GVN Safety Procedures and Emergency Guide

Transcription

1 GVN Safety Procedures and Emergency Guide Safety is a high priority for GVN. The safety of our volunteers, tour, and challenge participants is of utmost importance. As is the safety of our partner organizations and the communities we work with. Please take the time read and become familiar with GVN s Safety Procedures and Emergency Guide before you begin your placement. Along with GVN s safety protocols, you are further supported by the safety procedures of our partner organizations. Their procedures will be shared with you during your in-country program orientation. International travel involves a degree of risk, particularly when traveling to a developing county. As a volunteer 1 it is important to acknowledge these risks and those associated with living and working in a developing country. These include, but are not limited to: language barriers, different hygiene standards, infrastructure challenges (eg road maintenance and delays), natural disasters, civil unrest, mountainous terrain, high altitude, and accidents or illness in remote regions without means of swift evacuation or the availability of medical facilities. Natural disasters, demonstrations, strikes, and illness can and do happen. GVN and our partners will do everything we can to look after participants, however some things are simply beyond our control. In such situations, it s critical that participants have a good understanding of the emergency procedures. LEGAL LIABILITY (the small print) As a volunteer it is important you appreciate and understand some of these activities may be outside of your personal insurance cover. As stated in our Terms of Service ( GVN is not liable (to the maximum extent of the law) for any loss or harm you may suffer, including but not limited to loss caused by: delay; bodily injury or death; emotional upset; damage to or loss of property; war or terrorism; natural disasters. Where a program is interrupted or cancelled during a placement due to circumstances beyond GVN's control, the program fee is non-refundable. The GVN Charitable Trust is not liable for any errors or mistakes made by partner organizations. All disputes are governed by the law of New Zealand. 1 Volunteer in this document also refers to Trek, Tour, and Challenge participants.

2 VOLUNTEER SAFETY Program Selection When evaluating potential programs and partner organizations, volunteer safety is one of our guiding principles. The boarder picture of the program is reviewed, eg the geography of the country, political situation, access to airports, medical facilities etc; along with more detailed aspects of the partner organization. For example the communities they work with, staffing, volunteer tasks, accommodation, etc. GVN works hard to identify and mitigate any potential hazards, whilst recognizing there are no guarantees of risk as outlined above. Please refer to the section on In-Country Safety for further details. Privacy/Confidentiality GVN and our partners are committed to the privacy of volunteer information. Information provided in the online application and extra details form is collected solely for internal use within GVN and its partners. Your address and details such as home country will be passed onto volunteers who are in the same group as you, allowing you to make contact before you meet. If you would prefer that this did not happen, please let us know. Prior to travelling GVN provides a range of resources and services to assist volunteers before and during their placement. It is the volunteer s responsibility to utilise the resources and become informed on their program and placement as well as being familiar with the necessary safety precautions when travelling/volunteering abroad. Program Guide Before travelling abroad, please read your Program Guide. Become familiar with your project, visa and immunization requirements, volunteer expectations, what to do on arrival at the airport, the Partner contact details, detailed checklist, etc. The Program Guide contains a wealth of information to help ensure you are as prepared as you can be for your placement. Reading the Program Guide is an important step in looking after your own safety. Police Check As volunteers work closely with children, the vulnerable, and may be accommodated in a home-stay, GVN requires volunteers to provide a satisfactory police check. 24/7 Emergency Line GVN provides a 24 hour emergency line for in-country volunteers and their family. This provides assurance that GVN staff can be contacted anytime should an emergency arise. This is in addition to the availability of the in-country partner. Contact Details Partner contact details are provided in the Program Guide, along with a printable contact sheet for GVN. This should be printed and kept with the volunteer at all times. Register with your Embassy GVN strongly recommends that you register your travel plans with your appropriate government/federal department. We also recommend that you carry with you the contact details of your closest Embassy in case of an emergency situation. It is also a good idea to register to receive travel updates and warnings. Note: It is also important to recognise and understand that media frequently overstates and exaggerates reality. Whilst it is important to be careful, don't let the headlines keep you from leaving your mark on the world! GVN Safety Procedures and Emergency Guide 2

3 Insurance GVN participants must have insurance. You are free to take out insurance cover through any provider of your choice. However, as some policies do not cover volunteering, we recommend you check you are covered during your volunteer placement. GVN strongly recommends that your insurance cover include emergency evacuation along with regular medical/injury cover. (Emergency Evacuation cover is mandatory for all Treks.) Code of Conduct The Code of Conduct can be found in your Program Guide. Please ensure you are familiar with this as it outlines our Partners commitment to volunteers, and their expectations of volunteers. The Code of Conduct varies from program to program depending on specific requirements (eg no guests in rooms, no drinking at the host-family house, etc). The Code of Conduct is designed to provide a safe enjoyable placement for all. Copies of Important Documents Before traveling abroad, make a list of the following items and leave a copy with your family and/or emergency contact(s) at home and remember to take a set with you: Passport number (or copy of your passport details page) Bank account number(s) Credit card number(s) Insurance policy number(s), along with contact details of insurance provider Prescription medicine Partner and GVN contact details Emergency Funds Be sure you have access to funds for emergencies. Many international insurance policies require you to prepay your medical expenses and the insurance company reimburses you. In-Country Arrival Volunteers are notified where to meet the Program representative. With most programs volunteers will be met at the airport and taken to their accommodation. Details are provided in the Program Guide. Note: Arrival procedures vary between programs.] As soon as it is possible after you have arrived, contact your family to let them know you arrived safely. This is one of the most frequently asked questions we receive from family back home. A quick or text message will set their mind at ease. Orientation Each volunteer will participate in an orientation/induction. This is an important aspect of the program providing a range of safety information from cultural awareness, do s and don ts to living in that particular community, language training, any specific safety and/or legal issues the volunteer should be aware of, supervision arrangements, who to contact, the Code of Conduct (which you will need to sign) etc. During the orientation volunteers are given a tour of the local area they will be working in. Places of interest are identified, (eg banks, stores, etc), along with places to avoid which may be unsafe. Placement Support and Partner Supervision Each volunteer is supported and supervised during their placement. The supervision arrangement and the frequency/method of communication varies from program to program and will be outlined during orientation. The partner organization can be contacted at any time and provide volunteers with their contact details. This provision works hand in hand with the GVN 24 hour Emergency Line. GVN Safety Procedures and Emergency Guide 3

