Become A Leader

To join our community of leaders, you’ll need:
Outdoor qualifications: such as Mountain Leader Summer (UK) or an equivalent certification.
Travel experience: a minimum of 4 weeks independent travel in Central/Southern America, Africa, or South-East/Central Asia.
Leadership experience: hands-on experience leading adventurous expeditions or activities, ideally with secondary school-aged students.
Safety expertise: a proven track record in maintaining safety, implementing safety standards, and managing incidents or emergencies effectively. 

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Epic destinations – explore incredible locations with itineraries linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Competitive pay – get rewarded for your skills and passion.
Bonus – for leading more than one successful trip in a year.
Professional growth – earn training credits and develop your leadership expertise.
Exclusive discounts – access special offers from partner outdoor brands.
24/7 support – industry-leading backup from our Operations Centre and medical assistance partner ensures peace of mind.
All expenses covered – flights, accommodation, food, transport, and reasonable costs taken care of.
Flexible trips – choose from adventures lasting 8 to 30 days.
Guidance & support – our dedicated Leader Management Team is with you every step of the way.
Life-changing experiences – create unforgettable journeys that inspire both you and the young people you lead.

If you meet our requirements and share our passion for travel, youth development, and purposeful adventure, we’d love to hear from you. To begin, simply send us your CV along with a covering letter outlining your relevant experience and what excites you about becoming a World Challenge Expedition Leader.

If your application is successful, we’ll invite you to a short, informal Teams call with our Leader Management Team. This conversation is a chance for us to get to know you better and learn about your skills, leadership style, and motivations, and equally for you to ask any questions about World Challenge and the Expedition Leader role.

Following this initial call, candidates who move forward will be invited to attend our Potential Leader Course.

All potential leaders must attend and pass our 2-day training and assessment course before they are eligible to lead. The PLC is an opportunity to meet us in person, learn about our organisation, and for us to get to know you. You’ll also meet World Challenge staff and current leaders.
Day 1: Primarily indoors, covering World Challenge as a company, our expeditions, initiatives, support systems, and ethos.
Day 2: Practical outdoor assessments and simulations with peers. 

You’ll gain professional development and networking opportunities while we assess your:
– Ability to ensure team safety and make sound decisions in the field, including dynamic risk assessments.
– Capability to embody the World Challenge ethos and take ownership throughout.
– Skill in engaging with your team, building rapport, and showing adaptability.
– Accommodation and food are provided throughout the weekend. 

Expedition Offers
You will receive a provisional expedition offer before attending the PLC, confirmed once you successfully complete the assessment. We aim to match leaders with expeditions based on availability, qualifications, experience, and local area where possible. We also consider your preferred locations to encourage repeat leadership opportunities.

You could be considered as an Expedition Assistant.  It’s the same application process and if successful you’ll get fabulous professional development by accompanying a team on expedition and being part of the adult leadership team.  If everything goes well, we’ll offer you an expedition as a leader for the following season or mentor you until you are ready to lead.  Whilst unpaid, you’ll still receive valuable training credits and we’ll cover all flights, on trip food, accommodation & transport, as well reimbursing all reasonable expedition related expenses.