Information for parents and guardians
Looking after what’s important
Your child tells you they’re going overseas. Whether your first thought is panic, pride or ‘What colour are we painting the new spare room’ – we understand you’re going to have questions. Here’s why you can feel comfortable and confident when they travel with us.
Why BUNAC
1962
Trusted by travellers for 60 years
24/7
Round the clock help and support
In-country
Support everywhere we operate
100%
All our team have worked abroad
In many ways, we’re the parent of the work abroad world. Founded in 1962, we’re recognised as one of the most established work, learn and intern abroad organisations in the world. Heck, many of our travellers were recommended to us BY their parents who had done BUNAC trips when they were younger.
With age, comes experience. And to date, we’ve helped over half a million young people have life-changing adventures – watching them return with more confidence, more skills and a greater empathy for the world around them.
Our customers are genuinely like friends to us, and their trips are as familiar to us as our own – which is why generations of travellers book with us time and time again.
Know before they go
What we do
Our BUNAC work and intern abroad programs run from two weeks to two years, and are typically done as part of a gap year, summer holiday, uni placement or career break. What ties all our programs together is that they have a purpose beyond just seeing the world. Whether that’s earning money on a working holiday, getting work experience on an international internship, or making a difference teaching English overseas.
How it benefits
We were taught to never lie to our parents, so the truth is – yes, travelling is going to do amazing things for your child’s social life and Instagram likes. But we also believe that crossing borders has the power to break down boundaries – helping us to become more independent in our actions and more accepting in our thinking. Not to mention, more employable – showing future employers there’s the motivation to work abroad.
How it works
We don’t just help with the visa or the sponsorship – we help with finding a job, a place to live and with all the essentials such as setting up tax numbers and overseas bank accounts. Depending on the country and program, this could mean us sorting a pre-arranged job before your child goes away – or connecting them with our trusted placement partners and in-country teams on the ground to help them get set up when they arrive.
How we support
For many of our travellers, this might be their first trip away from home. We provide the tools and opportunities to see the world in a supported way and with a purpose – gap year light, if you like. At home, we provide 1-on-1 guidance at every stage of the planning, booking and visa process. Abroad, we have a BUNAC office or partner organisation in every country we operate in – where our travellers can go for advice and to see a friendly face.
What we do
Our BUNAC work and intern abroad programs run from two weeks to two years, and are typically done as part of a gap year, summer holiday, uni placement or career break. What ties all our programs together is that they have a purpose beyond just seeing the world. Whether that’s earning money on a working holiday, getting work experience on an international internship, or making a difference teaching English overseas.
How it benefits
We were taught to never lie to our parents, so the truth is – yes, travelling is going to do amazing things for your child’s social life and Instagram likes. But we also believe that crossing borders has the power to break down boundaries – helping us to become more independent in our actions and more accepting in our thinking. Not to mention, more employable – showing future employers there’s the motivation to work abroad.
How it works
We don’t just help with the visa or the sponsorship – we help with finding a job, a place to live and with all the essentials such as setting up tax numbers and overseas bank accounts. Depending on the country and program, this could mean us sorting a pre-arranged job before your child goes away – or connecting them with our trusted placement partners and in-country teams on the ground to help them get set up when they arrive.
How we support
For many of our travellers, this might be their first trip away from home. We provide the tools and opportunities to see the world in a supported way and with a purpose – gap year light, if you like. At home, we provide 1-on-1 guidance at every stage of the planning, booking and visa process. Abroad, we have a BUNAC office or partner organisation in every country we operate in – where our travellers can go for advice and to see a friendly face.
Let’s talk
Props to all the parents and guardians out there whose children are planning an adventure. It’s a big deal – and we know that the fun times can be mixed with worrying times. You’re probably going to have different questions and concerns to the person travelling, so let’s jump on a call and talk it out.
Common FAQs
We want to make all our guardians and parents proud, but if you can’t find the answers you’re looking for, get in touch.
Do many people travel alone?
Yes! Depending on the program, typically 80-90% of our customers are solo travellers. Our programs are a great way to meet like-minded people from all over the world, making connections and friendships that last a lifetime.
If you’re concerned about your family member arriving into a new country on their own, talk to the team about the best program for them. For example, our Work New Zealand and Work Australia programs have an Ultimate option.
This is a fixed-dated intro week that includes airport transfers, arrival accommodation, guided trips, job workshops and social events – usually with up to 20 other BUNAcers. Typically in this week, our program participants will start to find jobs and places to live together.
To encourage our travellers to connect with each other before they go, we also set up a WhatsApp group, Facebook group or online group orientation. Plus, our BUNAC teams and partners on the ground are support and social hubs for our travellers – where they can reach out for assistance and come along to regular social events.