The British Schools Exploring Society is an industry leader in the field of wilderness expeditions. The society has been offering remote, challenging expeditions to locations across the world since its inception in 1932.

Originally specialising in polar exploration, the society now boasts a profile of expeditions covering polar, jungle, desert and mountain regions including expeditions in the Himalayas, the Amazon and the Arctic circle.

 

Programmes

The society runs a number of programmes including:

  • Summer expeditions for young people aged 16 - 22, designed to fit within an academic holiday
  • Gap Year expeditions for young people aged 18 - 25 offer a greater degree of challenge and tend to be slightly longer in duration, usually in spring or autumn.
  • Outreach expeditions incorporate a significant period of training in the UK before the expedition and are designed to offer opportunities for youth development to some of the UKs most disadvantaged young people.
  • Leadership development programmes are aimed at slightly older participants looking at starting a career and aim to use the expedition environment to develop leadership skills which can ultimately be put to use in a range of professional environments.

 

Expeditions

Our expeditions will take you to some of the most remote and challenging parts of the world and are for young people aged 16-25.

It doesn’t matter where your starting point is; you’ll return with more confidence in your abilities; greater resilience, determination and courage - and a sense of self-belief that will stay with you for life. While your place on expedition is primarily funded by grants, trusts and generous donors, each expedition has a fundraising challenge to help you to develop useful skills and confidence.

Please note you must be a British citizen or UK resident to join one of our expedition programmes.

 

Recruitment

The society operates with the help of our many volunteer leaders and we are lucky to boast some of the industries most well respected experts and professionals amongst our alumni.

Leader placements vary in terms of length, location and responsibilities. Whilst all positions are voluntary, places on expeditions are heavily subsidised and for some roles participation as a leader is free with all expenses paid for by the programme including flights, food and insurance. 

Our volunteer Leaders come to us from a wide range of professional backgrounds, including medicine, engineering, the armed forces, science, the media, academia, youth work and adventure leadership. They are also mums, dads, students, enthusiasts, adventurers; the curious and the capable.

Our Leaders are a diverse bunch but what they all share is a commitment to challenging and supporting our Young Explorers, to sensitively testing their boundaries and to helping them develop key life skills such as teamwork, problem-solving and adaptability, which in turn allow self-confidence to flourish.

Each expedition is different, and some require certain skills or experience due to the terrain, the climate, the type of transport used and in some cases, the specific group of young people who are going on the expedition.

In all roles, preference will be given to those with direct relevant experience although we will provide comprehensive training if you’re selected. If you have a love of nature and adventure, and the ability or potential to inspire, motivate and encourage young people, we’d love to hear from you.