The Experience
Backed by over 40 years of experience, GoBeyond – the high school service-learning and adventure travel arm of Global Expeditions Group (GXG) – aims to offer its students life-changing experiences through international teen travel programs.
By combining international community service projects, cultural immersion, and outdoor adventure, we have successfully ignited the inherent leadership skills in thousands of young adults.
This is what we do but what really sets us apart is how we do it and the results that we achieve. The numbers speak for themselves:
63% of our students join us because of a word-of-mouth recommendation or are returning for another summer at our teen service camp.
80% of our professional staff return each year and many were once students of our teen service program themselves.
98% of our alumni say they developed skills at GoBeyond they still use today.
63% of our students join us because of a word-of-mouth recommendation or are returning for another summer at our teen service camp.
80% of our professional staff return each year and many were once students of our teen service program themselves.
98% of our alumni say they developed skills at GoBeyond they still use today.
Cornerstones of the GoBeyond Experience
When we first developed our teen summer travel program, our model was innovative and unique. As a result of our success and growing reputation, we’re flattered to say that others have followed in our footsteps! But to understand who we are, what drives us, and why we offer the best travel opportunities for teens, you need to dig a little deeper into the sum of our parts…
Uncontrived service-learning experience
We’ve been running educational experiences for teenagers since 1986, and that’s a really long time! Last summer, GXG was joined by over 750 families from Angola to Alaska, dedicated over 17,000 hours to the service of communities and our planet at large.
Focused on growth
Our summer adventures for teens have a strong focus on facilitating social, emotional and intellectual growth.
A unique and fundamental element of all GoBeyond summer volunteer opportunities is the Lifeworks Forum. Held at intervals throughout the journey, the Forum is designed to complement the learning that takes place through the everyday interactions students are experiencing abroad. Students have the opportunity to participate in – and lead – discussions on topics like social responsibility, ethics, integrity, international communication, and solution-oriented service. Of all the skills that students take from their journeys, it is the life skills and a passion for volunteering that can carry them the farthest. At GoBeyond, we feel that while building one’s life, it is important to be sure it is based on a foundation of global compassion and personal integrity. For many, it is the Lifeworks Forum that helps teens examine and strengthen this foundation.
Small groups
Centered on small, co-ed, age-appropriate groups of 5 to 20 teens, our teen summer adventure programs are designed to encourage close friendships to form while fostering an environment of mutual respect for others.
Philosophy & Design
Our Journeys are designed to transform communities, environments and students’ lives through meaningful cross-cultural service adventures. Our summer travel programs for teenagers have always been grounded in experiential education and socially conscious travel. Students have a greater feeling of accomplishment from having completed meaningful change themselves. In addition, their self-reliance and confidence soar from positively impacting international communities with our teen summer travel program.
Open to all
We value diversity within our student and staff population and endeavor to create an environment of respect, acceptance, and tolerance. We encourage all students to attend our service camps for teenagers, irrespective of their race, ethnicity or religion, gender identity or sexual orientation. Additionally, no previous experience is necessary for the majority of journeys. Authentic service projects are as accessible to first-time travelers as they are to seasoned globetrotters.
An unparalleled team
As a leader in the field of international service travel for teens, we attribute our continuing success to the quality of our staff and the strong relationships we build in pursuit of our mission.
We’re proud to attract and recruit the best in our field for our service programs for teens. Our team consists of avid world travelers, highly qualified professionals, and fun and experienced facilitators and educators. All members of our crew are dynamic, multi-talented and passionate individuals with an unending devotion and commitment to the experience of our students at our teen service camp.
Beyond experiencing the adventure of a lifetime and creating lasting memories, we believe the GoBeyond experience enables lasting positive change in the world.
For over forty years, we’ve been transforming communities, environments, and students’ lives through meaningful, collaborative adventures and service that develop skills and a more sophisticated worldly outlook—ultimately shaping the person they become.
We are parents too, so we understand that you want your kids to grow to be independent; capable of making positive choices that enable them to maximize their strengths, overcome their weaknesses and reach their fullest potential.
Perhaps our hope for their happiness and success is at its strongest as kids reach the formative teen years. This is a pivotal time in their lives because these experiences and influences build the bridge from the children they once were to the adults they will become.
At GoBeyond, we provide our students with the tools they need to build a strong foundation for this transition. We do this by creating an environment that promotes self-discovery as well as social, emotional and intellectual growth.
Our journeys may vary in destination and focus, yet all are built around the same core principles and philosophy. The result? GoBeyond promises to deliver an experience that will provide opportunities to learn, grow and develop skills that have a lasting educational impact.
“These programs changed our son and daughter's lives, by freeing them from a narrow frame of reference and opening up the world. I can't overstate the importance of your program for all of us.”
“My child came home with a great sense of himself. He experienced a diverse group of students that he doesn't get to interact with in our small town and he loved it. He loved every minute of his experience.”
“The best thing about GoBeyond is that the program is encouraging teens to take a leap of faith to a different country with strangers and come out a completely different person with friends that they'll have for a lifetime.”
“I have learned a lot from GoBeyond. I have learned to put others first, to spread awareness of social and political issues, also a world perspective. Traveling at a young age and viewing peoples' hardships in other countries allows me to put my life in perspective.”
“Both our boys have participated in these programs for many years. They come home with multi-cultural experiences, an appreciation of how lucky they are, new friends and a maturity they did not have before they left.”
What's next?
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