For over 40 years, Raleigh International’s mission has been to inspire and mobilise young individuals to become active global citizens. We achieve this by creating life-enhancing experiences where they can challenge themselves, disconnect from technology, and reconnect with people and nature, all while making a positive and enduring impact in the communities we serve.

To date, over 55,000 young people from diverse backgrounds have volunteered on transformative community and environmental projects. These projects not only create sustainable differences where they are needed most but also empower our volunteers to gain valuable skills and experiences that shape their future lives.

We are proud to be part of the Impact Travel Group.

1. To add to this above, can you elaborate a little more on who you are and how Raleigh International started? 

Raleigh International was launched as Operation Drake in 1978 by King Charles III and Colonel John Blashford-Snell, with community service at its heart. Raleigh has proudly worked with more than 55,000 young people from over 100 countries.

Raleigh International runs expeditions for young people aged 17-24 for up to 10 weeks. They take part in up to three meaningful phases: a community project, an environmental project, and an adventure challenge. Our volunteer programmes are called Raleigh Expeditions for a reason. An expedition is a journey taken by a group of people with a purpose. The purpose of a Raleigh Expedition is to provide the platforms and opportunities for young people to establish themselves and become global citizens.

2. How do you ensure that the volunteer projects are meaningful and impactful for both the community and the volunteers? 

Raleigh International contributes to achieving the Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs) set by the United Nations General Assembly. We do this by working with young people, partners, and communities on two main programmatic areas: 1) volunteering and 2) challenge. The heart of Raleigh Expeditions lie in those programmatic areas, and they ensure Venturers receive immersive, impactful experiences, creating impact not just on the communities and partners they meet, but within themselves too.

3. How do your programmes help young travellers integrate with local communities and cultural practices in a sustainable way?  

On Community Projects, young people work side-by-side local communities in rural areas on development initiatives that support poverty alleviation and improve access to education. They work with project partners who are embedded in these communities, contributing meaningful action while learning important skills in project management and development. They also engage in cultural exchange sessions to integrate into the communities they’re working with and develop as active global citizens.

4. What sets Raleigh International apart from its competitors? 

Raleigh International is not just a gap year organisation; we are not a travel agency. Our mission is to create life-enhancing journeys and transformational experiences for young people where they can challenge themselves, disconnect from technology, and reconnect with people and nature—all whilst making a positive, long-lasting impact in the communities where we work.