EXPEDITIONS
Community
Action.
Be part of something you’re proud of
TURN HARD GRAFT INTO REAL IMPACT.
The Community Action phase is your chance to turn hard graft into real impact through collaboration with local communities.
You’ll spend up to two weeks off-grid, totally immersed in a new culture and contributing to locally led-projects. It’ll be tough – days will be long, the work will be hard – but you’ll step up, you’ll adapt and you’ll go further than you thought possible.
This is a chance to be part of something bigger.
THE PROJECTS.
The kind of work you’ll be doing varies by destination and cycle.
Here’s a sample of the kind of project work you can expect:
BORNEO
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Road maintenance, construction of community buildings, trail development
WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
Local indigenous communities
LOCATION
Rural interior of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo
ACCOMMODATION
Sleep in community halls, bucket showers, squatting & sitting toilets
COSTA RICA
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Construct educational infrastructure, take part in intercultural exchange including language lessons and traditional crafts
WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
Local indigenous communities
LOCATION
Remote rural locations in Costa Rica’s indigenous territories
ACCOMMODATION
Sleep in rural classrooms or Ranger stations with access to toilets, showers and a kitchen
SOUTH AFRICA
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Support sustainable agriculture, build community and educational infrastructure, lead local action days
WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
Metsi Community Residents and local NGO Nourish
LOCATION
Near the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, Greater Kruger area
ACCOMMODATION
Basic camp, bucket showers, long-drop toilets, camping stoves
A Place to Prove yourself
There’s no more powerful way of learning about yourself and reflecting on what you want out of life than being with a group of people you don’t know (yet), living and working in an unfamiliar, remote location, with people whose lives are completely different to yours. It’s a great leveller. You’ll learn more about yourself during the 2-week phase than you would anywhere else.
This isn’t just about working with the local communities to support them, it’s about what you learn while you’re there about yourself, that will support you. It’s the space you need to break ingrained patterns and foster new perspectives. Along the way, you’ll find a version of yourself you didn’t know existed.
How can you reflect if you’re stuck in the same place, same habits, same people. This 2-week phase embedded in a local community is the ultimate escape and enabler for personal development.
LIFE ON
COMMUNITY
ACTION
Early start. Breakfast in the field. On site before the heat builds.You’ll be briefed on today’s objectives, today’s teams. You’ll work in groups alongside community members, mixing concrete, laying foundations, raising walls, finishing roofs. Midday break. Afternoon session. Evening debrief led by the Day Leader. By the end of two weeks, something permanent exists that didn’t before. You helped build it.
WORKING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES
Raleigh Community Projects are designed with and by the communities they serve. Projects are identified on the basis of genuine community need, built to last, and owned by the community long after the Expedition ends.
Community members work alongside Venturers every day, from the local foremen leading the physical work, to the local knowledge that shapes how it’s done. Cultural exchange happens naturally – language lessons, shared meals, conversations across barriers that gradually stop feeling like barriers.
LANGUAGE LESSONS
Learn from the people around you.
SHARED MEALS
Spend time together beyond the workday.
CONVERSATIONS
Understand different perspectives and experiences.
WORKING TOGETHER
Contribute as part of the wider community.
THE WORK
CONTINUES
AFTER YOU LEAVE.
WHAT YOU TAKE WITH YOU
What you build on site is only part of the story. The experience also contributes to your personal development — new skills, new perspectives, and a clearer sense of what you’re capable of.
YOU LEAVE WITH MORE THAN YOU BUILT.
New skills, new perspectives and a clearer understanding of what you’re capable of.
WHAT REMAINS
Community projects support lasting change aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
SDG 2
ZERO HUNGER
Supporting food security through sustainable agriculture and community gardens.
SDG 4
QUALITY EDUCATION
Building and improving educational infrastructure and access.
SDG 15
LIFE ON LAND
Community-led projects that respond to local environmental and social needs.
EXPEDITION LIFE FAQS
Community project
questions?
WHAT IS A COMMUNITY PROJECT?
Raleigh Community Projects are initiatives designed with and by the communities they serve, and on the basis of genuine need. They’re typically focused on infrastructural or educational improvements, and once complete, they belong to the local community. All Raleigh Community Projects are built to last.
WILL BE DOING WORK THAT TAKES AWAY JOBS FROM LOCAL PEOPLE?
No. Raleigh provides manpower and materials for projects that otherwise wouldn’t get done. We work alongside local communities to identify, design and carry out all projects.
WHAT IS ACCOMMODATION LIKE IN THE COMMUNITY ACTION PHASE?
Accommodation is simple and practical. You’ll sleep in community buildings or tents – depending on the project – and have access to basic toilet facilities.
ARE MEALS PROVIDED?
Yes – Raleigh provides ingredients for nutritious meals with fresh ingredients where possible and Venturers rotate cooking responsibilities.
HOW LONG IS THE COMMUNITY ACTION PHASE?
Challenge Phases on The Full Expedition (8-Weeks) are approximately 13 days, and 10 days on the 4-Week Rapid Adventure.
CAN I CHOOSE WHICH COMMUNITY PROJECT I WORK ON?
Project are assigned according to community need – not Venturer preference – this is a vital part of making real impact that lasts.