To all of our future teen travelers and parents, welcome!

Nothing in the world matches the energy of connecting with enthusiastic student travelers who are getting ready to travel far from home, often on their own for the first time, as they prepare to meet up with the rest of their GLA group. And even more so, as a parent myself, I really enjoy connecting with parents who are nervously excited to see the young leader in their family take those first huge steps out into the wider world for an experience they will never forget.

And the “nervous excitement” I mentioned earlier is key, because as the mother of two boys, I understand that while many parents want their child to have this transformational travel and volunteer experience during their teenage years, they also want to make sure they’re safe and well cared for every step of the way.

From the lodging that we call our Home Base or “home away from home,” to the vehicles we drive, the meals we prepare and the staff we hire – each element of the GLA experience is built to provide a foundation of safety for our students, while also allowing them to explore a new destination, experience new cultures and make new friends a world away from home.

Since all of our programs have group lodging, not homestays, we are able to provide 24/7 student supervision. We maintain an 6:1 student to staff ratio, which allows students freedom to develop new friendships and explore their host community, while still having the support of knowledgeable and caring staff members.

We have also developed a comprehensive emergency response plan based on years of operational experience, and while we never plan to activate it, we can rely on this comprehensive plan being there should we ever need it. We also have professional support staff such a Medical Director, Mental Health consultant and Crisis Management team that provides procedures for many different eventualities, from health issues to natural disasters. The safety and security of our students is our highest priority from start to finish.

With this one-of-a-kind program model and best-in-class staff support, we have the privilege to help shape the leaders of the next generation and allow students a safe space to explore what fuels their passions. The service work on every GLA program serves as the vehicle to learn about specific themes, communities and cultures in a purposeful way. It allows us to help connect students’ hearts and heads in a journey of self-discovery, global awareness and local impact.

Our leadership curriculum helps us to inspire teens to realize their potential to transform the world and their role in it. Our cultural engagement and adventure excursions fill out the experience too, by opening students’ eyes to new ways of seeing things, and engaging their sense of discovery.

From my family to yours, we hope to earn your trust and have the opportunity to deliver an exceptional experience for the young leader in your family.