Your dedicated World Expeditions’ School Manager works with the teachers and school to plan a tour that suits your desired outcomes and the pre-departure preparation for the school, the teachers, the parents, and the students, including risk prevention and management processes.Once the tour is approved by the school, we will present with the school to ensure students and families are informed, and aware, of what is expected from them and what they can expect from us and the school regarding safety procedures both pre-departure and on the tour. We also supply a detailed document upon registration outlining what we need regarding medical/dietary information, what gear to take, and how communications work during the tour.

 

We prepare the teachers and the school executive regarding the “Teacher’s Companion” booklet that has all the information teachers need, and we run an invaluable “risk workshop” for teachers and school executive to attend. While we’re preparing the travellers we are also preparing our local Operations team and Guides. We use the same presentations, same training, same “Teacher’s Companion” to prepare everyone... why? because it means everyone is on the same page when it comes to risk and safety.

 

We like our tours to be inclusive. They’re designed to maximise everyone’s safety & enjoyment.We believe that every student should be able to “express their interest” or “opt-in” to the opportunity. Then, once the school has decided who can be a tour participant, we will collect all the relevant medical/dietary information, share this with the school for review, and then add it to the Teacher’s Companion so travelling teachers, (& our Guides), can provide the duty of care expected by parents and Principals alike. For some participants we will request additional information e.g. action plans and/or Dr signed medical clearance forms, which we always share with the school and teachers. On the very rare occasion that we feel we, (or the teachers/school), cannot safely carryout the required duty of care, we will work with the school to discuss appropriate & acceptable options.

 

Some schools decide to do all the screening themselves and then provide us with the information. This process is 100% acceptable to us. We just ask for, complete transparency of information, and trust with regards our professional approach to ensure all stakeholders are aware of, and able to provide, the required duty of care needed for individuals and the group.

 

Every Guide is local, they know the location and itinerary like the back of their hand. This local knowledge means teachers are working with an expert who can provide the advice, guidance and support needed to prevent and manage risks. They are first aid trained, know where medical clinics are and how to get there, (and speak the local language so can interpret detailed info for teachers), and are chosen by our local Operations Manager because of their years of experience guiding in the destination. They are not western Guides who defer to local experts when an evacuation is needed, who need an interpreter when talking to local Doctors, local cooks, local drivers, and who may never have been to the location before.

We never compromise the safety of participants to reduce the price of a tour.For example, we could book cheaper hotels, cheaper transport, cheaper eating establishments, cheaper activities and pay less in wages to our Guides, however we prefer to pay a little extra rather than cutting ground costs to increase profits. In addition, we won’t give you a cheap price for the first trip to get you “on the books”, instead we believe in being fair and honest with you from the outset, so we can provide you and your school community with certainty for years to come.

We include at least two supervising teachers and can add more to suit each school.There is main, or lead Guide for the entire tour, and additional Guides depending on the size of the group, destination, activities and itinerary. Teachers are always able to supervise the students while our local Guide oversees logistics and coordinates any specialist instructors/Guides e.g. marine biologists for marine conservation projects or local indigenous/NGO guides for cultural immersion experiences. Our “never alone policy”, “always supervised policy”, and “easy & quick access to teachers’ policy” will be explained during pre-departure training so everyone is aware of, and able to carry out, their roles and responsibilities. Please note, if you, as a school, feel you would like additional qualified staff for your tour i.e. one of our Australian, UK, NZ or Canadian based Guides, we can arrange for them to travel with your teachers as a “chaperone”, or a “teacher’s assistant, or a “tour leader”.

All contact information that is needed during the tour is contained within the “Teacher’s Companion” booklet that all teachers, Guides and the school executive have. The school executive and teachers always have access to their World Expeditions School Manager. Most importantly, we don’t only rely on support based in an office in Sydney or London, instead the teachers have direct 24/7 support and assistance from our local Operations Manager who also have 24-hour access to our teams back in Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the UK. All our Guides carry communication equipment relevant to the area and itinerary. We generally advise that teachers contact their school to pass on messages to families.

