GVI staff

All staff employed in all our locations are our own. Each is recruited, vetted, and trained by us. In many cases, they are GVI alumni whose dedication, enthusiasm, and skill particularly impressed us. Ensuring that all staff are our own enables us to supervise a safe and secure environment for participants at all times. This includes transport to and from the airport, between project sites and the GVI base, and during any additional trips. When other transport is necessary, staff travel with the participants to and from their destination. Staff members live in the same accommodation – or very nearby – as participants, and are present for just about every meal. 

Our minimum GVI staff-to-participant ratio is one to eight for over 18’s and one to six for under 18’s. The ratio varies based on the ages of participants (under 18 or over 18), the level of support required for each activity and the number of participants involved in the program at any particular time. This helps ensure that no matter what the situation, there will be a sufficient number of staff members to safely manage any situation.

Personal belongings

All your valuables, including personal electronic devices can be kept safe in a secure location either inside your personal accommodation or within the program manager’s office. 

Background checks and training 

Every single one of our participants and staff members, including office staff, have undergone a background check. On the rare occasion when background checks cannot be secured, we require participants to supply character references instead.

All GVI participants will complete health and safety training. This includes general instructions on respectful and careful travel, cultural awareness, regional safety issues, personal protective equipment, and regional emergency services, including a communication card with all relevant numbers, contacts, and addresses for our on-site and off-site staff, including the 24-hour emergency number. You will need to keep this card on your person at all times.  

All on-the-ground GVI staff are required to complete child protection training, to enable them to spot and respond to any potential threats according to internationally accepted standards. In all our locations worldwide appointed staff members take on the role of assigned child protection officers. They maintain contact with in-country professionals employed by local child protection services.

Each and every one of our on-the-ground staff is emergency first response (EFR) certified. Many are also certified EFR instructors. A fully stocked EFR medical kit is available on each base. It is checked and restocked after any incident or every three months. An assigned driver, who is licensed, and familiar with the area is also available 24/7 to provide a lift to a medical facility if needed. Regular vehicle checks also ensure that transport to a medical facility will not be hindered by mechanical issues.

Before any GVI staff member is allowed onto a project, they must first undergo an off-site safety training course designed according to internationally accepted safety practices. It includes training on how to conduct on-the-spot risk assessments and put effective control measures in place, how to develop, apply, and update emergency action plans, how to develop a crisis management plan and how to apply it, as well as when and how to conduct periodic health and safety protocol reviews with senior management.

Participants have access to local medical professionals such as doctors, medics, and counsellors, all fully vetted by GVI. 

You will be asked to disclose all pre-existing medical conditions and dietary requirements. This is the only way for us to support the advice of licensed medical professionals and ensure that participants aren’t exposed to any foods, environments, or other circumstances that could potentially cause them physical or mental harm.

Health insurance 

Our insurance partner, Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI), has developed an international health insurance package specifically catered to our participants. It also covers medical emergencies and disaster evacuations. A CISI GVI international health insurance policy is not covered in the program fee, but details for purchasing one can be requested by contacting your enrollment manager or support coordinator. We require that all our participants submit proof of international health insurance.

Monitoring

• GVI monitors governmental foreign policy sites like the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the US State Department, and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs to ensure that we are aware of any potential issues on the horizon.
• GVI also stays abreast of local government updates in the countries in which we operate and maintain close contact with local partners operating in our location or nearby.
• Before we include any accommodation, tour operation, or local partner on our program itinerary, we conduct an in-depth risk audit of their services in collaboration with members of our senior management team. Only once a partner is fully vetted do we agree to make this service available to potential program participants.

Emergency action plans

All major foreseeable incidents have a corresponding GVI emergency action plan.

• Each GVI base is required to have a formal crisis management plan in place. It requires that GVI staff members take control of the situation, provide security, start delivering emergency care and contact senior management in the event of an emergency.
• All GVI bases, no matter how remote, have a medical and crisis evacuation plan in place.
• For any plan to operate effectively, communication channels need to be set up and maintained. All on-the-ground staff and participants are empowered to contact senior staff members, local support staff, and our central support office. 

Reporting 

• All GVI in-country staff are required to complete a formal health and safety report after any incident. If no such incident occurred, a report is generated every quarter. In collaboration with senior management, risk assessments, emergency action plans, crisis management plans, and evacuation plans are updated accordingly.
• All our vehicles, activity equipment, like diving kits and telemetry devices, safety equipment, like first aid kits and fire extinguishers, are checked on a daily, weekly, quarterly, and annual basis. Many of our GVI bases also close for one to two weeks annually for maintenance, restocking, and repairs.
• GVI’s emergency phone line gives you direct access to our trained health and safety coordinators and our senior management team at any time of day or night wherever you might be in the world. Once an incident is noted, our emergency action plan for this specific scenario will take immediate effect.