4 Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your placement while in-country please talk about these with the program team or GVN. We are unable to address your questions or concerns if we are unaware of them. Common Sense Make sure you use your common sense and best judgment when travelling abroad. For example: Don t flash money in public and avoid wearing expensive-looking jewelry. (The most common forms of crime are opportunistic ones, such as pick-pocketing and petty theft of personal belongings.) Never leave your luggage unattended Avoid walking alone at night Be on your toes when in crowded places Let someone know your plans if taking a weekend trip etc Use official forms of transport (or transport/taxis recommended by the partner) Avoid un-safe areas pointed out by partner staff and host families Keep your passport locked away/safe and carry a photocopy with you for identification. Be aware of health and safety issues, such as drinking water purchase bottled water and check that the cap is sealed; say no to ice in drinks unless from reputable cafes/hotels etc; choose fruit that needs peeling, be careful when buying food from street vendors etc; use sunscreen, insect repellent, mosquito nets, etc Medical Assistance Should medical assistance be required program staff will aid the volunteer in seeking the necessary help. Volunteers are required to have insurance cover which must include medical cover. Please be familiar with your insurance policy so you know who to contact should a medical emergency arise. PARTNER ORGANISATIONS Program Selection As noted earlier, volunteer safety is one of our guiding principles when evaluating potential programs and partner organizations. Before approaching a potential partner the boarder picture of the program is reviewed, for example the geography of the country, political situation, access to airports, medical treatment etc. Following this, GVN then begins a detailed process of assessing and evaluating the program for its fit with GVN s mission and vision. Along with specifics as to the operations of the program and projects, GVN works with the organization to ensure the articles laid out in our 10 Steps of Quality Partner Guide have been worked through and are met. During this period GVN seeks testimonials, and also undertakes a site visit. Only after our vetting process is complete and both GVN and the program are satisfied is a partnership formed. GVN and our Partner organizations work hard to identify and mitigate any potential hazards, whilst recognizing there are no guarantees of risk as outlined above. Regular Program Reviews As part of our 10 Steps of Quality standards, GVN undertakes regular reviews of each program, which includes feedback from volunteers and the GVN Foundation (re donations), and a site visit. GVN and our Partners are committed to addressing any issues or concerns as soon as they are raised. Communication Communication is vital to the success of each program. GVN is in regular contact with each of our partners, and our partners in turn, are in regular contact with volunteers when in-country. GVN Safety Procedures and Emergency Guide 4

5 Given the nature of life in developing communities, issues such as power outages and slow internet can mean delays in receiving a response to s. Phone calls and Skype are also regular methods of communication between GVN and our partners. Phone calls are likely to be the main form of communication between the partner and volunteers in-country. Should there be an emergency situation (eg volunteer illness) the partner will contact GVN as soon as practical to advise us of the situation. If required, GVN will notify the volunteer s emergency contact person to keep them informed. Depending on the circumstances, the partner may contact the volunteer s emergency contact directly. Volunteer Code of Conduct Volunteers are required to sign a Code of Conduct at their orientation. The Code of Conduct outlines the responsibilities and expectations of the volunteer to the program, the project and community, and at their accommodation. Please read and become familiar with the Expectations section of your Program Guide. These have been written in order to better prepare you as a volunteer, not only for the work that you will be involved in but also the environment you will be living in. At all times be sensitive to, and respectful of the people around you. It is important to emphasize you are dealing with a different culture when you are volunteering abroad. How you would approach a particular situation in your own country does not necessarily mean it is appropriate to handle it in the same way in your program country. Volunteers are expected to follow the local laws and regulations. The partner organization will have rules that volunteers will need to observe. If you are unsure of these please ask program staff to clarify. Failure to comply with program rules and regulations may result in your immediate expulsion from the program. GVN is committed to the safety of our Partners and the communities they work with. To this end we are fully supportive of partners where they may need to dismiss a volunteer for a serious breaches to the Code of Conduct (eg drunkenness at placement, use of drugs, bringing disrepute to the partner and/or GVN.) Placement Interruption As noted earlier, placements may be interrupted due to unforeseen circumstances (eg natural disasters, civil disturbances.) Should such a situation arise, please follow the guidance of the Partner and your local Embassy. COMMUNITY SAFETY Along with volunteer and partner safety GVN has concern for the safety of the vulnerable communities we work with. Requiring volunteers to provide a satisfactory police check is one way to help safeguard the safety of host families and communities. GVN also utilizes volunteer feedback and Program reviews to monitor volunteer/program impact on communities. Our partner organizations work closely with their communities and will address any issues that may arise directly, informing GVN of any situations we need to be aware of. FINAL WORDS You are about to embark on a life-changing adventure and as with any travel abroad there are risks. Therefore take time to fully prepare before leaving home and when you are in-country be aware of your surroundings; follow the advice of the program staff; employ your common sense; and embrace your immersion into a new culture. GVN Safety Procedures and Emergency Guide 5