I am part of a group of pupils from St. Wilfrid's RC College who are currently fundraising towards a World Challenge expedition in Belize, South America. The expedition will be the culmination of a skills development programme which includes raising funds (£2890 per student!), researching and planning the expedition itinerary. I will be away for 14 days in total. Within that time I will be trekking through the Mayan tropical rainforest to a remote village, where I will work with a number of local organisations supporting the improvement of learning conditions in the local school.

World Challenge:

World Challenge are 100% educationally focused, and every programme they run is designed with students’ personal development in mind, through experiential learning and gaining new skills including the management of money, decision making, learning from mistakes, leadership skills and working as a team. All our Expeditions incorporate our ethos of Challenge, Participation and Environment:

• Challenge: Students face a series of mental and physical challenges, taking them outside their comfort zones and teaching them how to overcome adversity, cope with new environments and become more aware of both their strengths and weaknesses.

• Participation: Tapping into our expertise and extensive resources, students participate by working as a team, taking responsibility, setting and meeting objectives and learning to become confident decision-makers.

• Environment: Students become more environmentally aware by exploring diverse landscapes, finding out about other cultures or discovering more about their own. They will gain a broader global perspective and a greater respect for the world.