African Adventures is an organisation you can put your faith and trust in
Our expertise and high standards are reflected in our accreditations by key industry bodies, demonstrating our belief in doing things the right way to protect our volunteers. In addition, our success as award-winning leaders in our field shows that others believe in us as we believe in ourselves and the work we are doing. As an organisation, we strive to be forever improving what we offer in order to provide the very best service to our partner projects and volunteers. We also believe in projects that indirectly connect to our work that have a positive impact on others and our industry. Our hope is that we can encourage young people to start thinking about the small, but very important, impact they can have on the world, with an increased appreciation and awareness of life in other countries.
Accreditations
and Affiliates
We are a member of the UK’s largest travel association.
ABTA is the UK’s largest travel association representing travel agents and tour operators. They have been a trusted travel brand for more than 60 years, offering advice and guidance to the travelling public, as well as leading the travel industry in supporting high service standards, working with its members on health and safety, and promoting responsible tourism at home and abroad.
We provide 100% financial protection to each and every volunteer.
All our flight-inclusive trips are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. For further information, please see our booking terms and conditions or visit ATOL.org.uk.
We are a BS 8848 compliant provider.
BS 8848 is a British Standard for adventurous activities outside the UK. The standard is in place to ensure the safety and well-being of those taking part. A compliant provider must ensure: the provision of clear, accurate information; effective planning and preparation; that it has competent staff; and that it assigns clear roles and responsibilities.
All African Adventures trips are supported by Pharos Response
Pharos Response provides access to a range of integrated specialist services and experienced crisis management professionals, any time of the day or night. Their services combine together to provide an effective incident support system for our trips, to protect our volunteers’ well-being: so much more than traditional crisis PR alone.
Our YDP is an approved residential for the DofE Gold Award.
Approved Activity Providers (AAPs) are organisations, both commercial and charitable, who can offer opportunities to young people that will count towards achieving a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
The DofE has approved that these opportunities meet DofE sectional requirements.
Our trips provide high-quality, tangible educational outcomes.
The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom is the national voice for learning outside the classroom. They believe that every young person (0-19yrs) should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances.
Our risk assessments are independently audited.
Since its inception the School Travel Forum has won widespread recognition and support for the way it simplifies and provides essential reassurance for leaders looking to organise educational trips. STF Assured Members understand and facilitate the needs of educational travel; manage safety effectively; offer fair terms and conditions, and the best financial security; and are fully inspected every year by independent experts.
Awards
and Recognition
Best Volunteering Organisation Award winners!
On 29th November 2018, three members of the African Adventures team trekked to London for the long-awaited British Youth Travel Awards ceremony, coordinated by the British Educational Travel Association (BETA). We had previously been shortlisted as finalists for the Best Volunteering Organisation Award in 2016 where we won Silver, and this was our chance to really go for Gold!
We were joined on the evening by 39 other companies, nominated for their exceptional service to the youth travel industry, to celebrate the fun, creative and diverse products and opportunities that are on offer to young travellers.
After much anticipation, we were thrilled to be announced Best Volunteering Organisation winners!
Dan Mew, Founder of African Adventures, commented “I am so pleased that the hard work and commitment of our teams in Ghana, Kenya, the UK, and Zanzibar has been recognised at the British Youth Travel Awards with the award for Best Volunteering Organisation. It is also testament to our volunteers, who carry out the work we commit to doing at our partner projects, that their achievements have been celebrated so prominently.”
The British Youth Travel Awards recognise excellence and set a benchmark for the sector. For many, they represent something special, something to work towards, and this is demonstrated each year by the volume of high-quality entries that are received.
Emma English, BETA’s Executive Director, said “Each year we bring together a distinguished panel of judges covering a wide range of expertise from marketing, education, technology, sustainability and more to enable them to review and score each competition entry. We are proud of the many members and stakeholders that come together to enter and support these awards. This year we added a Dragons Den feature to allow entrants to share with our judging panel why they deserve to win in their chosen category and we were thrilled with the results.”
Speaking at the event Steve Lowy, BETA’s Chairman, said “Over the past 11 years the British Youth Travel Award winners have exemplified leadership in the UK youth, student and educational travel sector, setting a benchmark for their industry peers. On behalf of BETA and our members, I encourage other organisations operating within the sector to enter the awards program, which serves to further educate government, the public, and other influencers through their outstanding accomplishments.”