Two Scouts aged 16-19 wanted for life changing expedition to Antarctica

The expedition is being led by Scout Ambassador Dwayne Fields, and Scout Adventurer, Phoebe Smith, and aims to be the world’s first carbon negative expedition of its kind.

The two Scout places will be fully funded, thanks to the generosity of the Vasey Family Trust. Nominations for young people from underprivileged backgrounds are strongly encouraged.  

The two Scouts will be part of an expedition of ten 16–19-year-olds, led by suitably checked and qualified adults, to the Antarctic Peninsula by expedition ship from 26 February to 10 March.

The young people will follow in the footsteps of two Scouts chosen by Sir Ernest Shackleton to accompany him on his Quest Expedition 100 years ago. They never made it there together – one returned home, seasick; the other, James Marr continued, but without Shackleton who tragically died on the journey south.

Removing barriers to adventure

Dwayne and Phoebe, who have already completed a number of expeditions together, formed the #WeTwo Foundation with the aim of removing barriers to adventure, providing opportunities and raising aspiration, especially among young people from underprivileged backgrounds.

 ‘We realised there that – for different reasons - we had similar experiences with people telling us how we couldn't/shouldn't/wouldn't be able to it,’ said Dwayne. ‘We decided that if we teamed up we would have a much wider reach.’

‘Since then,’ adds Phoebe, ‘we've been working hard to change the face of adventure together, encouraging the next generation from all walks of life to fall in love with the outdoors and look after our planet. For us it’s not about planting flags, it’s about planting seeds.  We want to boost their confidence and show that we believe in them enough to take them somewhere they never thought they'd go. We want them to fall in love with nature and wilderness and understand the relationship between what we do here in the UK and how it affects Antarctica (and vice versa) so that they will fight to protect it.’  

Before the young people go, they will 'pay it forward' - not in money - but by committing to take part in initiatives close to home to improve their local area. The entire team with be planting enough trees to ensure that their trip to Antarctica will be 100% carbon neutral and, in time, carbon negative.

About the ship and expedition

The ship the young people will sail on, is Hurtigruten’s MS Fridtjof Nansen, one of the world's first hybrid expedition vessels, meaning the carbon footprint is the lowest it can be – 20% less carbon than usual ships. Once on board, the team will be assisting with a number of citizen science projects including Seabird Distribution with the Antarctic Site Inventory, tracking individual whales and leopard seals and studying phytoplankton to better understand how they respond to water temperature changes in the polar regions.

Who can nominate?

Any adult aged 18 and over, including parents and volunteers is invited to nominate a Scout. The only stipulation is that they must be 16-19 (no older) on 26 February 2022 and a current Scouts’ member. Nominations for young person disadvantaged background are particularly encouraged.  

‘We are looking for people who are driven, passionate, and who want to make a difference, not just in their own lives but for the communities in which they live,’ says Dwayne.

How to nominate a young person and support the expedition

To nominate a young person, complete the form here on the WeTwo website. If you are interested in sponsoring the expedition, please visit the JustGiving page.

Successful applicants will be contacted by 1 August 2021.

Thank you to Dwayne and Phoebe, for creating this extraordinary opportunity, and also to the Vasey Family Trust for its generosity in funding the places for the Explorer Scouts.

Please note

The application process, decision-making and data management is being handled by the #WeTwo, not The Scouts. Please contact the #WeTwo Team if you have questions.