Not everyone I'm afraid. Our gap year adventures are available to people just finishing their secondary school or college (ie. 17-19 year olds). Our summer trips are open to the same, plus people on a summer break from university (ie. generally 17-23 year olds).

It depends on the trip you are joining. For some, language skills are a bonus, or experience working with children, or perhaps trekking experience may be a help. If you are in any doubt, just contact us before applying.

We don't accept just anyone. That said, we're not looking to put together an "elite task force" either. We just want to make sure that, by joining a Quest Overseas team, you are making the right decision both for yourself and our projects (and the rest of the people on the team!). As such, the application process is as follows:

• First, we ask you to complete a Quest Overseas Application Form; either fill it in and return it by email, or print it out and post it to us.
• We will then contact you to arrange an interview. We conduct interviews throughout the year in different parts of the UK, so will arrange the best time and place for you to meet us.
• Our interviews generally take about an hour. Don't worry, it's not an evil grilling where we demand you justify your existence on this planet (!) We will however want to know why you want to join a Quest Overseas team and what you think you will gain from it. Do give this some serious thought before coming to see us. You should also think hard about what you would like to know about us, as this is a perfect chance to grill us if you want.
• Following the interview, we will contact you (within a few days) to let you know if you have a place on a team. We will take into account your preferences as well as what we think is best as to which project or expedition you should join.
• After that, we'll work together to get ready for departure!

It depends on the trip, we can answer this when we've chosen where you are going and on what date. However, as a guide, teams are normally between 10-16 people.

Anywhere and everywhere. From jungle shelters and tents, to hostels and the occasional fancy surprise hotel. Project accommodation is generally quite basic, you may or may not have electricity, hot showers and flush toilets. You are not sleeping in tents for the entire expedition, there are parts where you are camping and other parts where we will be staying in hostels in towns and cities. You will learn to pack and unpack quickly! Just give us a call or contact us if you want to find out more specific details on the trip you're interested in.

In a way, yes. Facilities are always basic, for example your shower may come in the form of a bucket of water, your toilet as a hole in the ground and electricity in limited amounts from a generator. Please don't worry about this though, you soon get used to it and you will definitely have privacy for washing and going to the toilet! In most cases you will have access to better facilities on certain parts of your trip.

Depends on where you are going. We will provide a full recommended kit list for the places you will be visiting shortly after your place with us is confirmed. We also have training weekends where leaders will go through kit that is required and show you examples, so don't go out buying everything you think you need just yet!

In South America, as long as you have a British passport (or almost any EU passport) then there are no Visa requirements for any of the countries into which you go with Quest Overseas. When you enter a country, the stamp you receive from immigration allows you to stay in that country for up to 90 days. There are some countries in Africa where visas will be needed for your visit and we will help organise these for you.

Afraid so! Quest Overseas keeps up to date with the latest recommendations on all medical considerations relating to your time with us, which we pass on to you in good time before your departure overseas.

We are not flight agents. We do however work closely with flight specialists in the areas of the world you will be going to, so that together we can work out the best options available to you. This also means you have the flexibility to arrange a flight which suits any other plans you may have.

We'd be thrilled if you did! Most people do choose to stay on after their Quest Overseas to explore a little more, whether it's just for an extra week or a few more months. This is another reason we keep flexibility for your flight arrangements. Almost everyone finds travel partners in their team and you can fine tune your travel plans together with your leaders along the way. Your Quest Overseas is just the beginning.

We hold training and preparation days a few months before you fly overseas. This is a chance to go over the trip itself, discuss possible future travel plans, check out your kit, and of course, meet your team and leaders. We will let you know in good time when these days are and you should try your best to be around for them.

Food varies on the trip you are on - but one thing's for sure - it will become the hottest topic talked about when you're overseas! It might be traditional African or South American food - maize, vegetable sauce, chicken or goat or more western style food, such as chips, pizza, spaghetti or a BBQ. The most important thing is to have an open mind and try things - when else would you get a chance to eat guinea pig or ostrich?!! We are able to cater for most dietary needs - just let us know on your application form so we can ensure you are going to be well-fed.

This varies on which trip you are on. Generally e-mail and pay-phones are readily available in all towns in South America and Africa. However, when you are working on a project in the Amazon jungle or in rural Kenya then you might only get access every few weeks.

It is important for you to ask any organisation exactly where your money is going and if they are unable to answer your questions then you should think twice about going with them. You will find on our website a general breakdown of how your funds are spent, but if you would like to have more detail please do ask.

Quest Overseas leads the market in providing more financial support for our overseas projects than any other company. It is our core belief that financial support, side by side with practical volunteering, is the critical factor in making a significant, true and long lasting impact on people and places.

All the money for your project work is paid separately either to the Quest Charity, Quest4Change or to our project partner's charity so you know exactly how much you have given to help your project.

So far over the past 12 years Quest Overseas volunteers have raised over £1.1 million in direct donations for our partners which has, amongst others, funded the purchase over 4,000acres of rainforest, built 11 classrooms in Africa, sponsored over 60 children through secondary school in Malawi, saved thousands of animals from being imprisoned or sold as pets in Bolivia, built an education centre in Swaziland, a health clinic in Malawi, a medical dispensary, library and three-floor accommodation block for poor students in Tanzania and so much more. Just check out our charity Quest4Change to see everything our volunteers have helped fund over the years.

100% yes. Quest pride ourselves in working with long-term project partners - whether they are charities, NGO's or just small community groups that we have built up relationships with. All of our project sites are well-run, year-round projects.

Your energy and enthusiasm - whether it be building a classroom, entertaining a room full of Peruvian kids from a shanty town or constructing a dam to provide clean water for a village in Kenya. You will work alongside our local project partners to achieve your project goal together. All project aims are set out well in advance, so we (and you) know exactly what you will be doing. The project work is requested by our partners - we do not tell them what you will be doing, they ask us.

No. We always employ local staff - in fact we fund several full-time year round staff on our project sites. On your project you will also work alongside skilled builders, ecologists or social workers, experts in the work you are helping with. They get paid a full salary for their work and having a team there just helps get the work done faster with a lot more fun involved! All our partners love having Quest teams arrive - which you'll see from the welcome you get when you arrive!

Remember along with your donation you are simply providing added man-power to get the jobs done!

Not 100%, but neither is London, Newcastle or the Lake District! However, this is another reason why we are specialists just in certain parts of the world, so we can really keep on top of safety and security in the places you will be visiting. Foreign Office advice, crisis management plans and risk assesments are important aspects of any planning which takes place for projects and expeditions, but are far from the full story. Having the right staff, both in the UK and leading the expeditions, is absolutely crucial. Also, having strong personal relationships with key people on the ground cannot be underestimated. These "key" people aren't necessarily just the ambassador and chief of police (!); the local restaurant owner, the farmer with the only spare truck in the valley, the only doctor who speaks English in the whole of Bolivia, and dozens more help to make our trips as safe and supported as is realistically possible. We will not be working in an area which is unsafe or irresponsible, but at the same time we have the support network to be able to learn if things change, and can change our trips at a moment's notice.