Global Citizenship tailor-made Community programslife-changing sustainable innovative short-term mobility customised StudyTours carbon neutral placements internships Service Learning impactful development engagement culturalexchange immersion longtransformative SummerSchool international global mindset term global leaders
Challenges Abroad is a overseas learning programs for students in further, higher and vocational education. Our mission is to develop the next generation of customised social enterprise Global Citizens who, as will help shape a better future for everyone. that provides impactful, future leaders
Through our programs, we ensure that students not only develop a enabling them to have a employability skills, on the world through their but also gain vital life and global mindset positive impact future endeavours.
Our Mission
To create the next generation of Global Citizens.
Our Vision Greater Equality. A More Sustainable Environment. A More Secure World for Everyone.
Our
Values
Passion, Integrity, Empathy, Energy and Innovation.
“Our students will never forget their travels to Nepal, Cambodia, and Tanzania.
support expertise
The and which has made all these visits possible has come from Challenges Abroad. The organisation has been a dream to work with on these ventures.
Contact with the Challenges Abroad team remains from the initial discussion regarding the application for funding for visits, securing funding, planning the visits, taking the students abroad and bringing them back safely. All members of staff are so to my queries to provide the reassurance I regularly need in such ventures I always want as many 'foreseeable bases' covered as is possible so that the 'unforeseen events' crop up, these are then utterly manageable. And with such travel destinations, the 'unforeseen' is a 'given' but that is all part of these for both the students and staff alike!
superb responsive wonderful adventures
Feedback from each experience has been taken on board so that together, we can improve our practices. Always my goal is that we work together to keep getting better and better, to the benefit of all involved, students, staff, parents, carers, admin teams, all of us!
This year it is ' new territory' for us, as we are now off to Panama and Thailand Everyone is so excited and the buzz around the College is palpable for what we all know will be such and experiences.
Thank you to all at Challenges Abroad for making these visits happen.”
Dr Jean Wheeler
EVC Thurston Community College positive life-changing
To me, a Global Citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the wider world and their place in it. They play an active role in their community and work alongside others to make our planet more peaceful, sustainable and fairer.
Measuring Impact
We continuously measure the impact of our work across our global community, identifying key achievements alongside the following three main outcomes:
Student Impact
Developing the next generation of Global Citizens, evaluating 10 areas of skills development, reflecting on global citizenship journeys and looking ahead with new perspectives
Community Impact
Delivering short-term programs with positive, longterm impacts on local communities around the world, as we work towards supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Environmental Impact
Creating a more sustainable future as we invest in reforestation projects to reduce our carbon footprint as we progress towards becoming carbon neutral
2024 Program Highlights
Our 7 key community hubs with permanent in-country teams.
We also offer a diverse range of destinations for study tours, providing students with the opportunity to further enhance their learning through practical experiences that bring their courses to life
Panama
Biodiversity & Sustainability Program
Students explored the Gamboa Rainforest and Panama Canal to deepen their understanding of Panama's rich biodiversity and the Canal's influence They then divided their efforts between leading workshops at our local partner schools and supporting tree-planting efforts to restore the habitat of the spider monkey
West Suffolk College
Tanzania
Peru Sports Leadership Program
Global Citizenship Program
The primary aim was to advance environmental sustainability and community development through long-term initiatives By enhancing education, fostering cultural exchange, and building community capacity, students led educational workshops that closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
ONE Sixth Form College
Students on this program contributed to long-term development in quality education and good health & well-being by leading sports education workshops Their efforts promoted healthier lifestyles while fostering teamwork and leadership skills among local learners, inspiring the next generation of future leaders
Abbeygate Sixth Form
India
Business Program
Participants immersed in the dynamic Indian economy, exploring multinational businesses, production facilities and modern factories, as well as traditional markets Drawing on this, and their business studies expertise, they led community engagement activities, supporting our long-term development related to improving livelihoods.
Queen Mary’s College
Nepal Education Program
Pre-service teachers facilitated educational workshops with local learners and supported the professional development of teachers. While gaining practical experience, they overcame challenges to think creatively, communicate with non-English speakers, and adapt to limited resources
Queensland University of Technology
Cambodia
Nursing & Social Work Program
Working alongside local health professionals, the team organised pop-up clinics and health screenings, conducted home visits and family assessments, as well as health education activities. Their aim was to strengthen foundational knowledge about vulnerable community members and contribute towards improving overall community health.
Central Queensland University
Thailand
Optometry, Audiology & Nursing Program
Students collaborated as an interprofessional team, coordinating community health screenings to help reduce barriers to healthcare access. Using this understanding of current health issues, they facilitated health education workshops, raising awareness of preventative measures to build community capacity
University of Melbourne
Our Student Impact
93% of students felt they had returned home with increased confidence
95% of students felt their program had greatly impacted their resilience adaptability
92% of students felt they had returned home with increased
96% felt their experience had impacted their cultural awareness
86% Agree!
My Global Citizenship journey was a life-changing and has inspired me to experience the world more!
