Young Explorers Group

The Young Explorers Sector Specialist Group has been developed to champion and encourage active, challenging, and safe expeditions involving young people. It is widely recognized that considerable benefits are derived by a young person from participation in an expedition, a self-sufficient, extended residential peer group experience with a purpose, whether in the UK or abroad.
Note:

1. The Young Explorers Sector Specialist Group is henceforth referred to as “Young Explorers Group” - YEG
2. For YEG’s purposes, a young person is defined as under 25 years of age.
3. YEG is an inclusive group and aims to work with all ages who provide extended residential ventures (expeditions), including what is frequently termed “Adventure Tourism”.

 

 

 

What does it aim to do?

The YEG will work towards its aims by providing advice and support to expedition leaders and expedition providers from all sources, be they from a school, youth group, charity, voluntary, uniformed, or commercial body. This it will do through:

• lobbying and championing the cause of the Expedition sector in other Outdoor organisations by representation at as senior a level as possible,
• counselling the needs of expedition providers and individuals to formulate policy to prepare statements on good practice and provide guidance and specialist comment,
• mentoring those new to the experience of running an expedition,
• the evaluation of providers as “another party” against self-declaration of conformity to BS8848,
• providing Grants and Awards to individuals and peer groups taking part in ventures and honouring those with a commitment to expeditioning,
• focusing its work on developing platforms for discussion (fora), and contributing to IOL webinairs and conferences at a National & Regional level,
• publishing information of current events, interest and concern in the expedition sector through a website, media channels and in print (Horizons)
• actively lobbying and advocating the value of youth expeditions to relevant parties including parents, education managers, media, and Government.