Health & Safety
STAYING SAFE WHILE VOLUNTEERING ABROAD
Your health and safety during your volunteer abroad programme with Vocational Impact is of paramount importance.
We have dedicated years to protecting you and ensuring your safety during your volunteer programme.
We understand the concerns and worries you may have before you travel, and the risks of travelling, but we do not want this to deter you from the trip of a lifetime.
We regularly update and review our risk assessments, policies and compliance protocol to support your adventure so you can relax and enjoy your volunteer programme with Vocational Impact.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility, and below you will be able to read about how we keep you safe and how you can navigate your new environment.
Pre-departure Safety
From the moment you contact us with an enquiry there will be someone you can talk to about your volunteer abroad programme. You will have direct contact with Vocational Impact experts well before your placement begins. You will receive detailed information about the project you will work with, full health and safety documentation, check lists, guides and placement structures.
Vocational Impact will stay in regular contact with you, preparing you fully for your trip, and conduct pre-departure calls to ensure you are happy and have had the chance to talk through any concerns before you fly.
We have prepared thousands of people for our placements and have years and years of experience assisting and preparing people like yourself for trips abroad. We understand your worries and we are here throughout to support you all the way.
TRAVEL Safety
We know the airport exchange can be one filled with anxiety but we have this covered. You will be met at the airport arrivals, with a friendly face, a sign with your name and we will send you a t-shirt so our in-country team can easily identify you.
You will also receive a contact form before you fly, with photos of the in-country team, and we will do the same with our in-country team, so you both have each other’s contact details and photos.
When it’s time for you to depart, we will drop you back at the airport.
SAFE LOCATIONS
Our destinations have been selected because of long relationships with the projects and their cause. All our destinations are considered ‘safe’ by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and this is where we obtain our travel information.
All our locations meet with the Vocational Impact strict criteria, focusing on safety and sustainability.
We have comprehensive protocols and procedures that ensure safety and enjoyment on all our placements. Click here to view our locations
COVID RESPONSE
When the Covid-19 pandemic began, we introduced a number of extra health and safety measures that have been implemented by all our local teams and locations. These have been designed to minimise the risk of volunteers introducing a new infection to the local community, and minimise the risk of cross-infection between volunteers and from the local community.
These measures are in addition to our standard safety policies and are strictly enforced across every programme to minimise the risks associated with Covid-19.
ACCOMMODATION SAFETY
Vocational Impact provides authentic, safe and comfortable accommodation to you while you are on placement.
Your in-country accommodation will be safe and secure and your in-country local team will be appointed to take care of you during your placement.
The accommodation is shared, which is a great way to meet people from all over the world, but will be private to Vocational Impact volunteers taking part on placements.
All accommodation is vetted and you will have the ability to discuss any unsatisfactory concerns with your local team who are there to make your stay as comfortable as possible.
You will be briefed on individual accommodation expectations and who will be living with you as you approach your departure date.
IN-COUNTRY SUPPORT STAFF
One of the ways we support our projects is to hire local support staff and pay their salaries, investing into the local economy and the lives of the people that live there.
All our local staff will support you from the moment you land, until they drop you back at the airport before your return flight.
The in-country support staff will be based on the project and be available to you 24/7 for the duration of your placement.
The local Vocational Impact staff are trained on emergency procedures and briefed on each volunteer before you arrive. You will have direct contact with them before departure.
There is also a 24/7 phone line back to the UK based office staff, who will also be checking in regularly with the in-country staff to see how you are settling in, and how your placement is going.
You will have access to our full health and safety documentation, policies and compliance procedures upon registration. You can also check out our frequently asked questions below.
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