Application for an overseas programme (otherwise known as the "programme") is made with Raleigh International Trust (registered address: Raleigh International,Third Floor, Prince Consort House, 27-29 Albert Embankment, London. SE1 7TJ, UK) Charity number: 1047653. Known hereafter as "Raleigh", "the charity", "we", or "us").
1. This application applies to programme participants ( known as "volunteers", or "you" ) and programme managers (known as "volunteer managers", or "you").
2. APPLICATION PROCESS
Volunteers: you should return to us a completed and signed application form, a medical form signed by a GP, and a non refundable deposit of £200.
Volunteer Managers & Team Leaders: you should return to us a completed and signed application form, details of any medical conditions, a CV and personal statement. If you are offered a place on a programme following the assessment process, a non refundable deposit of £200 will then become payable.
3. APPLICANT AGE:
Volunteers: you are normally expected to be between 17 – 24 years of age at the date of expedition commencement. Applicants outside this age guideline will be considered subject to suitable selection process.
Volunteer Managers: you are normally expected to be at least 25 years of age at the date of expedition commencement, however younger applicants, who possess relevant skills and experience, will also be considered subject to interview and references.
4. APPLICANTS WHOSE FIRST LANGUAGE IS NOT ENGLISH:
The official language of all Raleigh international programmes is English. All health & safety briefings will be held in English, therefore you must be able to understand the briefings and seek clarification where necessary. The only exception to this is in Costa Rica & Nicaragua where Raleigh employs English/Spanish interpreters.
5. DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE CHECKS:
Raleigh works with young people from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences some of whom are under 18 years of age or vulnerable adults. For volunteer managers, if you are a UK citizen you will be asked to complete a DBS disclosure application form, while applicants from other countries will be asked to present an equivalent certification and references.
6. MEDICAL DISCLOSURE:
Volunteers: you must mention in detail on your medical form any pre-existing physical or mental health considerations.
Volunteer managers: you must give details of any pre-existing physical or mental health considerations. Medical disclosure information must be provided within one month of your being offered a place on a programme.
7. APPLICATION REFUSAL:
Raleigh's medical advisor may need to consult you about any medical issues or concerns. We reserve the right to refuse an application if, in our opinion, your medical condition or history puts you (or others) at risk on expedition. The decision of Raleigh is final. However, in these circumstances the initial £200 deposit will be refunded in full.
8. SWIMMING:
For safety reasons you should be able to swim at least 200 metres unaided. If you are unable to swim this distance, your choice of destination or project site may be restricted. We will conduct a swimming test on arrival in-country so as to allocate volunteers and volunteer managers safely to each project .
9. FUNDRAISING TARGET:
You will be set a minimum fundraising target. We will provide supporting information and assistance to help you to reach this target. The minimum fundraising target must be received by the charity at least two months before departure. If the minimum fundraising target is not received by the charity by this date, you will not be able to join the programme, except at Raleigh's discretion.
a. LATE APPLICATIONS
If you apply for a programme less than two months before the departure date you will be required to pay the full fundraising target within 10 days of confirmation of a place.
b. WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE FUNDRAISING TARGET
You are fundraising for the work of the charity as a whole. Your fundraising target includes the following, which are provided in accordance with our operational procedures and safety standards:
• Travel and medical insurance (excluding cover for cancellation and personal belongings)
• Training and preparation in the UK
• Pre-departure and in-country support
• All food and accommodation
• Specialist equipment
• In-country transport including Raleigh owned vehicles, externally provided coaches, minibuses, public transport
The fundraising target does not include international flights, vaccinations, kit and visas (if required). In exceptional circumstances we may deem it necessary to purchase flights for specific individuals or programmes.
c. MINIMUM FUNDRAISING TARGETS
We reserve the right to increase minimum fundraising targets without prior notice to you, but no such notification may be made later than two months before departure. If the increase proposed is in excess of 10% you may elect in writing and within 10 days of notification of the increase, to withdraw from the programme. In such cases all funds thus far raised by you will be returned to the donors.
10. ADDITIONAL COSTS:
You must purchase any necessary personal equipment or obtain any necessary medical checks or treatment prior to departure, out of your personal funds.
11. VISA REQUIREMENTS:
You are responsible for arranging your own visa where required (including transit visas) unless otherwise stated. We will provide advice for British applicants however if you are
a non-British applicant, you must check with the relevant embassy / consulate that you are eligible for a valid visa.
12. JOINING THE PROGRAMME:
You are responsible for joining the programme at the correct time and in the correct place, and therefore making your own transport/flight arrangements. Raleigh will provide joining instructions but is not responsible for organising your flights, though advice and preferred options will be provided.
If you are delayed in joining the programme when using one of our recommended flights, we will make all reasonable efforts to collect you from the airport to enable you to join the programme at the earliest possible opportunity. Similarly, if the recommended departure flight is delayed, we will make all reasonable efforts to deliver you to the airport and ensure you have accommodation and other necessary support, notwithstanding the responsibilities of the air carrier.
13. CANCELLATION OF YOUR APPLICATION
If you withdraw from a programme before departure, for any reason, Raleigh must be informed in writing. Any funds received by the charity up to this point will be treated as donations to the charity and will not normally be refundable.
No payment on which tax has already been reclaimed under the gift aid scheme can be refunded. No refund or deferral (see 15 Below) is possible if you withdraw after the programme begins.
14. DEFERRAL OF YOUR APPLICATION
If you apply for a programme but need to defer your place because of medical, family or other reasons, Raleigh may agree to transfer any funds remitted, including deposit, towards the cost of an alternative Raleigh expedition, providing the departure date is less than 24 months after the departure date of the expedition originally applied for. The minimum fundraising target for the alternative expedition will apply.
