Leader FAQs

At British Exploring Society, we understand every Leader is unique and that sometimes it can be hard to see what ‘box’ you fit into.

Our advice is don’t worry too much. We will let you know if we think you are better suited to another role from the one you have applied for. Remember that you can always apply for more than one role. We’ll let you know your best fit.

The table below gives you an idea of the qualifications and key skills and experience that we look for in each role:

Leader Role	Qualifications Required	Key Skills & Experience	Example Experience & Backgrounds
Basecamp Manager	None Required	Logistics, supply chains, ‘fixing’, meal planning, inventory management	Management consultant, engineer, supply chain manager, military
Medical Leader	Doctor or Paramedic	Personal expedition experience Desirable: wilderness / remote / expedition medicine.	GP, A&E consultant, paramedic
Social Leader	None Required	Working or volunteering with young people, especially those with greater support needs	Social worker, youth worker, pastoral lead in school, youth club volunteer, SEN teacher
Knowledge Leader	None Required	Leading workshops for a diverse range of learning styles and educational backgrounds	School teacher, outdoor educator, photographer, filmmaker, artist, scientist
Adventure Leader	Summer Mountain Leader	Experience leading young people in the outdoors	Outdoor instructor, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award instructor, climbing instructor

Yes, please do. You’re welcome to contact our Expeditions Team for advice before or during the application process. Just email expeditions@britishexploring.org.

No, not for most of our roles.

Although we need you to demonstrate your passion for the outdoors, that could mean hiking with friends or adventurous holidays.

Expedition experience is useful in any role, but unless you are applying to become an Adventure Leader, we are more interested in the specialist skills and experience you bring to the role you are applying for.

For example:

• A youth worker who loves going hiking on the weekends could make a fantastic Social Leader.
• A sixth form teacher who spends a week cycle touring in Europe every summer could make a great Knowledge Leader.
• A project manager who’s a member of their local canoeing club could make a brilliant Base Camp Manager.

Becoming a British Exploring Society Approved Leader is not a competitive process. Every Leader Profile is anonymised and judged on its merits.

If your Leader Profile is strong enough and you pass your interview, you will become an Approved Leader and eligible to apply to join one of our programmes.

Building the right Leadership team for each of our programmes is a difficult process as we try to balance skills and experience across multiple Adventures and Expeditions.

We receive more applications than we have places on our programmes, so we are unable to offer everyone a role – at least at the beginning of the process.

If we don’t have a role for you at first, we may offer you a Reserve Leader role.

Reserve Leaders are invited to Leader Training events and are ready to step onto a programme if another Leader withdraws. Leaders withdraw for various reasons every single year, so if you can be flexible, we strongly recommend you accept a Reserve

Show us your enthusiasm for working with young people, your willingness to learn, and any relevant skills (outdoor, pastoral, medical, teaching, etc.).

Being flexible with what role and destination you are available for also helps.

Our Leader Induction and Leader Training weekends are essential preparation to help Leaders create a safe and inspiring environment for young people.

Both weekends are mandatory for all Leaders on our Adventure and Expedition programmes.

Please make sure you can make the dates by checking our Key dates for Leaders.

If you have unavoidable clashes that mean you cannot attend one of the two Leader training weekends, please let us know as soon as you can. We may still be able to offer you a position as a Reserve Leader.

Occasionally, a Reserve Leader who has not attended both Leader training events will be placed on a programme. In this case, you will need to attend catch-up training with your Chief Leader to cover the essential information you missed.

Yes. All leaders complete safeguarding training as part of the online Leader Induction weekend.

Leaders need an up-to-date two-day outdoor first aid qualification. If you are placed on a programme, British Exploring Society will cover the cost of this course up to the value of £200.

You’ll help young people develop confidence, resilience, and a sense of connection with nature.

Have a look at one of our recent Expeditions Highlights videos. You can read a several Real Life Stories from previous young people to get a sense of the impact they experience.

You’ll gain leadership, expedition, and youth work experience, as well as lifelong connections and entry into our leader community and network, which includes professionals spanning a wealth of industries and walks of life.

Yes and yes. Many leaders return to lead again and again, often taking on new roles and bringing their experience to new environments and cohorts of young people.