Why Long-Term Community Partnerships Matter in Ethical School Travel 

Written By Hattie Stiff

Long-term Community Partnerships

With a growing interest in ethical, responsible and sustainable travel, we like to make sure that our overseas expeditions are held to a high standard. As a social enterprise, it’s always been important to us to make sure that we’re driven by purposeful, educational experiences, which informs every aspect of the way we operate. 

How a trip is run matters just as much as where you’re travelling to. That’s why all our policies and protocols are in line with robust industry standards when it comes to ethical, safe and sustainable travel. It’s also important to consider the host country’s needs, which is why all our projects are community led and change depending on the requirements of each community at the time. 

Why Short-Term Projects Can be Problematic

At Camps, we focus on long-term collaboration with the local communities we travel to, rather than short-term projects. All our service-led work is done in partnership with the local community and is based on their needs at the time. Whether it’s helping to build water storage pots in Cambodia, creating safe learning environments in Tanzania, or working on elephant deterrent fences in Kenya, our projects are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and led by the local community members themselves.

We believe that shared goals and working towards long-term outcomes is far more important than any short-term gratification. We have built relationships up with our hosts over the last two decades, and have found that when the community is invested, our student travellers are too. Plus, it makes the projects more sustainable as the communities always take ownership after the work is completed.

How Long-Term Partnerships Create Real Impact 

Often, our projects aren’t done in a year. This may sound disappointing if students are expecting to see a project from start to completion, however sustainable, responsible change takes time. Long-term partnerships with local communities allow projects to be delivered to a higher standard and have a lasting impact well beyond the time our groups return home. Having projects led by the local community also means they create more job and leadership opportunities for local residents, creating a sustainable way for them to increase their earning potential. 

For example, a project in Cambodia had the support of 2025’s student travellers, with construction of the new classrooms reaching 40% completion by the end of summer. Since then, the Camps in-country team and local volunteers have taken the project even further, with 80% of the building now complete. The walls are fully built, the roof is in place, and doors and windows have been installed. Shortly, the in-country team will work on tiling the floor and painting inside one of the classrooms so it’s ready for teaching. These projects prove how student involvement contributes to long-term, sustainable change. 

What This Means for Students

Students will gain authentic cultural exchange from the communities in which they’re immersed. Instead of having a false façade, they will learn to understand cultural traditions and norms, local languages and cuisines, and learn firsthand about global issues different communities face, giving them a deeper appreciation for the world around them.

Students also become more self-aware and confident, with post-expedition surveys from 2024 showing that 95% of students reported growth in global awareness, independence and resilience.

There are also many student travellers that go on to work within conservation, sustainability or humanitarian career roles, or go on to train to become teachers or expedition leaders. We have several past student travellers now working for us at Camps HQ too!

Sustainable travel means not only being conscious of your footprint and emissions, but also means being sensitive to cultural norms, understanding of different global issues, and gracious in learning more about the world around you. By having our projects led by local communities, we ensure that students are learning firsthand about local priorities, perspectives, and what sustainable development really looks like in practice.

Why This Matters to Schools 

From the very beginning, we’ve been committed to doing things responsibly and with purpose. Our travellers never replace paid local roles, and every project is assessed against our Ethical Guidelines to make sure they uphold the highest standards in safeguarding, animal welfare, and sustainability. This approach allows us to deliver meaningful, authentic experiences for our travellers while creating real, lasting benefits for the communities we work alongside. 

Through our Responsible Traveller Training and Real World Studies programmes, we also make sure that the experiences delivered on expedition work alongside curriculum led work done inside the classroom.  We ensure that students are learning firsthand about cultural understanding, shared responsibility, and global citizenship. 

Student safety is also at the heart of everything we do. We carefully plan and manage every expedition with qualified leaders, experienced local teams, and 24/7 support from our global operations staff. From thorough risk assessments and secure transport between each location to robust communication systems and emergency procedures, we proactively manage safety at every stage. We make sure students and teachers are fully supported, allowing them to focus on learning, growth, and making a positive impact with confidence. 

In Conclusion 

Ethical school travel is not about one-off projects or short-term impact. It is about long-term commitment, trust, and working alongside communities in ways that genuinely benefit everyone involved. By prioritising local leadership, safeguarding, sustainability, and meaningful partnerships, our ethical expeditions give students the chance to learn responsibly while contributing to lasting change. When schools choose travel built on strong ethical foundations, they are not only enriching their students’ education but also helping to create a more respectful, informed, and globally minded generation.