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Getting out there
Raleigh is a youth and education charity. Since 1984 we have inspired over 30,000 people from all walks of life, nationalities and ages to get out there and rise to the challenges of life on expedition.
Raleigh aims to provide a transformational journey for everyone who joins an expedition, awakening a sense of life-purpose and self-belief by involving participants deeply with people, places and communities. We run expeditions throughout the year in Borneo, Costa Rica & Nicaragua and India.
Raleigh is for life
Our aim is to inspire people to be all that they can be; to awaken a sense of life purpose and belonging, and unite them as part of a global community who can work together to rise to the challenges of the world we live in.
Making a difference
As a charity, we raise funds to make our expeditions the best possible experience for the volunteers and the local communities. In this role, we act as a catalyst for change, bringing local communities together, sometimes for the first time as one team and giving them the resources and motivation to achieve sustainable development. To do this we work in partnership with local communities, NGOs and governments in host countries, following the Millennium Development Goals where we can.
Explore the different tabs to find out more about our work the areas which you can support.
Our projects
Project work is at the heart of the expedition challenge. Working in some of the most remote and harsh locations in the world our teams have achieved incredible results. Our permanent expedition staff work with valued international and local project partners as well as host communities, to identify appropriate project opportunities. The projects expose our volunteers to the impact of volunteering and collaboration and our aim is that these experiences ensure life long active global citizenship.
Community projects allow venturer teams to work alongside community members on projects that aim to improve the quality of life of those communities.
These partnerships have seen the construction of hundreds of education facilities, bridges and water systems commissioned, health and community centres built together with the health screening of tens of thousands of people.
Venturer teams have been welcomed into thousands of communities across the world, increasing their confidence in working with people from different cultures and their understanding of global sustainable development issues.
Read about our different community projects in Borneo, Costa Rica & Nicaragua and India.
Environmental projects allow venturer teams to experience unique environments from marine to desert to rainforest, working with the custodians of protected areas, international environmental organisations and scientists to assist in the global conservation effort.
Read about our different environmental projects in Borneo, Costa Rica & Nicaragua and India.
Adventure projects provide physical challenges that test venturers' resilience as they trek across deserts, over mountain ranges, through rainforests, canoe down rivers, across lakes and battle the waves while coastal kayaking.
Read about our different adventure projects in Borneo, Costa Rica & Nicaragua and India.
Partnership programme
For 25 years, Raleigh has secured funding so that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds can take part on Raleigh expeditions. We work closely with local authority youth services and agencies across the UK, including Fairbridge, Groundwork, and Foyer Federation, so that we can help young people from all walks of life benefit from a Raleigh expedition. The post expedition support for these young people takes places with their sending organisations. Our expeditions are a unique way of switching young people on to global issues and helping them to develop their skills and confidence. Over the past 25 years, approximately 1,600 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds have taken part in a Raleigh expedition.
Our work is being exported internationally and four years ago a new society was formed. Raleigh Bermuda works with local young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and sends them on overseas expeditions. In 2007 we started our award winning partnership with Bridging the Gap in Australia who refer 12 young people a year.
Find out more information about our Partnership programme.
Host country venturers
Participants from all over the world take part in Raleigh expeditions. Through our unique host country venturer programme, we fund and actively encourage young people from all our host countries to get involved with expedition life.
The aim of the host country programme is to empower young local people from a diverse range of backgrounds to be able to assume positions of responsibility and leadership in their communities and apply their new skills, knowledge and attitudes to improving their career development prospects.
The programme enables young people to work alongside participants from other countries, make friendships for life and broaden their outlook on the world.
Our international societies exist because of the passion and commitment of our host country venturers who continue to make a difference in their own communities after expedition.
Impact and sustainability
Raleigh is a charity committed to ensuring its work provides a sustained positive impact to the communities we work in and the participants who volunteer.
Read more about our impact on young people, our impact on the communities in which we work and about how we ensure our work is sustainable.
