Every year, thousands of young people venture into something new: a new country, a new kitchen, a new challenge, a new chapter. At Alliance Strategies, helping them take that leap safely, confidently, and with the right support sits at the heart of everything we do.
This year, that work has been recognised on the global stage, with two Alliance Strategies brands honoured at the 2025 Global Youth Travel Awards for their impact on international mobility and meaningful cultural exchange.
Alliance Abroad España: Best Work Experience Provider
Alliance Abroad España received Best Work Experience Provider for its Hospitality & Culinary Internship Program. An initiative that creates a rare and intentional bridge from Latin America to some of Spain’s most respected kitchens, including 17 MICHELIN-starred restaurants.
What sets this program apart is its design: built by Spanish speakers, for Spanish-speaking aspiring chefs. It removes linguistic and cultural barriers that often prevent talented young people from stepping into elite global culinary environments.
Since launching in 2021 with just 15 Mexican students and one host restaurant, the program has expanded to more than 200 participants each year, partnering with 37 exceptional culinary establishments. Participants gain hands-on experience, grow under the mentorship of renowned chefs, and return home with new confidence, ambition, and elevated career prospects. Some even continue their journey in Spain, transitioning into permanent roles.
Participant Helena Tuesta, currently interning at Ancestral (MICHELIN-starred), said:
“It teaches you to be more disciplined, more responsible, and to aspire to more… really discovering your full potential in the kitchen.”
Stepabroad: Best Marketing Campaign
Stepabroad was awarded Best Marketing Campaign for its Working Holiday Academy. A free, digital-first learning platform and nationwide outreach initiative that reached more than one million Canadians and generated over 3.7 million video views.
The Academy was created to address a major barrier facing young Canadians: the desire to work abroad, but the lack of confidence, clarity, or resources to take that first step. By offering a fully self-directed, end-to-end pathway covering visas, job searches, preparation checklists, and community support, the Academy makes global mobility more accessible to those who may otherwise have been excluded.
More than 1,600 young people have already enrolled. Supported through a seamless journey that includes video lessons, downloadable tools, WhatsApp video messaging, automated onboarding flows, and peer forums. The campaign’s multi-channel strategy brought this information to young people wherever they were – on social media, email, messaging, or mobile.
In a landscape where paid programs have long dominated, Stepabroad’s free model offers something different: practical support without cost barriers, delivered in a format that meets young people where they are.
Though these two awards celebrate success in different formats, with one rooted in culinary mastery, the other in digital innovation, they reflect a shared purpose across all Alliance Strategies brands: opening doors to the world for young people and standing beside them as they step through.
They also reflect values that guide the organisation every day:
- Authenticity brought to every interaction
- Treating each participant like family, with care that extends beyond logistics
- A “whatever it takes” approach to removing barriers and creating opportunity
“Our teams pour an incredible amount of heart, expertise, and dedication into every participant’s experience. These awards are a wonderful acknowledgement of that work, and a reminder of the life-changing impact that cultural exchange continues to have on young people globally.” – Said James Bell, CEO of Alliance Strategies.
Alliance Strategies, through its portfolio of brands, supports thousands of participants each year through its international programs. Championing the skills, confidence, and cultural understanding that emerge when young people step into a new country, a new community, and a new chapter.
For more, visit:
Teacher Lounge – Global Teaching Placements
Stepabroad – Travel & Work Abroad Programs for Canadians
Stepwest – Working Holidays & Internships in Canada
Wildpacks – Summer Camps – USA
