“When it came to taking my gap year I had choices to make.  I wanted to spend some of the time travelling and experiencing new things, but as a student, I also had to think ahead and save some money for college.

In the end I decided on a Leading Edge expedition.  It gave me time to earn money, while I was busy planning for the expedition, the selection weekends and training.

I met other young people from across the UK and from different backgrounds that I don’t think I would ever have met otherwise.  We learned to appreciate each other’s skills and get along with each other in the hardest of circumstances.

We rock climbed, mountain biked, camped, canoed, caved, hill walked and pony trekked.  In the summer we headed out on expedition together.  The expedition lasted four weeks and that month changed my life”. 

[19-year-old student]

www.leadingedge.org.uk

The Dorset Expeditionary Society, which approves Leading Edge Expeditions ventures, is a registered charity that has seen over fifty major expeditions take place in the last nineteen years.  There are many different types of trips on offer each year, from climbing trips in South America, Canada and the Alps to building a school and health centre in Kenya.  There are also peer led trips – in 2005 these are going to Italy, Mexico and Peru. The Dorset Expeditionary Society is so keen to promote young leaders that they provide grants to members to allow them to undertake Young Leader’s courses.  More info is available at: www.gapyearexpeditions.org.uk