Flight Leaders monitor, mentor, and assist our students as they embark on, in many cases, their first international flight and adventure to another country! For all travelers, the first international flight is exciting, scary, hopeful, uncertain, and a host of other conflicting emotions. Flight Leaders have the unique opportunity to impact our students by securing their well-being, calming fears, building social support, and getting them excited for the amazing opportunity ahead of them.
What does a Flight Leader do?
The primary role of the Flight Leader is to ensure the protection and care of Rustic Pathways students while traveling to/from their international location, facilitating a smooth experience, and forging positive social connections between students as they commence travel.
What does your travel day look like?
Flight Leaders will arrive at one of our Hub Airports (JFK, EWR, MIA, or LAX) and work directly with the Airport Coordinators to greet students as they arrive. Once students all arrive, you will escort and keep count of students through the airport and ensure a fun and exciting start to the beginning of their travels. While at the gate it’s important to help forge relationships between students as these students have never met before and are sure to be a bit nervous!
Safely make sure all students board the plane and make sure to be available if anyone has any questions or concerns throughout the flight.
On arrival in the destination country, flight leaders will help students navigate through customs and immigration. Our in-country staff will be right outside and once students have been safely handed off to our staff, Flight Leaders continue on their own personal adventure in the country until it is time to bring the group of students back to the USA. (Personal time in our country destinations can last for one or two weeks at a time)
How it works!
The Flight Leader role is a seasonal, volunteer role. The international round-trip airfare is provided by Rustic Pathways. Any transportation to our hub airport as well as any accommodations, meals, transportation, visas, flights, etc they incur as part of their personal travel plans is not paid for by Rustic Pathways. Rustic Pathways requires a valid passport with 6 months validity from the date of travel as well as an active CPR / First Aid Certificate.