"I blame you fully for my travel bug - I just want to keep going!"
Emma Grundy - 2005 - Peru Children's Project

You will work on long term projects.

Each Quest Overseas team has their own project goal (e.g. classroom, sand dam, kitchen, community centre, rehabilitation centres), and this goal will be part of QUEST’s ongoing long-term aims for the project. We work with all our projects for a minimum of 5 years and we work with local project partners to ensure we are doing work that is needed and has been asked for. We do not impose ourselves or volunteers on the community - they have approached us and they work with us to develop the project for the best of the community and the teams we send out.

Working with long term partnerships in this way ensures that our project partners understand what type of work a Quest Overseas team can do and they can ask Quest Overseas to provide realistic and achievable project goals.

You know your money is going to the right place.

Quest Overseas provides all team members with a detailed cost breakdown, so you know exactly where your money goes. We also insist that all team members donate a sizeable proportion to our projects. This pays for all your needs on the project, so volunteers are not burdening the communities we work with. It also provides funds to buy materials so we can complete large projects to an exceptionally high standard. It is also essential that part of each person’s donation is set aside to provide long-term funding to our project partners, so the project can be maintained once the group has left.  You will also always be involved in deciding where any left over project funds are spent (you will have a very good idea by the time you finish your project). So far our contributions to overseas projects totals nearly £1 million. 

You know you are travelling ethically and responsibly.

Quest Overseas operates a ‘positive impact policy’, in that everything that it does, has a positive effect on man and the environment. We ensure this is the case by employing our own fully qualified staff to manage all of our expeditions. We do not send you off to join another company, as we cannot guarantee such a high level of service. Please read our Responsible Travel Policy.

You are part of a team.

You live and work together towards the same goal, not only with people from your team but also with the local communities. The feeling of comradeship as you succeed and complete your project goal together is one of the main reasons for opting for a team expedition. It really does become a journey, as you face ups and downs together with the same common purpose.  

You are given responsibility.

You decide how your team is run and your project, under guidance from an experienced Quest Overseas expedition leader. 

You are given flexibility and variety.

Although your team will have a main project aim, there are always opportunities to run small side projects - these can range from painting classrooms, organising a football match or sports day for local children, working alongside local women’s groups to share useful skills, working with the youth theatre group to put on productions and raise awareness of issues that affect the communities you work with, building an adventure playground for African children and the list goes on. These side projects are only limited to your imagination.

You will be fully supported.

All Quest Overseas teams will have 1-2 highly experienced expedition leaders. Our leaders are responsible for making sure all our projects and expeditions are run to an exceptionally high standard with minimum risk. We continuously update our detailed risk assessments and all overseas staff undergo yearly training on project management, team leadership, cultural awareness and medical training. They are qualified Wilderness First Aiders and all expedition leaders have completed Summer Mountain Leadership training as a minimum.

Quest Overseas provides 24-hour back-up support from the UK. If there is an emergency in the field that our experienced in country leaders need assistance with then our qualified and experienced UK staff are always only a phone call away.

You will be fully prepared.

Before you leave Quest Overseas provides detailed pre-departure information and for all team members undertaking a project or expedition of longer than 3 weeks, we also provide a pre-departure training day covering cultural awareness, medical issues, health and safety, responsible travel and preparation for working on a project overseas.

You will get a personal service.

QUEST prides itself on knowing all its team members on a first name basis. We like to talk to all prospective team members so we get to know you a little better and you can find out more about us. We prefer to meet people face to face whenever possible but also love chatting to you over the phone as well.

You will not find any 'hidden extras'.

We do not believe in ‘local payments’ or hidden extras when you travel overseas. We want to let you know exactly what you should budget for and that’s why all our expeditions are fully inclusive.  All activities, park entrance fees, local tips, food, accommodation and local transport are all included. The only extra thing you need to worry about is the occasional gin and tonic or cool cerveza.