Programmes · IB CAS
IB CAS Programmes — Creativity, Activity and Service for Diploma Students
IB CAS programmes for Diploma students — Creativity, Activity and Service experiences mapped to IB framework requirements with portfolio-ready evidence. Youngrup sources tailored proposals from vetted partners with experienced IB CAS coordinators.
For Portugal-specific CAS programmes see CAS programmes Portugal; for broader IB-school support see international school trips Portugal; for organising your first CAS trip see our CAS trip planning guide.
Why
What makes a CAS programme genuinely satisfy IB requirements
The IB CAS framework asks for three things: balanced engagement across Creativity, Activity and Service; documented evidence against seven specific learning outcomes; and a depth of personal challenge that goes beyond what students do in their regular school life. A lot of trips marketed as CAS satisfy one of those criteria. Very few satisfy all three.
The programmes we source are built by partners who have CAS coordinators on staff — people who understand the difference between "we did some volunteering" and "we engaged with a registered NGO over multiple sessions, documented hour totals signed off by supervisors, and produced reflections mapped to specific learning outcomes." That depth is what an IB coordinator looks for when reviewing portfolios, and what an IB visit will probe if the cohort is sampled.
Done well, a CAS trip is one of the most impactful single experiences in a student's Diploma. Done badly, it's an expensive sightseeing tour the IB will discount. The partner choice is everything.
Vetted Service partners
Registered NGOs with annual safeguarding audits — not volunteer-tourism.
Real Activity challenges
Genuine physical or skills challenges that stretch students beyond their regular life.
Authentic Creativity strands
Working with real artists, performers and craftspeople — not generic workshops.
Portfolio-ready evidence
Hour logs, supervisor reports and reflection prompts mapped to the seven CAS outcomes.
Who it's for
Schools and IB cohorts CAS programmes work for
CAS programmes work across the IB Diploma lifecycle. We source proposals for:
- IB Diploma DP1 cohorts launching CAS commitments
- IB Diploma DP2 cohorts consolidating or completing CAS
- MYP service-learning groups preparing for Diploma transition
- International schools running CAS-style enrichment outside IB
- IB CAS coordinators planning cohort-wide residentials
- Combined CAS-and-Extended-Essay supervision trips
- Sibling-school IB combined trips from multiple campuses
- IB World Schools in their authorisation phase
Activities
Typical Creativity, Activity and Service experiences on CAS programmes
Programmes are built around the IB CAS framework — these are the most-requested components across the three strands.
Service · Coastal marine conservation
Beach restoration and species-monitoring with registered Atlantic NGOs.
Service · Urban community projects
Supervised support for community education centres and refugee-integration charities.
Service · Disability-support partnerships
Structured supervised engagement with disability-support organisations.
Activity · Multi-day mountain expedition
Hiking expeditions in the Serra da Estrela, Sierra Nevada or Pyrenees — strong fit for the CAS project component.
Activity · Atlantic surfing programme
Multi-day learn-to-surf with qualified instructors — a structured Activity strand.
Activity · River kayaking and adventure
Half- and full-day kayaking with qualified instructors.
Creativity · Fado, flamenco and music workshops
Working with professional performers towards a student-led performance evening.
Creativity · Ceramic and tile-making workshops
Traditional craft with master artisans — produces tangible portfolio evidence.
Accommodation
Accommodation options for CAS programmes
Student residences
Single-sex floors, communal dining and 24/7 staff — supports cohort-wide CAS programmes with consistent supervisor access.
Central 3★ academic hotels
Walking distance to Service and Creativity venues — preferred for mixed-purpose CAS trips.
Rural eco-residentials
Outdoor-focused stays for Activity-heavy programmes and CAS project residentials.
Safeguarding on IB CAS programmes
All Service partners are registered with national social-action authorities and audited annually for safeguarding and child-protection standards. Activity providers carry qualified instructor credentials and full safety paperwork. Accommodation offers single-sex floors or dedicated student wings, group-leader rooms adjacent to students and 24/7 staff. Risk assessments, child-protection policies and insurance documentation aligned to IB and COBIS / CIS inspection standards are issued in English ahead of travel.
Our process
How Youngrup helps IB coordinators plan CAS programmes
IB CAS coordinators juggle documentation against limited supplier knowledge — we bridge that gap. Read the method on For Schools.
Share your CAS brief
Cohort size, DP year, balance across Creativity/Activity/Service, dates and budget.
We match IB-experienced partners
Operators with documented IB CAS experience and audited Service partners.
Receive 2–4 tailored proposals
Each with CAS hour mapping, supervisor profiles and evidence frameworks.
Choose and travel
Book directly with the partner you prefer. Youngrup remains free.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about IB CAS programmes
What is required for a school trip to count as a genuine IB CAS programme?
A genuine CAS trip needs three things: documented learning outcomes mapped to the seven IB CAS framework outcomes, balanced engagement across Creativity, Activity and Service, and evidence — hour logs, supervisor reports, reflections and photographs — that can be uploaded into ManageBac and stand up to IB-coordinator scrutiny. Trips that deliver only one strand, or that lack supervisor sign-off, do not satisfy CAS requirements.
How do CAS programmes integrate with DP1 and DP2 calendars?
DP1 cohorts typically use CAS programmes to launch new commitments and begin portfolio building. DP2 cohorts use them to consolidate ongoing commitments, complete the CAS project requirement or generate final reflection evidence before submission. Programme structure differs slightly between the two — DP1 trips are launch-heavy, DP2 trips are consolidation-heavy.
What kinds of Service partners are used on IB CAS programmes?
Vetted, registered NGOs and social-action organisations — never volunteer-tourism dressed up for school groups. In Portugal and Spain these include marine conservation NGOs, urban-community education centres, refugee-integration charities, environmental restoration projects and disability-support organisations. Every Service partner is audited annually for safeguarding and child-protection standards.
Can CAS trips support the CAS project component specifically?
Yes — CAS projects require collaborative, extended engagement, and partner coordinators are experienced at structuring trip components that meet that bar. The project itself usually extends beyond the trip back into school life, but the trip provides launch, mid-point or completion infrastructure.
How are CAS hours and reflections evidenced for the IB portfolio?
Partners issue structured hour logs signed off daily by on-site CAS supervisors, plus reflection prompts mapped to the seven CAS learning outcomes. At the end of the programme schools receive a portfolio-ready evidence pack formatted for upload to ManageBac or equivalent.
Which destinations best support IB CAS programmes?
Portugal is our deepest market for IB CAS — see our dedicated Portugal CAS page. Spain is the next strongest, particularly for Service partners in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. Both countries combine vetted Service partner networks, real Activity infrastructure and authentic Creativity traditions in ways that meet IB framework requirements reliably.
Ready to plan an IB CAS programme for your cohort?
Share your CAS brief and receive tailored proposals from IB-experienced partners — portfolio-ready evidence, no fees, no commitments.