Why Raleigh?

With an increasing variety of career break options, it can be hard to find the right organisation to suit your needs. There are many reasons why our volunteers choose Raleigh, but why should you?

Our environmental projects and community projects are worthwhile and sustainable
We're unique because each of the countries we operate in has a permanent headquarters, with permanent members of staff building long-term relationships with the government, NGOs and local communities. And we only work with partners who have a genuine need, so you'll be making a positive contribution to the host country.

We access remote areas
Having a permanent presence in the host country and partnerships with government ministries and local communities means we often work in national parks and other areas that haven't been opened to tourists. We're also able to obtain special permits to trek through remote landscapes you couldn't access travelling independently or through other career break organisations.

We're safe
Safety is our number one priority and our volunteers receive comprehensive safety training. Due to our experience we represented the Year Out Group in setting up the BS8848 specification (British Standard) for the provisions of visits, fieldwork, expeditions and adventurous activities outside the United Kingdom.

We encourage our volunteers to be all they can be
Our expeditions are tough, but enable you to develop key skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, perseverance and leadership, all of which are sought by universities and employers and will help set you apart from the crowd.

We support our charitable activities with all money raised
As a charity we're able to encourage people from all backgrounds and nationalities to join an expedition. We put all the money raised into funding the development and materials for projects as well as for bursaries for participants from the host country and disadvantaged young people from the UK and other countries.

We're more than just a career break. We are for life
The friends, memories, experience and skills you'll take away from our expeditions will remain with you for a long time, and could even present new career opportunities! You'll be joining a network of 30,000 people keen to share their stories and make a contribution to society on their return.

Don't take our word for it, watch our videos, browse the word of mouth and read our blogs to find out more about our expeditions and what life on Raleigh's really like.