Milly's Journey From Care To Borneo Bursary
9th March 2026 | Lauren Moses | 5 min read
Key take aways
-
Finding Confidence And New Opportunities
-
A Fully Funded Place On Expedition
-
Life On Expedition In Borneo
-
Looking Ahead For Milly
Finding Confidence And New Opportunities
Milly spent time growing up in care and moved into a children’s home in Newcastle after the Covid lockdown period. After completing the Princes Trust Explore Programme, where she excelled in trekking, orienteering, and leadership skills, Milly’s care worker recommended she take on a new challenge. She gained the confidence to apply and win a place on a Raleigh Expedition through the SES Raleigh Explorer Award.
She joked about when she received the news that she had secured a place on Expedition in Borneo, the moment didn’t quite feel real:
”The email said you’re going to Borneo and I didn’t know what to do. I just thought, right – I need to get packing.
A Fully Funded Place On Expedition
Milly is one of a small number of young people selected to receive a SES Raleigh Explorer Award. This bursary provides fully funded Raleigh Expedition places for 18-24 year olds who are from disadvantaged backgrounds to take part in meaningful project work while developing confidence and leadership and who might otherwise have not had the opportunity to take part.
The award recognises young people with determination, potential and a willingness to challenge themselves.
Life On Expedition In Borneo
During her 10 week Expedition, Milly has been helping protect fragile habitats and support local Dusun communities with sustainable projects that improve access to essentials like clean water, toilets, and community spaces.
She’ll soon take on an adventure challenge, part trek, part eco-tourism work, river safari and orangutan sanctuary visit. She will trek through rainforest landscapes and work alongside local communities on sustainable development projects.
It’s a big step from life in Newcastle, but it’s exactly the kind of challenge she was ready for.
”Being stuck in Newcastle my whole life is a bit boring and I just want to get out there and see the world in a different perspective.
Looking Ahead For Milly
Milly has big plans for the future when she returns from Expedition. She hopes to train as a bricklayer, turning her love of building into a career.
For now, though, she’s focused on making the most of every moment in Borneo.
”With everything that’s happened to me throughout the years I just don’t want to lose any more of my time.
Applications Now Open
Exciting news! You can now apply for the Raleigh SES Explorer Award.
About the author
LAUREN MOSES | Content Assistant | Raleigh International
Lauren works at Raleigh International as the Content Assistant. She supports content and communications across the organisation. Having taken part in a similar programme to Raleigh in 2018 – spending a month in Cambodia – she knows first-hand how life-changing these youth travel expeditions can be.
