Group travel with a difference
Planning a school expedition? Discover the Projects Abroad difference
Secure, impactful, and trusted international group trips
Choosing the right educational travel partner makes a world of difference. When planning school trips abroad, you need total assurance that student safety is prioritized, your students’ financial investment is completely secure, and your learning objectives are achieved.
As the pioneer in volunteer abroad programs and educational group travel, with over 30 years of experience, Projects Abroad has established the gold standard for school expeditions. We have permanent teams on the ground in every destination to deliver support alongside unmatched stability and risk management – giving you, and your students/families, total peace of mind.
Experience true operational stability
Following the recent liquidation of GVI (the organisation behind the World of Difference brand) and rising scrutiny over unethical “voluntourism,” educators are rightly questioning who to trust. Today, schools need absolute certainty – not just that an itinerary is ethical and educational, but that the provider possesses the financial security and institutional backing required to safeguard student funds.
Do not leave your next cohort’s safety, experience, or school funding to chance. Partner with a provider where financial reliability, decades of heritage, and deep on-the-ground support come standard.
High impact programmes built for groups
Our itineraries help students grow their skills and confidence through hands-on, experiential learning:
- Expeditions: Push students beyond their perceived limits through challenging treks that build resilience, independence, and team cohesion.
- Conservation & Environment: Work alongside professionals on vital wildlife and environmental monitoring, from sea turtle surveys to rainforest preservation.
- Community Development: Show students the power of collaboration through locally-led education and infrastructure projects.
- Medicine & Healthcare: Inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals with clinical exposure in real-world environments that simply cannot be achieved at home.
- Learning Service: Expansive service learning programs that expose students to the essence of the country – immersing them in local cultures and community-led projects.
What should you look for when selecting a school travel provider?
When evaluating alternative providers, look closely at who actually runs your trip and handles your funds. You’ll want to partner with an ethical student travel organization.
Projects Abroad goes above and beyond standard industry practices, to your school board and risk management committees:
| Feature | Projects Abroad standard | Industry practices to watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Operational Infrastructure | Permanent teams on the ground in every country. | Freelance guides, independent contractors, or third-party tour agencies. |
| Financial Security | Completely independent with robust cash reserves and comprehensive bonding. | Vulnerable to market shifts; heavily dependent on external parent company funding or student deposits. |
| Ethical & Safety Verification | Certified B-Corporation, externally accredited. Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge holder. | Internal ‘badge of ethics’ without external verification. |
| Track Record | 30+ years of uninterrupted, proven global operations. | Varied; many newer, white-labeled brands or broker networks prone to restructuring. |
| Emergency Support | 24/7 dedicated, in-country medical and emergency response teams. | Remote emergency hotlines or reliance on local public infrastructure. |
Start planning your trip
Speak to one of our Institutional Relations Managers to explore tailored program options for your group.
FAQs
What differentiates “purposeful group expeditions” from regular school trips?
Unlike standard tourism, our purposeful group expeditions are built on decades of research and ethical fieldwork. We integrate service learning programs that are co-designed with local community partners to ensure projects address actual needs, rather than just providing a temporary “photo opportunity” for students.
How do you ensure your volunteering programmes are ethical?
Projects Abroad is a Certified B Corporation (or ‘B Corp’) which means we have joined the global movement of businesses committed to using business as a force for good.
B Corps are companies that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.
We’re proud to be part of this global movement using business as a force for good.
Are these programmes suitable for students with no prior travel experience?
Absolutely. We provide 24/7 expert support on the ground, managed by local staff who are trained in safety and crisis management. Our goal is to make experiential education abroad accessible, safe, and transformative for students of all backgrounds and skill levels.
Can you align these programmes with our existing school curriculum?
Yes. Our international development field trips are flexible and can be mapped to specific academic standards or subjects like biology, geography, or social studies. We work closely with educators to ensure that the impact-driven global citizenship cultivated during the trip reinforces the learning objectives defined back in the classroom.