the greatest classrooms on earth. Our programs take students on a journey of discovery of local peoples, places, cultures and ideas through project-based learning, rich cultural immersion, personal reflection and...
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  • Go Overseas Award
  • Go Overseas Award
  • Go Overseas Award
  • Go Overseas Award

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