TRAVELLERS' CHILD CARE AND VULNERABLE ADULTS POLICY
Our Commitment:
As well as protecting all our volunteers, Travellers Worldwide is committed to all
our projects and dedicated to practices which protect children and vulnerable adults
from harm. As a leading international provider of voluntary placements overseas,
we passionately believe it is our obligation to develop awareness of issues relating
to child and care protection, a responsibility we take extremely seriously. We therefore,
have strict practises and screening procedures relating not only to the volunteers
who join us, but also to the projects we work with.
All our volunteers are carefully vetted and are provided with comprehensive information
about their project and country which details what will be expected from them during
their placement. They are also provided with our Child and Vulnerable Adults Protection
Policy based on protocols and information provided by the Keeping Children Safe
(a membership network of organisations including the British Council, Oxfam and
other charities) and Department of Education (UK government).
Our Standards and Protocols:
We check that all our volunteers have the appropriate qualifications, skills, experience
for the project that are partaking on. We also, always consult with our projects
regarding the minimum length duration required. Although we always encourage our
volunteers to go for as long as they can, we appreciate that many qualified and
skilled people out there may not be able to commit to an extended period on a project,
but may have specialist skills and experience that could offer a vital contribution
to the project, that doesn’t necessarily mean just working directly with the children,
for example experience in a specialist education department that could benefit the
staff on the project or carpentry skills that could help improve the children environment.
Therefore, everyone is evaluated on a case by case basis with both the project and
the volunteer, who are assigned to a clearly defined role on the project.
Working with the Local Community:
We also have strict practices and procedures in place relating to all the projects
and communities we work with to make sure that the children or vulnerable adults
they are working with is genuine and work with their consent.
To help us adapt to their needs we have personnel in all our destination who work
one to one with the local communities to ensure both the project and especially
the children and vulnerable adults we are helping benefit from the experience of
us being there. All our projects have direct involvement with the application process
of all our participant wanting to join them and have complete discretion on who
they accept!
Our Policy and Commitment:
- All our volunteers over 18 who are either working with children (and vulnerable
adults) are police checked (Enhanced DBS check for British participants and or national
equivalent for everyone outside the UK).
- Reference check all volunteers with either professional or academic organisation.
- All volunteers are screened by both the UK office and project in the destination.
- All our projects have been screened by our in-country representative.
- All our projects (i.e. schools, hospitals...) have final decision with who they
take.
- All volunteers are provided with comprehensive information about their project and
country.
- All volunteers receive an orientation and induction and induction on arrival.
- All volunteers and projects are monitored and assessed by us.
- All volunteers are provided with and instructed to follow our Child and Vulnerable
Adults Protection Policy.
- All volunteers are provided with channels to report any concerns they may have.
- All volunteers and projects have access to us 24/7.