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BSES Expeditions
BSES Expeditions, a UK based non-profit making company and was founded in 1932 by the
late Surgeon Commander George Murray Levick RN, a member of Scott’s last Antarctic
Expedition of 1910 - 13, and as such the Society is one of the longest running organisations
of its type. For over 70 years it has provided opportunities for young people from schools and
many other walks of life to take part in adventurous expeditions in remote regions, led by
experts drawn from the universities, the teaching and medical professions, outdoor education,
industry and The Services. The Society’s expeditions aim to assist the development of young
people through the challenge of living, adventuring and working in remote and challenging
areas of the world.
Our expeditions aim to combine the excitement of living and engaging in adventurous
activities under testing conditions in remote and trackless areas together with scientific
research and the consequent production of valuable scientific papers. The Society has
worked in co-operation with many overseas research organisations, particularly in Iceland,
Norway, Sweden, Greenland, Svalbard, the Amazon, southern Africa, northern Canada and
Alaska. Many of the Society’s full members, who qualify as such by successfully completing
a BSES expedition, have gone on to play a leading role in major international adventurous
and scientific projects.
Our summer expeditions last for up to 6 weeks during the school/university holidays and we
also run a gap year programme for up to 3 months. In 2003 we will be running expeditions
to Greenland, Lesotho, Kyrgyzstan and ‘Footsteps of Shackleton’ (Southern Chile,
Falkland Islands and South Georgia). Each summer expedition comprises between 48 and
72 young people plus leaders who carry out a programme of adventure and science in small
groups. All expeditions are for young people aged between 16˝ and 20 at the start of the
expedition; the age range for South Georgia is 18 to 22 years old. We also recruit leaders
and assistant leaders over 21 years of age, from a range of professions including those with a
scientific background and/or mountaineering experience.
The Society’s aim is to help in the development of young people through the challenge of
living and working in remote and demanding areas of the world. An important part of the
experience is raising the necessary contributions to take part on the expedition.
A wide variety of qualities are looked for in our applicants, but enthusiasm, determination,
common sense, the ability to work as a member of a team, physical fitness and a sense of
humour are high on the list. There is no need to have had previous outdoor experience, but
candidates who have not had the benefit of such will expect to be more rigorously screened
by our selection procedure. The aim is not to select an elite group but teams of youngsters
who will both benefit from and contribute to the experience.
Any successful expedition must have a wide cross-section of abilities among its members,
and so there are opportunities for all types of young people, whether academic, artistic or
adventurous.
Selection for an interview is by application form, complete with references.
BSES Expeditions
at the Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London. SW7 2AR
020 7591 3141 www.bses.org.uk
www.bses.org.uk
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