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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Holiday (maybe careers) experiences for 16yo?

11 replies

RogueMum · 30/03/2024 09:43

DS is finishing school and heading to college soon. He’s missed out on all the school overseas experiences (it’s always limited numbers, name in a hat, and his never got chosen. He’s pretty gutted). Want to find him some sort of summer teen experience if we can. He’s not at all sporty so definitely no sports camp. I’ve found one that looks ok, a London-based careers camp, hours away from us so he’d need to do residential. But it feels very commercial and based on their aggressive marketing and some suspicious reviews, I’m not wholly convinced they’re ’about the kids’ if you catch my drift. It would be £3,240 for one week (inc residential) or £5,745 for two, which feels v expensive for what it is, compared to some of the adult residential courses I’ve done. We couldn’t afford to do the latter, and they make the former sound like a ‘poor man’s’ version, with the best elements crammed into week two, so I’m not really sold on it.

Anyone know of anything else? Could be overseas if it’s with a really safe package provision that takes full care of them (he’s quite young for his age), or something in the UK that would be a fab careers or personal growth type experience? I can’t seem to find much else.

Edit: though it doesn’t have to be careers/learning etc. I mainly just want him to have a once in a lifetime experience to make up for all the stuff he’s missed out on. We’re doing a family holiday, but he has young siblings, and I think he’d appreciate something that was just for him.

OP posts:
goldenretrievermum5 · 30/03/2024 15:14

How on board is he with the idea? At 16 I’d be inclined to leave a lot of the decision making to him, but in all honesty if you’re looking to spend ££££ on a trip away for him it would be better to wait until he’s 18 and more ‘proper’ travel experiences are open to him. The real joy of school trips is travelling with friends so to go away with a random group in the UK would be defeating the point a bit in my opinion. Groups like Contiki are specifically for young people and are very popular with teens. Specific tours of theirs, mainly in Europe are for 18-22 year olds only so that would suit him well. There’s also the options of Camp America, or even more typical gap year experiences of Australia, south east Asia, interrailing, ski season etc if he’d fancy any of that

CadyEastman · 30/03/2024 17:34

How likely is he to have trips at College?

I understand that you feel he's not had the full experience of trips in school. I think this has happened to lots of DC. My DC1 managed one trip before the latest pandemic and my DC2 never got to go on any.

DC1 is older and has don't interrailing with his friends and is now planning another trip this Summer.

I've done a city break with DC2. They will be earning fairly soon so imagine they'll be off travelling too.

At 16 I'd leave him to his own devices really unless he's really very excited for this experience?

Rocknrollstar · 30/03/2024 18:16

I think he’d learn more about life from working for a few weeks in the summer.

Savourycrepe · 30/03/2024 18:28

What does he like doing? There are lots of group language courses abroad which could be fun, or something like the Outward Bound Trust is he is into the outdoors.

I think I know which course provider you’re referring to. DD did one and enjoyed it, though for the social experience there seem to be better activities.

CadyEastman · 30/03/2024 18:44

How about something like this if he's thinking of Uni? Deadline is tomorrow though.

NewName24 · 30/03/2024 19:15

It would be £3,240 for one week (inc residential) or £5,745 for two,

Shock

Are you able to apply for NCS ?

There is no way in the world I'd be throwing over £3k at a week away for a 16 yr old. That is just shocking.

Or would he be up for joining Cadets or Explorers and see where that leads?
Any youth group doing DofE ?
Join St John's?
Do a lifeguard qualification ?
Apply for a job over the Summer - earn for himself, have money in the bank for driving lessons next year; gain experience, mixing with people other than school friends, maybe also dealing with the public.

Riverlee · 30/03/2024 19:28

Learn to sail , either UK or abroad. Either do a residential course and learn on dinghies, or do a yachting course. You can also do Tall ship adventures.

(I think sailing would be fine for a non-sporty lad)

Hairyfairy01 · 30/03/2024 23:14

Outward bound do some great teen experiences.

RogueMum · 06/04/2024 18:21

Thanks everyone, some really good suggestions here. Part of the issue is he’s very insular and doesn’t have many friends, so is unlikely to go and do something outside of one of these structures opportunities, but he was really keen to go on the trips and getting passed over for them all made him feel quite hopeless about everything. I’ve given him some of these suggestions and he’s thinking about them, he’s quite keen on the look of NCD in particular!

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