Year 13: a valuable chance to recentre myself

Jocelyn: So, Jemima, in 2024 after you finished high school you chose to do a Christian gap year program. Can you tell us why you decided to do that?

Jemima: Throughout Year 12 it felt at times like a bit of a battle between my faith and everything else that was going on, so a Christian gap year was super appealing in not only offering a different pace to school but also a valuable chance to re-centre myself before I began uni.

Jocelyn: There are a few different programs around—what made you pick the Youthworks Year 13 program?

Jemima: There were a couple of reasons I picked Year 13 over other options. Firstly, the high school I went to had recently begun an option for employment for Year 13 students that would pay enough to cover my tuition costs for the program, which made the logistics part very straightforward! Some other differentiators from other programs were that:

• It’s a gap year! Not having a diploma or certificate you’re working towards (as in other similar programs) meant the focus was on the learning and discussion rather than assessments or having to meet certain criteria.

• It’s very church focused. Year 13 was all about getting us more involved in our church. I was encouraged and able to pick up a lot of extra ministries last year, such as serving at my church’s Japanese service and other kids’ ministries.

• It’s community focused. Being able to stay a night each week at the Loftus campus meant that the fellowship and learning extended past the learning during the day. We often would have further discussion about what we’d learnt from class that day late at night! It also meant there was such valuable time to form friendships and chat to everyone, not just who you’d sat with in class that day.

Jocelyn: Something else that I really liked about your choice of Year 13 was that it didn’t contribute towards your HECS debt. It’s very easy to hit the HECS limit these days and a concern I had as a parent was that you kept enough funding available for your university study and perhaps further theological study or a masters in the future.

Was there anything that surprised you about the year?

Jemima: I think I was surprised by how much I learnt! In hindsight I think I was quite arrogant in my Bible knowledge at the end of Year 12 and was sceptical that Year 13 would push me as much as it did. But every week I came back having learnt something new or having been challenged to think about something differently. It helped me realise how much I don’t know and how much more there is to know about God’s word. I’m excited to know that I’ll never stop learning and getting more out of God’s word.

Jocelyn: What were the best bits of doing Year 13?

Jemima: The community! It’s pretty special to get to have a ‘sleepover’ every week with other people your age going through the same thing as you or being encouraged by how they’re living as a Christian in an experience completely different to yours. 

The other incredible part of the year was the mission trip to Fiji. It was so encouraging and challenging to see what it looks like to be a faithful Christian in Fiji. It was also such a joy to get to put my ministry skills into practice in a completely different context and (sometimes) on the fly! My absolute favourite part of Fiji was getting to lead a discussion group in the village I stayed at for 10 days in Raiwaqa with some Year 7 girls and talk to them about the assurance we have in our salvation—something I also worried about in Year 7.

Jocelyn: What were the most challenging aspects?

Jemima: For me, affording the monthly payments was a new challenge. I’d never been earning so much money in a month, but I’d also never had to meet regular payments every month! Sometimes it was stressful juggling multiple part-time jobs, however by the end of the year I felt like I had got into a rhythm, and it was much more manageable.

Jocelyn: What would you say to a highschooler considering doing a Christian gap year program?

Jemima: It is such a worthy investment of a year. Instead of following the rush into the next thing and the next thing, it’s such a special and cool time to grow in your faith, explore things you likely haven’t thought about before and think deeply about what the rest of your life will look like living as an adult Christian.

Jocelyn: Thanks Jem! As parents we also deeply appreciated the focused year of Christian discipleship and the way it has shaped and grown you. We have been so thrilled to see you keep maturing as a Christian, to grow in wholeheartedly serving others and to keep thinking deeply about how the lordship of Jesus Christ will shape your entire life. Your love for Year 13 has also had a big impact on our family and our younger four are now all talking about doing it too!

Find out more about Youthworks' Year 13 Program on their website.

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Jocelyn Loane is the author of Motherhood: How the Gospel Shapes our Purpose and Priorities. She is married to Ed, and together they have five children. They have been serving in full-time ministry in a variety of contexts since 2008. They are a part of Naremburn Cammeray Anglican Church.

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