The first weekend of BSES’s ‘Next Generation Project.’ A scheme designed for young people who would not usually have the opportunity to participate in life changing expeditions such as “BSES’s”:http://www.bses.org.uk, and actively encourages and facilitates their involvement.

The weekend saw 30 young people volunteering for the project. The project itself is a fully mentored and supported 11 month programme of outdoor and expedition skills training, in preparation for a five week wilderness expedition. The programme begins in conjunction with “My Generation”:http://www.nextgeneration.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=32, a youth development charity that seeks to motivate young people from the Ladbroke Grove area of London, one of the poorest areas of the country. Since then “BSES”:http://www.bses.org.uk have also made partnerships with the East Side Young Leaders Academy in east London and the Home from Care and Young Offenders Team in Oxford.

The weekend was a challenging weekend aimed at promoting team work as well as practical skills required to achieve a successful expedition. “Neil Laughton”:http://www.neillaughton.com who is an ex-Royal Marine Officer and SAS soldier, Everest mountaineer and entrepreneur, put together the weekend activities. The weekend was packed full from learning basic map reading work, a walk in the South Downs, orienteering, team games and finished with a classic action packed assault course.

Keeping with tradition on a camping weekend, it rained adding an extra challenge to endure and over come. I was pleased to see determination and effort from most of the young people on the course and the willingness to achieve.

Our next weekend will be in late November to the Welsh mountains of Snowdonia, which will again aim at promoting the skills needed for expedition life and most importantly team work. For those that continue and complete the course, attending a “BSES”:http://www.bses.org.uk expedition, it will prove to be a truly life changing experience as all expeditions are.