
Media & Radio Gap Year
Good communication is essential for strong relationships, healthy families, and communities! Our mission is to train and equip effective communicators to share good news and influence change.
Our Media & Radio Gap Year program is designed to help you grow in your faith while sharpening your skills in the creative arts industry. You will have the opportunity to put your skills into action both on the field and in an office environment.
The Media & Radio Gap Year is designed for both those who have experience in the communication sector, and for those who are considering a career in communication in the future.
If you have a desire to use communication as a tool to affect lives, communities, and nations, then this gap year is for you!
How it works

Step 1: January – June: Build your foundations
10802NAT – Certificate III in Discipleship
The first five months of your journey will begin in sunny Townsville, Australia where you will do a Reef to Outback Discipleship Training School (DTS). During the first half of the course, you will learn about different topics each week from experienced speakers.
Topics include:
- The Nature and Character of God
- Hearing God’s Voice
- Identity
- Relationships
- Biblical Worldview
- Living a Missional Life
You will also be placed in a small group to help you further unpack your training with others on a weekly basis. Further to this, you will be matched with a mentor who will catch up with you regularly to check in on your faith journey.
The DTS includes 13 weeks of lectures, and nine weeks of outreach in Australia.
Step 2: July – December: Grow in your media and radio skills
CUA31020 – Certificate III in Screen and Media
During the next six months of your gap year, you will complete our Introduction to Radio and Media, which will equip you as a radio announcer, podcaster, or audio producer. As part of your training, you will be working at 99.9 Live FM where we are announcing to over 26,000 listeners in North Queensland with the message “It’s Good to Be Alive.”
The core units of the course will develop and extend your critical thinking skills and prepare you to work effectively within the creative arts industry. The course is delivered through a combination of online and face to face learning, as well as ‘on-the-job’ experience throughout the course.
During the course you will learn how to follow a design process, present programs on air, prepare and organise content for broadcast, complete basic sound editing, make presentations and effectively use social media for greater impact.

Dates and Cost
Dates
2022
30 January – 16 December 2022
Cost
Course fee: $9,490 AUD*
Outreach travel expenses & food and accommodation during practicum: $4,000 – $5,800 AUD
Your fees include all of the training you will receive during the DTS and the Introduction to Radio and Media, and outreach expenses. Your training fee includes all your meals, accommodation, wifi, laundry facilities, transport, an Australian wildlife experience (meet a koala and feed kangaroos!), and use of our campus facilities including library, computers, lecture rooms, chapel, courtyard, and cafe – right in the heart of the city, close to the beach, restaurants, and shops.
Your outreach includes all of your meals, flights, accommodation, transport, t-shirt, any extra visas, insurance, and field supplies.
*Does not include travel costs to and from Townsville, food or accommodation between courses, visa, health insurance and immunisations. Additional travel costs may be added for outreaches further abroad during your DTS.
Accreditation
10802NAT – Discipleship Training School
On completion of all 6 units of the course you will obtain a Certificate III in Discipleship.
DSPREL001 – Develop relationship with God
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to successfully respond to the truth that God makes Himself known to all people and to God’s grace in initiating relationship. It requires the ability to gain life-changing understanding of who God is and how He communicates through the Bible, prayer, and worship in order to adjust beliefs and behaviours.
DSPDCC002 – Develop Christian Character
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to make responsible decisions that bring joy to God and glorify Him in response to God’s holiness, lordship and love. It requires the ability to live in right relationship with God and others. It also requires the ability to recognise Jesus’ authority and respond in surrender and dependence in all areas of life.
DSPYWM003 – Contribute to a Youth With a Mission community
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to successfully contribute to an international, apostolic missions community of Youth With A Mission. It requires the ability to understand Youth With A Mission’s purpose, beliefs and values to make a positive contribution to the community. It also requires the ability to live in right relationship with God, authorities and others.
DSPSPA004 – Practice spiritual authority
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to exercise the authority every believer has to make a significant contribution for spiritual breakthrough. It requires the ability to walk in spiritual authority through intercession, worship and strategic prayer. It also requires the ability to recognise the activity and influence of Satan and the authority given to every believer through Jesus Christ.
DSPEVA005 – Contribute to evangelism
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to successfully proclaim the truth that God pursues the lost and desires all to be saved through Jesus Christ. It requires the ability to communicate God’s truth in a way that demonstrates His character. It also requires the ability to show God’s love through acts of compassion.
DSPPCM006 – Participate in a Christian missions outreach team
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to make a meaningful contribution towards the completion of the Great Commission through serving in a Christian missions team. It requires the ability to engage in the preparation of and participation in team activities in a variety of settings. It also requires the ability to adjust to another culture and review outreach activities.
Course Work
The Discipleship Training School is a combination of heart revelation and head knowledge with an emphasis in practical application. There is also a component of written course work which helps students understanding reach a deeper level as processing and application takes place. Our assessments utilise a range of methods including: journals, workbooks, book reports, outreach reports, self-assessment checklists and supervisor reports. The DTS is a holistic in nature and units of competency are delivered concurrently enabling you to develop your skills, knowledge and character.
*for recognition of prior learning/course credit, please see the Staff and Student Handbook.
Austudy, Abstudy and Youth student allowance is available for Australian applicants.
CUA31020 Certificate III in Screen and Media
CUAWHS312 Apply work health and safety practices
CUAIND311 Work effectively in the creative arts industry
CUAAIR211 Develop techniques for presenting information on-air
CUAAIR311 Present programs on air
BSBCRT311 Apply critical thinking skills in a team environment
CUAPPM312 Plan and prepare program content
CUAWRT301 Write content for a range of media
ICTWEB306 Develop web presence using social media
CUAAIR411 Plan and Conduct interviews
CUASOU202 Perform basic sound editing
CUASOU304 Prepare audio assets
For recognition of prior learning/course credit, please see the Staff and Student Handbook.
Austudy, Abstudy and Youth student allowance is available for Australian applicants.
Prerequisites
Applicants need to have graduated High School or equivalent and have a sense of call to Christian missions.
International Students
When overseas students apply, proficiency in English will be specifically assessed. Offers of placement in a course will include any applicable requirements for English language proficiency. Copies of documents, or telephone interviews will be used to verify information provided by students on language proficiency. Bridging courses will be recommended where these are deemed necessary.
International students on student visas are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress and attendance to meet the requirements of the student visa.
YWAM Townsville is bound by the National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students. The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations regulates the education and training sector’s involvement with overseas students studying in Australia on student visas. It does this through the Education Services for Overseas Students legislative framework. This protects Australia’s reputation for delivering quality education services and the interests of overseas students, by setting minimum standards and providing tuition and financial assurance.
The legislation mandates a nationally consistent approach to registering education providers so that the quality of the tuition, and care of students, remains high. The professionalism and integrity of the industry is further strengthened by the ESOS legislation’s interface with immigration law. This imposes visa related reporting requirements on both students and providers. A simple explanation of the framework is located here.