A parent's guide...
A parent’s guide to adventurous activities abroad for young people
Below we’ve summarised the key areas of a report released by the BSI (British Standards Institute). If you’d like to read more, download the full report:> Parent’s guide to adventurous activities abroad for young people
The British Standard (BS 8848) specification for the provision of visits, fieldwork, expeditions, and adventurous activities, outside the United Kingdom sets minimum requirements developed specially for UK organisations that offer adventurous activities abroad to make sure that ventures are planned and managed with care.
Tens of thousands of young people take part in organised activities abroad each year. Activities such as school expeditions can be great fun, broaden horizons and teach new skills. But, if your son or daughter plans to take part in one of these activities, their safety is bound to be your biggest concern and you will have lots of questions:
- Who will have overall responsibility for their safety while they are away?
- What activities will they be doing?
- What advice or training will they be given?
- What are the risks and how will these be minimised?
- What happens if they become ill or have an accident?
- Who, if anyone, will be supervising them?
- Are staff competent and experienced?
Adventurous activities are designed to be exciting and challenging. Of course, no venture can be risk-free but the British Standard for Adventurous Activities (BS 8848) aims to create an environment where the possibility for accidents and injuries, is reduced. It gives organisations minimum standards to make sure that overseas ventures are planned thoroughly and carried out as safely as possible.
The standard is voluntary, so make sure you choose an organisation that complies.
BS 8848 – What to expect from organisations
BS 8848 describes what organisations should do, see below.
Clear roles and responsibilities
- One individual or organisation should be identified as the ‘venture provider’ with overall responsibility, including those run by third parties.
- A competent leadership team should be appointed with relevant training and experience.
Good planning and preparation
- All aspects of the venture should be risk assessed for suitability and safety
- Venture providers should gather information about participants, including pre-existing medical conditions, to assess each person’s capability to take part.
- Before booking, the venture provider should give all potential participants clear information about price, timings, plus an explanation of activities, staff, and any significant safety issues.
- After booking, the venture provider should give all participants detailed information about: accommodation, transport, meals, itinerary, payment schedules and insurance and what’s not included
Be prepared
- There should be written plans in place to analyse risks and manage safety.
- All staff should be aware of the associated risks and have procedures to minimise and manage them.
- All staff should know what to do, how to act and who to contact in the event an incident.
- All staff should have access to medical advice.
Checklist for parents and participants
Choose the right venture – help your son or daughter find a project to suits their interests and abilities.Check credentials – how long has the organisation been running? Can you speak to previous participants to get feedback on their experiences? Does the organisation running the venture comply with BS 8848?
Know before you go – before booking, or parting with any cash, it is vital that you and your child know exactly what is involved in the venture.
Find out who is responsible – make sure you know who this is.
Signing up – read all the terms of the contract
Emergency contacts – know how to contact your child while they are away in case of an emergency at home. And make sure the venture provider has your contact details too.
Find out more
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