As concerns grow over the impact of constant screen time on young people, new data from our 2024 Impact Report reveals a powerful trend: going phone-free during a gap year is helping young people feel mentally healthier, more present, and more confident.

As found in our latest Impact Report, 62% of young people who joined a Raleigh Expedition in 2024 said that being away from their phone improved their mental health. The findings follow the launch of our ‘No-phones’ policy in 2023, which sees participants disconnect from their devices for the majority of the programme.

Further findings revealed that 85% of participants said they enjoyed being away from their phone while travelling, and 65% believed their phone habits would change after their Expedition experience.

On Expedition, our Venturers take part in 5-, 7- or 10-week programmes in South Africa, Costa Rica or Borneo, involving community projects, environmental work, and adventure challenges. With many of our Venturers currently on a gap year, Raleigh Expedition support them to build key personal and professional skills while contributing to meaningful projects that make a difference.

These structured, screen-free environments give Venturers the chance to connect with themselves, their teams, and the natural world around them.

Raleigh introduced our no-phone policy to support Venturers to fully immerse themselves in the Expedition experience, allowing them to build confidence, develop key professional skills in leadership and teamwork without digital distractions. The move came alongside growing awareness nationally of the negative impact of constant connectivity on young people’s ability to be present and manage stress and anxiety. We believe hat structured digital detoxing could serve as a blueprint for other youth programmes looking to support meaningful personal development.

Lucy Brophy Fernandez, Managing Director of Raleigh International, said:

“While we had initial concerns that young people wouldn’t sign up for a mostly phone-free programme, the response has been overwhelmingly positive – not just from participants, but from their parents too. Many now tell us that our phone-free approach is one of the reasons they want to join a Raleigh Expedition, as they are actively seeking a break from the noise and pressure of being constantly connected.

We can’t ignore the growing impact of digital overload on how young people experience and navigate everyday life. We believe that by creating space to step away from screens, we’re seeing young people develop stronger friendships, a renewed connection with the outdoors, and a clear lift in self-awareness, motivation and personal growth.

A Raleigh Expedition is a powerful experience in its own right – building resilience, confidence and a strong sense of purpose in young people. Our screen-free approach simply enhances the experience, creating the conditions for participants to be even more present, connect meaningfully with their teams and surroundings, and immerse themselves in purposeful project work that makes a real difference.”

 What our Venturers say

Josh, 19 from London, joined a Raleigh Expedition in South Africa from October to December 2024 through the organisation’s bursary scheme. He said: 

“Before I went on Raleigh, I’d find myself just endlessly scrolling… I was so addicted to staring at my phone and just doom scrolling that I never got anything done. Once I did Raleigh, I feel so much more free, like there’s more time in the day and that I can do more with myself.

Not having my phone took the escape away. It made me more confident in being able to socialise as well. I have noticed a significant improvement in my mental health across the board. The digital detox was the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Fern, 19 from Cholsey, also joined the South Africa Expedition in late 2024:

“Before Raleigh I would panic thinking about not having my phone. But after Raleigh, sometimes my phone dies in the middle of the day and I’m at uni, and I’ll just keep working. My mates wonder where I am – but it’s fine, I’m just at uni. I think people panic when their phone dies but I don’t as much anymore.

On Raleigh you don’t have your phone, you have no distractions. You have to face every challenge because you have to think about your team. That experience teaches you how to regulate and manage yourself.”

These findings are our 2024 Impact Report, detailing the experiences of its participants. Key statistics from the report include:

• 98% said the Expedition helped them build awareness of their strengths and weaknesses
• 97% reported improvement in communication skills
• 94% reported leadership development
• 84% described the Expedition as one of the best things they have ever done

You can now read the full 2024 Impact Report, which details Raleigh’s impact on both its participants and through its project work, now.