 

We strongly advise that students do not take phones with them on tours for risk and other reasons. Students who have mobile phones often text home before telling teachers if they feel unwell, this firstly slows down the teacher’s ability to care for the student, and secondly if parents advise their child to take medicine that the teachers are not aware of, then there can be significant information lost in emergencies. Teachers always carry phones and will allow students to use them when necessary. Student phones, (including all their data and images), can be hacked when on unsecure Wi-Fi or plugged into unsecure charging ports. If a student loses their phone, then all their data and images are potentially accessible. The educational and mental health benefits of no phones are enormous, as students without phones are, far more present, far more immersed, far more likely to talk to each other, far more likely to take in what they are experiencing so they can learn from it, able to experience independence, more likely to learn some real social skills, and more likely to have fun with their school mates who are on the trip with them.

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In most destinations we own the local operation.Having a trusted and regularly trained local operations team, means we know the teachers will receive the support and advice they need from the local Operations Manager who is on call 24/7 during the tour. Whether it’s re-routing of itineraries due to weather, adding extra Guides to support evacuations, giving advice on local places to avoid, or supplying financial assistance when required, it is our local Operations team who react swiftly and professionally to ensure everyone is supported.

Our team meets weekly to discuss, review and train each other regarding our procedures and policies.We asses the risks & hazards involved in our tours, write procedures to prevent & manage incidents and then, most importantly, through our face-to-face & on-line risk workshops, train the supervising teachers & School Executive, and our local Operations Managers & Guides, to ensure all stakeholders are aware of their roles & responsibilities regarding duty of care & incident management.

 

We are able to adapt our procedures to suits school policies, as we believe it’s a partnership with a shared duty of care, so just like teachers & Guides do during the tour, we and your school can work together as a united team. Once on tour, the Guides & teachers meet on day one to review the itinerary, check medical/dietary information and ensure they are all on the same page regarding individual and group requirements. Guides & teachers meet daily to discuss any incidents during that day and plan for tomorrow, which ensures everyone is empowered to use our dynamic risk assessment process, (The Traffic Light System), to voice concerns or approval of the plan. Should a major incident occur, the teachers and Guides priorities the welfare of the students and each other, then contact our local Operations Manager for advice and evacuation support. The teachers will inform the school while the World Expeditions team locally and at home, support the students, teachers, school and, through the school executive, the next of kin. External stakeholders like the insurance company’s “24/7 assistance line” and emergency services will be engaged as required, to support as needed.

 

During our pre-departure presentations we inform parents/students with regards to their personal medication, personal med-kits and provide links to specialist Travel Doctors like the TMVC https://www.traveldoctor.com.au in Australia & NZ for teachers & parents to consult with. Teachers follow school policies with regards to school 1st Aid kits and are “aware & trained” regarding medication & treatments for those students with pre-existing medical conditions. Our Guides, of course, have their 1st Aid kits and are 1st Aid trained. Our procedures are simple; “work within the remit of your qualification and then refer to medical professionals”. We prefer to take students to medical clinics rather than have teachers & Guides making medical decisions. Teachers are able to call the insurance companies “medical assistance line” to seek advice from a Doctor. If your teachers are worried about 1st Aid, or your school wish, we can also organise for a doctor or one of our qualified Aus/NZ/UK Guides, to travel with the group

We are able to comply with each school’s regional & national requirements, and adapt to suit the school’s education department, board and governance. We comply with all regional and national regulations of the destinations we travel in. We have Public Liability insurance up to AU$20m. In Australia we are ATAS accredited, IATA & the Travel Compensation Fund. In the UK we are ATOL licensed, and we offer complimentary airline failure insurance when booking your flights with us. In New Zealand we are a member of the Travel Agents Association of NZ. In North America we are a member of TICO in Canada and ATTA in the USA. We can review your school’s travel insurance policy and provide advice regarding a travel insurance policy that will provide the correct coverage for the destination and type of school journey you choose..