Once an expedition has gone live, the planning, training and fun can begin!

The Outlook Programme is designed to ready the participant for the challenges of expedition and along the way develop some new life skills too.

The phase is delivered in a hybrid format of both face-to-face and interactive, online events. Along with additional supporting activities, resources, and materials to help teams get ready for travel.

The Outlook Programme

This is an example of a typical expedition timeline.

Map Your Journey

From individuals to team: this is where participants start to get to know one another, speaking with classmates never spoken to before, perhaps even strangers from the year above or year below. Collective aims and objectives for the expedition will emerge and solidify.

This early-in-programme 'Map Your Journey' event is where the expedition itinerary is borne. What has happened before gives the shape. Now it becomes real based on the wants and needs of the team and the school. Deciding on the challenge of the trek, the type of service learning community initiative, what animals HAVE to be seen, the preferred activities - a jungle trek or white water rafting or maybe both.

It's also when we'll introduce some key themes for the pre-expedition journey including; Leader-in-Me, Responsible Travel and Fundraising.

We prefer to do the 'MYJ' event face-to-face. It's an opportunity for participants to speak and be listened to, to have a voice in a safe space. To share your personal goals and bond with your new team. Expedition teams become friends for life by the way, we have seen it time and time again.

Expedition Leader Meeting

The personal touch of this face-to-face session with the experienced Expedition Leader helps create the sense of community within the team which encourages interaction, socialisation and trust.

For leaders, it’s important they get to know and understand the team early on.

At this face-to-face session, teams and parents meet their assigned Expedition Leader, who will explain the expedition itinerary that has been prepared in detail by Outlook's Planners following the 'Map Your Journey' session, as well as providing information on kit and any pre-departure requirements.

Participants also learn about each of the different leadership roles that they will be taking on whilst overseas.

Expedition Training Event

To prepare students for the challenges of expedition, teams will spend time together on Expedition Training, usually in the Easter holidays prior to Expedition.

This event will be tailored to the needs of the expedition. If the team is going on a challenging trek in Nepal or Peru for example, they can expect a tough weekend treking and camping in the nearest UK National Park. Hopefully the weather will be kind, it isn't always. Or if the expedition is little more pre-planned and a little less arduous, then a day as a team at or near school will focus on team-building and relevant preparation.

It's an opportunity to build on those all-important team work skills as well as practise some of the leadership roles that the team will take on in-country such as budgeting, preparing meals, videographer, equipment manager and many more.

Final Preparation

Chobe national park boat cruise Team Hero Botswana

Before departing, the group will gather for a final check-in of personal and group kit [to be shared out) and documentation, making sure everyone has everything they need and is ready to travel.

The team also run through the itinerary details and assign group roles for the first leg of the journey.

Other Outlook Programme components

Fundraising

Every family’s financial situation is different, so we strongly encourage and support young people to self-fund the majority, sometimes all of the expedition cost so that everyone has the opportunity to experience the adventure of a lifetime.

Outlook provides support, resources and inspiration from initial sign up all the way through to the final payment date, to help students stay motivated and on track. For more information head to our Fundraising page.

Leader In Me

Based on Covey's famous '7 Habits', Leader in Me is a comprehensive evidence-based learning model designed to develop life-readiness and increase effectiveness in young [and not so young]. Recognised in large corporate environments around the world, it's relevant to youngsters too and gives them a step-up versus their contemporaries. Encouraging a young person to find the 'Win Win', to 'Start with the end in the mind' [2 of the 7 Habits] - these are life skills that also come in very handy on an expedition!

Through our partnership with Leader In Me, we provide all participants with the opportunity to access extensive online resources and live webinars, with a CV-enhancing qualification if completed.

Webinars

A series of webinars run by both the Outlook team and external experts help prepare the participant, the teacher and parents for expedition. We're developing more all the time, watch out for webinars on wellbeing on expedition, kit guidance, destination specific topics, managing finances, fundraising ideas and more.

Outlook Enterprises

Fundraising v Dragon's Den. If a team wishes to do so, we'll run an Outlook Enterprise project with them. From the germ of a business idea, to a pitch, to seed investment and expert support by an Outlook Dragon, the team are supported to take an idea and commercialise it for the benefit of raising team funds for the expedition. Killing 2 birds with 1 stone: success helps contribute to everyone's fund raising, but even more... business life skills are developed, entrepreneurs emerge...

Outlook Alumni

Coming soon: An Outlook Alumni organisation, that helps expedition teams keep in contact beyond school and also supports some of those next steps, including connection with employers who know the value of a young person whose has developed new skills on expedition.