82% of students felt their program helped to develop their
95% felt their experience strengthened their leadership skills communication skills teamwork skills
93% of students felt their experience had helped develop their
90% felt their experience helped to develop their problemsolving skills
What Our Students Say
“Genuinely one of the best experiences of my life! I’m really proud of what I achieved - I made new friends, bonded with the community, learnt about Nepalese culture and about myself.”
Global Citizen, Molly Nepal
Growth
Proud
“This was an incredible experience that has helped me to develop in different ways... I expected only to develop my clinical skills, but I have returned with many strengths, especially my communication.”
Global Citizen, Phoenix Thailand
“As the name suggests, of course there are challenges, but the problem-solving skills and confidence that come out of the experience are unmatched”
Global Citizen, Nadia Peru
Inspired
“To know my group made a positive impact is a massive takeaway. I’ve also discovered a potential career path as a result of this experience... being a teacher in definitely in my future.”
Global Citizen, Chloe Tanzania
“This program was one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling experiences of my entire life and I highly recommend it to everyone... It’s very inspiring to know that you’ve impacted the next generation in such a positive way.”
Global Citizen, Brandon Cambodia
Discovery
“Peru was unbelievable! What made it special for me was how our group all pulled together as a team to overcome challenges and fully engage with the community; creating memories that will last a lifetime.”
Global Citizen, Toby Peru
Alumni Stories
Global Citizen, Merissa
Global Citizenship Program
Cambodia
“Wealth and status contribute to a good life. But, the true value in life is not found in what you get: it is found in what you can give. I realised this on my final day in Cambodia, where my classmates and I organised and delivered English and wellbeing workshops to over 200 children.”
My experience in Cambodia was incredibly meaningful, especially supporting local children who had missed out on education due to the pandemic
This experience helped me develop leadership skills, cross-cultural communication, and a deeper understanding of global issues, which I have been able to apply in my classes at university My Global Citizenship journey played a key role in shaping my academic and personal growth, and it influenced my decision to study Economics and Government at Harvard, where I am now a second-year student!
Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone, meet incredible people, and explore a broad range of subjects through a liberal arts education. Last summer, I completed a parliamentary internship in the UK with the Chancellor Rachel Reeves and I further expanded my understanding of governance and policy In my final two years, I’m excited to continue exploring my interests regarding sustainable development and global issues and build on my experience in Cambodia.
Our Community Impact
Our programs are designed to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), outlined in 2015. This is underpinned by our international development charity, the FutureSense Foundation *
12,091 ReducedInequalities
Beneficiaries were reached in 2024
656
People received first aid training in Thailand
n g
ClimateAction 693 28,662 QualityEducation
Hours dedicated to supporting local learners
Hours dedicated to community clean-ups
SDGs that we worked towards in 2024:
What Our Communities Say Life-Changing
“The scholarship has been a gamechanger for our family. Our child can continue learning without worrying about the financial burden. It is a blessing that ensures our child’s future remains bright... It’s a lifeline for many families like ours.”
Parent, India
Impactful
“We’ve observed a noticeable increase in attendance, which speaks volumes about the positive impact on our students. We look forward to continuing this meaningful collaboration."
School Principal, Nepal
“I noticed an immediate change in my child’s enthusiasm for school. My child now eagerly participates in lessons, absorbing information in a way that wasn’t happening before.”
Parent, Tanzania
Impact Story
In 2024, Arusha hosted the national May Day Celebration, after last having hosted it 22 years ago The celebrations saw the President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, attend as the Guest of Honour
Our FutureSense Foundation team was named as one of the NGO’s making a significant impact in the schools of the region. This was recognised due to our collaborative efforts with various partner institutions, as well as the groups of Global Citizens who have dedicated their time and efforts to our programs
6732.7 tonnes of CO2 emitted
47,0
000 trees planted*
15,500
In Panama alone, over trees were planted by participants on our programs across 2024!
The Azuero Peninsula is experiencing severe deforestation, resulting in habitat destruction and a decline in biodiversity. As part of our commitment to taking Climate Action, we are collaborating with a local partner in Pedasí to restore an 80km stretch of land, aiming to regenerate the natural habitat for the now endangered spider monkey species
Our Environmental Impact
In addition to offsetting the emissions generated by our programs and progressing to becoming a net-positive organisation, we have been focused on various other Climate Action initiatives across 2024
Students on our programs inspire positive change by facilitating community activities that raise environmental awareness. We actively support projects to reduce plastic.
Challenges Abroad provides vegetarian meals across all of our programs to support a more sustainable culture amongst our participants
Students on our programs lead community clean-up activities to promote the importance of clean and health environments.
4,479 Litres
of rubbish was collected through community cleanups in 2024!
Every student, irrespective of their program, is involved in our Climate Action initiatives.
Photos: (top) Cambodia Creative Arts Program, (middle) Thailand Audiology, Optometry and Nursing Program, (bottom) Tanzania Global Citizenship Program
