Ever since Unschool Adventures started in 2008, we’ve had a problem: demand has outstripped supply. Teens and their parents have consistently requested more trips that we’ve offered.
For most businesses, this isn’t a problem; it’s an opportunity. But we—which means me, Blake Boles (hello! 👋🏼)—never intended to turn Unschool Adventures into a large operation. For 15 years it has remained a cottage industry, offering one or two trips a year, with very little repetition.
This is a great recipe for the novelty-seeking nature of the director (ahem 🙈) and his co-leaders from the realm of outdoor education. It is not helpful for the many self-directed teens who want to experience a big, life-changing group adventure but find themselves with limited options. So let’s expand this world!
If you’re interested in creating your own travel programs for self-directed young adults, I want to share everything I’ve learned from running 15 years of Unschool Adventures trips with you.
Join me on Sunday December 10th for a live, 2- to 3-hour-long online seminar (beginning at 9am PT / 12pm ET) to discuss every aspect of creating and running trips like these. Topics will include:
- 💡💰 trip conception, design, and budgeting
- 🧑💼🔍 interviewing and vetting applicants
- 🤝🚫 behavioral agreements & boundary-setting
- 👥🌟 recruiting co-leaders
- 🤹♀️🐱 group management for self-directed teens (a.k.a. herding cats)
- 🤝📞 building trust + communicating with parents
- 🧗🏼♂️🚦 balancing autonomy and risk management
- 🛫🍽️ group travel logistics (flights, accommodation, meals, etc)
- ⚖️📑 legalities, insurance, documentation, and medical concerns
I anticipate spending the first ~90 minutes in presentation mode, and then I’ll open it up for detailed Q&A, cutting it off at the 3-hour mark. This is also a good chance to meet fellow travelers + potential co-collaborators.
This is a live-only event, and no recording will be made. Please arrive promptly and stay for as long as you can. If there are enough people who want to attend but simply cannot make this date/time, I will consider running another session in Spring 2024. (Really, there will be no recording—I have my reasons!)
The cost of attendance is $5. Yes, five dollars. This is a symbolic amount to ensure a minimal degree of commitment and keep spammers away, without creating any real financial barrier.
REGISTER HERE. You will be emailed a Zoom link 24 hours before the event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does this seminar only apply to those who will lead small-ish groups (8-20) of teenagers who actively opt-in?
A: Yes! This seminar is probably not for you if you intend to run a very large group tour, to work with younger participants (under 14), to work with older participants (21+), or work with teenagers who are aren’t actively opting-in to the experience.
Q: Is this only relevant to home/unschooled/alternatively-schooled teenagers?
A: Yes, it’s most relevant to that demographic. But this information may also apply to teens attending more conventional schools who choose to attend a themed travel program.
Q: I don’t want to run international trips, I want to run trips within North America (or whatever my home country). Will this apply to me?
A: Yes! Unschool Adventures has organized many programs for US participants within the US.
Q: I want to organize trips for families. Can you guide me in that?
A: Probably not, as family trips have a whole different dynamic. This is focused on adults taking other people’s teenagers on group trips, without family members present.
Q: Does this only pertain to for-profit trip-leading? What if I want to lead a low-cost or charitably funded experience?
A: Unschool Adventures is a for-profit LLC, and trip leaders receive a fair market rate for their time. But even if you’re running a volunteer-style trip, much of the information (including liability concerns) remains the same. Please join!
Have another question? Email it to: blake@unschooladventures.com
See you there!
—Blake