Overseas trips: Travel broadens the mind

There's a lot of planning to do before the trip - from nine months to a year - and there are a number of sources that can help. Youth workers can link up with existing organisations such as Raleigh International, which runs three-month expeditions to destinations including Chile and Ghana. The training concentrates on personal development, cultural awareness, global issues and preparing people for expedition life. Alternatively, the British Council has a training pack that includes checklists and template documents such as parental consent forms. The Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council has a starter pack (currently in the process of being redesigned, it will be available from May), a registration pack that includes personal record of achievement kits for young people, and an information pack for projects that receive council funding. The Scout Association also has a number of helpful documents on its Scoutbase web site. These are designed for Scouting groups but can be adapted.