Trekking with Raleigh

Alastair Parry was working for a business consultancy firm, when he decided to take a sabbatical with Raleigh. He was only planning to join an expedition as a venturer, but enjoyed it so much, he decided to stay on as Volunteer Manager - and lead treks himself!

"I decided to take a sabbatical because I wanted to see the world and to travel. I wanted to experience Malaysia as a participant rather than just a traveller. I also needed to get away as I was becoming a bit blinded by life in London.

What attracted me to Raleigh was its team’s diversity. As a venturer you are thrown in with people from all over the UK as well as the rest of the world. As a Volunteer Manager you have to manage that diversity, and the conflicts that arise which is good experience.

My key responsibilities were as follows:

1. Getting up to 13 venturers through a trekking phase without injuring themselves.
2. Getting up to 13 venturers through a trekking phase having enjoyed it!

As the Trek Leader, I had a lot of responsibilities. I was in charge of the rations, and had to make sure everyone was hydrated enough. I had to provide support, organise and manage the group's activities, and make sure the trekkers bonded with each other. Each venturer has one-to-one time with me, and I help their personal development on the expedition. I was also responisble for keeping everyone safe, and was a key point of contact with guides, the field base, and supporting organisations such as the Sabah Forestry Park.

One of the most challenging moments on expedition was trekking along a ridge, knowing there was a distinct lack of water and trying to keep both myself and the group calm. I also had to keep field base informed with our progress and liaise with the guides to make educated decisions on what steps to take next.

This role has been brilliant for my self-development. Motivating a group of 18-24 year olds to get up and trek at 6am is challenging. You have to be constantly motivated and upbeat. You also have to learn how to delegate. I was always the day-leader’s back up.

I have learnt all sorts of new skills in this role. I now know how to lead a trek, build a shelter and set up camp. I can also build, light, and cook over an open fire! The expedition also meant I had to learn to scuba dive.

As well as the practical stuff, I've also developed a lot of soft skills. These include management, motivation, delegation, facilitation, how to do one-to-ones and conflict management. The last three skills have been completely new to me and developing these has been a process of trial and error, and learning on the go. Learning this way has been much more fun than studying the theory and then implementing it.

I’ve learnt about the difference in cultures and how to talk to people from different backgrounds. I’ve learnt that sometimes a group will go a certain way and I can’t control everything, sometimes I can only mitigate the outcomes of certain situations. The training I’ve had with Raleigh means I feel more able to talk to people I don’t know on a more personal level, building my hard and soft skills. Raleigh has tested my level-headedness and calmness in extreme, and even life-threatening, situations.

To sum up my Raleigh experience: 'Wholesome'. You see a side of the country you’d never normally see unless you were working there. You attain a sense of achievement you wouldn’t get unless you pushed yourself to your emotional, physical and mental capabilities.

www.raleigh.org.uk