Lesley Sleight

Fellow’s Profile

Lesley Sleight

Fellow’s Profile

Lesley Sleight

Personal development of young people through wilderness expeditions

Fellowship

Themes

Countries

Fellowship year

2000

Locality

North West

Biography

I am a retired schoolteacher. The aim of my Fellowship was to investigate future wilderness expedition areas for young people as an opportunity for their personal development. Organising and leading my expeditions meant I could keep costs down so that more youngsters could access an expedition.

I was lucky to be selected to go on an Operation Raleigh Expedition in 1976. It was a fantastic life-changing experience. I developed leadership, communication and teamwork skills, and was able to explore some remote and fragile living environments. I wanted to give similar opportunity to others.

I have led 12 youth expeditions to British Columbia, Queen Charlotte, Vancouver Islands, South Australia, Northern Ontario, Alaska, Norway, south and west Greenland. I was a Duke of Edinburgh's (DofE) Award leader and hundreds of students gained awards.

There have been many positive impacts as a result of my Fellowship, including expedition environmental projects leading to eco groups at school, projects winning many awards, including an Observer Ethical Award (Grow Your Own Clothes project), students travelling to Sweden, Abu Dhabi and The Gambia, and filming for CBBC and BBC Look North. Eco work was submitted towards the Isle of Man UNESCO application. My Fellowship enabled me to provide a more diverse educational environment.

Disclaimer

All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.

Disclaimer

All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.

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