The Forum

Young Explorers' Trust

In Spring 2004 the Young Explorers’ Trust, the umbrella organisation of youth exploration societies and providers, launched a Standing Forum for all organisations involved with overseas youth expeditions. It would meet regularly to share best practice in youth overseas expeditions and produce basic common denominators as a means of ensuring that all such organisations met the minimum standards necessary for the safe and effective delivery of youth expeditions overseas.

Since then the Forum has met regularly twice a year to discuss topics of interest to the whole spectrum of youth exploration, including charitable and voluntary societies, commercial providers, youth organisations and schools. By sharing ideas and good practice and by reaching jointly agreed outcomes on the major issues, our sector of the expedition scene can be more confident in our future development.

The YET, in partnership with these organisations, has produced papers on:

  • Selection of Leaders
  • Overseas Expedition  Leader Development
  • Youth Expeditions and Personal Development.
  • YET Environmental Fieldwork handbook

The Forum has been part of the development process for:

  • The BSI Standard for Youth Expeditions
  • Skills Active – National Occupational Standards in Expedition Leadership

Recent  Forum topics include:

  • Sharing Learning from expedition incidents
  • Use of IT on Expeditions
  • Psychological aspects of youth expeditions
  • Expeditions and sustainability

Membership of the Forum is open to all who have an interest in youth exploration whether or not they are members of the Young Explorer’s Trust.

Forum normally meets in Spring and Autumn at various venues in the south and further north.

Previous Forum topics and outcomes

21. Youth Expeditions in a post-Covid environment

Sunday 28 March 2021, 2pm
More details

Outcomes

  • Live webinar from guest speakers
  • Q&A with guest speakers

18. Inclusivity

May 2013

Download notes for the 18th Forum


16. Psychological Aspects of Youth Expeditions

May 2012: King Edward VIth School, Handsworth

Outcomes

  • Presentations
  • Discussion
  • Workshops

15. Sustainable & Ethical Expeditions

April 2011: World Challenge, High Wycombe

Outcomes

  • Case studies
  • Sharing views

14. IT on expeditions

October 2010: The Grammar School at Leeds

Outcomes

  • Discussion
  • Hands-on examples

13. Career Development & Transferable Skills in Expedition Leadership & Management

June 2010: Skills Active, London

Outcomes

  • General discussion on proposals which may lead to qualifications

12. Expedition Incidents

October 2009: Solihull School

Outcomes

  • Types of incidents and why they occur
  • Case studies

11. National Occupational Standards; BSI 8848 & EPA Badges; Inspiring Britain’s Teenagers

March 2009: RGS

Outcomes

  • NOS: Update
  • BSI 8848 & EPA Badges: Update
  • Inspiring Britain’s Teenagers: Address and discussion

10. Skills Active; Practice, Policy & Research, making connections; Environment

October 2008: The Grammar School at Leeds

Outcomes

  • Skills Active: Update
  • Practice, Policy & Research, making connections: Information on current research
  • Environment: Launch of YET Environmental Fieldwork Handbook

9. Skills Active, National Occupational Standards; NVQs on Expeditions

March 2008: Skills Active, London

Outcomes

  • Skills Active, NOS: Discussion on proposals
  • Update on NVQ

8. Environmental Responsibility & Projects for Expeditions; Youth Expeditions & Personal Development; Food Hygiene

October 2007: Bolton School

Outcomes

  • YET Booklet subsequently produced on environmental responsibility
  • Good Practice Paper on personal development
  • Food Hygiene Paper

7. BSI Development; EPA Badge scheme

March 2007: RGS

Outcomes

  • Progress reports

6. BSI Standard Discussion; NVQs on expeditions

September 2006: King Edward VI School, Handsworth

Outcomes

  • Outline of proposal for BSI 8848

5. Current initiatives BSI, NVQ, NOS

March 2006: Thornbridge Hall, Bakewell Adventureworks

Outcomes

  • Resume of present initiatives

4. Benchmarks for overseas expedition providers

September 2005: Lifesigns, Aldershot

Outcomes

  • Summary of recent developments

3. Leader development; Mountain Sickness; Regulation

April 2005: Buxton World Challenge

Outcomes

  • Leader Development Good Practice Paper
  • Mountain Sickness Guidelines developed

2. Leader Development

October 2004: RAF Cranwell

Outcomes

  • Wide-ranging discussion

1. Leader Selection

April 2004: RGS

Outcomes

  • Good Practice Paper