Number one priority

The health and safety of participants, staff, and everyone involved with World Volunteer is our utmost priority. We feel we have a moral responsibility to be as prepared and planned as possible and to only run and operate trips with the highest safety standards. We have more than a decade of experience working with volunteers, student groups, and with some of the leading travel organizations in the world.

We have built systems, controlling measures, and processes that help us to reduce risk and have protocols for incidents that arise. With our experience we have also built a network of trusted partners and communities all of whom support, understand, and work with WV to continually evolve and innovate ways we can improve.

Our trips often include hard work on our project with basic local living conditions meaning the majority of participants will have periods or moments when they go outside their comfort zone. This is by design as we feel that is an excellent path to growth. WV’s decade plus of experience in organizing and running trips and our dedicated team will be with and support you throughout your journey.

safeguarding

The well being of all those involved with World Volunteer is very important but especially for young adults, children, and anyone who might be vulnerable to harm. WV has a specific child protection policy document which defines and outlines the steps we take to prevent any type of child abuse. This document is also used for our staff trainings.

Medical

With all WV trips our staff carries comprehensive first aid kits that travel everywhere the group or participants goes. All staff are trained and understand the contents of the kit. Below is an outline of the categories that we cover:

• Eye/muscle pain

• Cuts

• Fever/Throat

• Hand

• Stomach

• Skin

• Broken bone

In each location and country we work there are standard operating procedures in place to deal with any type of emergency or medical situation and there is always a stand by vehicle and driver with the group at all times. WV has researched and identified the best medical facilities available in each region.

Another very important aspect of all trips is food! WV can accommodate for any dietary need with prior notification. Traveling to any new destination and eating new foods leaves the possibility of minor upset stomachs or irritabilities. We work with homestay families to review hygiene, food preparation & storage, and menus. Our team also vets all restaurants for quality and hygiene.

Risk

With any type of travel there is inherent risk that can never fully be eradicated. We want everyone involved with our organization, projects, & trips to be and stay safe/healthy at all times. WV’s mission is to identify all possible risks/hazards and to add/implement controlling measures that mitigate those risks to as low as possible. As an organization we assess risk across seven main areas:

1. Transportation

2. Accommodation

3. Project

4. Home-stays

5. Restaurants/Food

6. Outdoor/Adventure activities

7. Country

Our process is to identify all possible risks/hazards and to rate them with a score (1- 5) on the probability of that risk/hazard occurring and the severity if it were to occur. Any score at or above 7 requires WV staff to re-evaluate the risk/hazard to reudce the score or make broader program changes to eliminate the risk/hazard. The next step is to create and implement various controlling measures that will reduce both the probability and severity. We then review and update these assessments on an annual basis. Lastly, in addition to our risk matrix we also have various check lists of criteria that must be met by all the vendors, hotels, restaurants, and other providers that play a role in our operations.