The Horizons Annecy Experience

The group, split across 2 weeks, enjoyed a week of cultural exploration, leadership challenges and outdoor based activities.

All the young people attending are part of the Horizons programme, an 18-month leadership development experience where they partake in 8 core areas of work. One of the elements of the programme is an international emersion experience which takes them to Annecy, located at the foot of the alps.

Young people went on a day trip to Chamonix Mont-Blanc, to visit the Mer de Glace, France’s largest glacier located nearly 2000m above sea level. The young people travelled to the Glacier by the Montenvers railway track, a funicular which climbs a steep track up the side of the alps landscape. 2025 has been designated the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation by the United Nations to highlight the critical role of glaciers, their rapid melting due to climate change, and their impact on global water resources, freshwater supply, and communities. The young people got to see first-hand the impacts of climate change as the glacier is receding 30-40m each year. Staff who had attended previously were able to point out where the glacier was last year when the Horizons co-hort from 2024 had visited.

Closer to camp at Annecy lake, young people got to have fun and try out new activities including cycling the famous Annecy lake cycle lanes, paddleboarding and kayaking out on the lake and relaxing by the lakeside beach for some downtime.

A lot of participants really pushed themselves out of their comfort zone, with some learning how to dive off the paddleboards and others learning how to ride a bike on the cycle lanes.

As part of the Annecy programme, the young people had time each evening to come together as their individual groups and reflect on their learning and experience using the ELDER model. The Horizons ELDER Model is a youth leadership framework designed to help young people grow in confidence, responsibility and resilience. ELDER stands for Exploring, Leadership, Determination, Experiencing, and Reflection – five stages that guide participants through a journey of personal and group development. From encouraging curiosity and teamwork, to building perseverance in the face of challenges, and finally taking time to reflect on lessons learned, the model provides a simple but powerful structure. It underpins Horizons’ international programmes, helping young people turn shared experiences into lasting skills for life and community leadership.

Annecy marks the final chapter of an 18 month journey for the young people on the Horizons programme and they will soon be graduating in a ceremony held in Titanic Belfast in September 2025.