15. LEAVING AN EXPEDITION EARLY
If, through unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances, you need to leave an expedition before its conclusion, Raleigh, at its sole discretion, may agree to offer a pro-rata discount depending upon the timing of early departure, towards the cost of an alternative Raleigh expedition, providing the departure date is less than 24 months after the departure date of the expedition originally applied for. The minimum fundraising target for the alternative expedition will apply.
16. INSURANCE:
Insurance, covering personal accident, medical treatment and repatriation, is included as part of the overall minimum fundraising target unless otherwise stated. This insurance covers the period from when the main group, either volunteer manager or volunteer departs from the UK to when the main group returns to the UK. Cover is not provided for personal equipment or money. Insurance is provided on the understanding that you have read and understood the precise details of insurance cover supplied by Raleigh and that you have declared fully to Raleigh on the application and medical forms any information, medical or otherwise, which may affect the insurance cover in any way; and have complied with the medical advice. If any changes occur to your physical or mental health after returning the application form the medical coordinator at Raleigh head office must be informed immediately.
17. CANCELLATION OF PROGRAMME
We reserve the right to cancel the programme without prior notice in the event of natural disaster, political instability or other unforeseen circumstances. In this event, an alternative programme will be offered or all funds raised by you will be returned in full. However, in the event that we have to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances, we retain the right to deduct from such funds a proportion of costs incurred.
18. AMENDMENT OF PROGRAMME
Programme schedules and project information provided should be regarded as a fair indication of what the charity hopes to achieve; but they are in no sense a contractual obligation on Raleigh's part. A fundamental condition of application is that you appreciate the need for flexibility and understand that Raleigh cannot accept responsibility for the results of delays or modifications. No refunds will be made, nor any liability incurred by Raleigh, for stages of the itinerary included in the original fundraising target, which may have to be changed or cancelled by Raleigh.
19. BEHAVIOUR:
Acceptance of a place by you binds you to the rules and procedures which Raleigh operates on its programmes, and you agree to abide by the instructions of the country director/project staff representing Raleigh. Any illegal act or inappropriate behaviour by an individual, that in the opinion of the programme staff is detrimental to the safety and welfare of the programme, may result in the individual being asked to withdraw from the programme, without the right to a refund. Full details are provided in our Code of Conduct which form part of our terms and you must accept at the point of application and will be asked to confirm during training and or induction.
20. ALCOHOL AND DRUGS
Raleigh operates a no alcohol and no drugs policy on overseas programmes. We retain the right to remove any individual from a programme if we deem that there is 'sufficient suspicion' that an individual has been involved with drugs or alcohol during the programme. Raleigh does not have to prove such an act has occurred.
21. NEXT OF KIN:
You are required to provide details of an appropriate next of kin (NOK). If at any time Raleigh feels it necessary to contact the NOK, Raleigh will first seek, where possible, your permission to do so. However Raleigh reserves the right at all times to speak to NOK without your permission.
22. PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES
You accept that the living conditions throughout the programme may be significantly different from your own local environment, including food, accommodation (which may include hostels, billeting, camping) and washing facilities. In addition, the nature of activities will mean you are subjected to various physical and emotional challenges.
23. OWN RISK:
You participate at your own risk. Raleigh cannot be responsible for any mishap to a volunteer / volunteer manager unless such mishap can be shown to be the result of negligence by Raleigh. Raleigh cannot take responsibility for the consequences of strikes, war, sickness, quarantine, government action or of other 'force majeure' circumstances. You should note that the programmes, and particularly any trekking activities, are adventurous and therefore, by definition, include an element of health or physical risk. They often take place in remote areas where medical or rescue facilities may not be immediately available. By applying the venture / volunteer manager accepts that they are prepared to accept such circumstances.
24. RIGHTS AND LIABILITIES
You will not hold Raleigh, its employees, partners or agents liable for any loss, damage, personal injury, delay or expense suffered or incurred by you for any reason other than negligence. You agree to indemnify without limitation, Raleigh, its employees, partners or agents, against any loss or damage suffered by any of them or any claims made against
any of them as a result of any breach or negligence by you during your participation on the programme.
25. PROGRAMME INFORMATION:
Information about vaccinations, clothing and equipment, flight details, climate etc. is given in good faith but Raleigh does not accept responsibility for the validity of such advice.
26. PASSPORT:
You must have an international passport, valid for at least six months after the end of the programme.
27. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE:
Any complaints about the programme should be made known to the country director in
the first instance. If it is felt that satisfaction has not been obtained, written complaints, received at the Raleigh's headquarters in England within 28 days of the programme's end date, will be given serious consideration. Raleigh undertakes to reply to all written complaints within 28 days of receipt.
28. DISPUTES
Solely the laws of England, notwithstanding your nationality, govern this agreement and it is accepted by both parties that in the event of a dispute, which cannot be resolved amicably, the matter will be referred to an independent arbiter or to a court in England.
29. DATA PROTECTION
You agree that Raleigh may hold and use personal data about you including sensitive personal data relating to your physical and mental health and that Raleigh may when appropriate share this information with medical advisers, insurers and persons involved in the operation of programmes. We will use such information in accordance with data protection law.
30. GENERAL:
On signing up to a programme you agree to accept these terms and conditions and all other documents referred to. Any false statement or material omission in the information that you provide to Raleigh in any of the forms will entitle Raleigh to cancel your application or end your participation without right to refund.
31. ENFORCEMENT
This agreement is not enforceable by anyone other than you and Raleigh.
