World Challenge? Experiences

[Roseformeplease]

DD is keen to join WC next year for a trip. It is another school but they want to join with us to make up numbers. It costs £££ and the planning has all been done by the other school. So, no choice of destination etc. she is very keen but will have to raise approx £100 a month and we can only offer about 1/4.

Any experiences, good or bad?

I did a First Challenge trip about ten years ago (as a teacher, not a pupil). It was a walking trip to the High Atlas in Morocco with a couple of nights in Marrakech and Essaouira. First Challenge is the junior version of World Challenge so easier walks and shorter trips with no real public service element - it was basically a walking/camping holiday. However, it turned out to be incredible and was life-changing for some of the pupils. They improved their fitness, developed leadership skills and gained resilience. They also learned about bravery - I had a pair of very big boys who wanted to be in the SAS who needed to hold my hands all the way around the souks because they were frightened, whereas one of our timid girls who never spoke in school became the best leader we had. She went on to become head prefect, which I don't think she would ever have dreamt of beforehand.

It was well organised and competently run by our group leaders (forces people on their time off) and their disaster-management plans appeared robust (we met another school group with a pupil who had what they thought was a burst appendix and he was just waiting for the rescue helicopter they had organised, for example).

It was a lot of money but I think if your DD can raise it (working rather than sponsorship, if possible) I would heartily recommend it.

Thanks so much. She will be getting a part time job and already earns money as a musician so will put that towards it. The cost is £££ and I am keen, DH less so. But, she will undoubtedly gain a lot from it.