SAFETY & WELLBEING

There is a large social element associated with volunteering abroad. By joining one of our volunteering opportunities, you have a fantastic opportunity to meet people from across the globe! Naturally, the act of socialising is frequently associated with the consumption of alcohol.

Whilst on a PMGY program, participants should only consume alcohol if they meet the legal drinking age within their destination. This age can vary from 18 to 21.

It must also be accepted that many of our volunteer accommodations are dry establishments. This has been introduced by many of our teams and means that no alcohol is allowed on the premises. This is out of respect for our host families, fellow volunteers, your project commitments, the local community and sometimes for religious reasons. We ask that participants respect this. With this being said, a couple of drinks outside of the project network certainly will not be a problem. This applies if the participant meets the minimum drinking age locally.

For any alcohol consumption abroad, it is vital that you drink responsibly. Other countries may not have the same regulations for alcohol content as we may be used to at home. Additionally, by travelling overseas, your environment will be unfamiliar. This means that it is always safer to stick with a small group, so you can look out for each other.

On top of this, it is important to monitor your consumption. Whilst we promote the social aspects of our programs, by joining PMGY, you have an automatic commitment to the programs. Our projects rely on the hard work of international volunteers to continue to make positive impacts in our local communities.

It is important that you consult your doctor or travel clinic in the months leading up to your program. This will allow you to find out which vaccinations are needed for entry into your host country. Unfortunately, as we are not medical experts we cannot give you advice about what vaccinations you should have or not have. All PMGY participants should be up to date on their routine vaccinations. Additionally, they should also receive immunisations specific to the country they will be visiting. This can only be verified by a medical professional.

For participants joining a wildlife volunteering abroad program, it’s sometimes recommended that you get the rabies vaccination. For locations that legally require a Yellow Fever vaccination, it is very important that you bring your certificate with you. This is since you will be required to provide evidence of this on arrival.

At some point across your PMGY volunteer trip, you will encounter the local transport system in your chosen destination. Perhaps it will be your return trip to your volunteer project, or maybe during independent travel across your weekends. In any case, there are several crucial points to keep in mind when travelling responsibly:

Using PMGY Associate Transport – Our local community teams often have trusted taxis. These can be used for travels that are not too far from the volunteer project, within the local community. If travelling further afield, you should ask PMGY staff what they would recommend.

Keeping Belongings in Sight Keeping belongings insight – It is important to remain vigilant and mindful of your personal belongings. This is especially important to remember when travelling outside of the volunteer project network. For example, this may be on public transport or using an unknown taxi driver.

Remaining Sensible and Calm – Public transport can sometimes be hectic and crowded, making it very easy to become overwhelmed. You may be approached by several people at one time. It is important to stay level headed in these situations. Try not to become frustrated or panicked as this will probably make the situation more difficult.

Avoid Night Travel – Where possible, you should avoid travelling at night. If this is unavoidable, it is highly recommended to stay in groups and keep your local team up-to-date.

Mopeds/Motorbikes – Please do not use mopeds at any point during your time abroad – they are extremely dangerous. Across all PMGY destinations, the rules of the road are very different from those back home.

Typically, insurance companies will not cover any related incident.

Staying in Touch – If you find yourself stuck or unsure, please reach out to your local team.

At PMGY, we do our utmost to ensure that your experience with us is productive, exciting and safe. Any rules implemented by our local teams are not to put a downer on your experience. Rather, the purpose is to help make the experience as safe as possible, whilst making a positive impact within local communities.

During the time spent at your volunteer accommodation, you may be required to adhere to curfews in place by the local teams. Should this be applicable to you, we ask that you kindly respect such rules in place. Not only is this out of respect for the local team and fellow international volunteers, but to help maintain your safety.

Similarly, many of our volunteer accommodations are dry establishments. This means that the possession or consumption of alcohol in our Volunteer Houses may be strictly forbidden. We ask you to kindly respect any rules in place in your volunteer accommodation.

Most of our host countries are conservative in nature. As a consequence, it is extremely important that our international volunteers dress respectively during their time with us.

Dress code varies from country-to-country and sometimes from project-to-project. Importantly, we ask that our international volunteers adopt a smart and responsible image during their time in the local community. Of course, we will outline the specific dress code requirements in your Volunteer Handbook so you know exactly what to pack. Our local team will also brief you during your in-country orientation on arrival into your PMGY destination.

The general rule of thumb for girls is to cover shoulders, chest, stomach and thighs. In a like manner, for men, shorts should not lie above the knee and shirts should cover shoulders. We do not wish to impose strict regulations on our international volunteers. However, similarly, it is important for you to respect the local culture during your travels. Dressing appropriately will also earn you the respect of the people you’ll be working alongside. Our Volunteer Handbooks provide more information regarding preferred dress codes in each of our destinations.

It can be a good idea to take some nicer clothes for the weekends and special occasions. Whilst dress codes are more relaxed in the touristy areas, please avoid tight and very short clothing.

During your free time, you should look around at the locals and use them as a guide of what to wear. The more conservative you dress, the less likely you will generate any unwanted attention. We also recommend that you limit the jewellery you wear. Once again, this can decrease any unwanted attention and reduce your risk from pickpockets.

PMGY is fully committed to responsible volunteer travel and sustainable tourism. As a result, we have designed a Code of Conduct. The document enables you to achieve the most out of your time abroad in a safe and responsible manner. Furthermore, a Code of Conduct ensures the organisations and people we work with are treated with respect and cultural consideration.

All volunteers will review and acknowledge the Code of Conduct in advance of their program start date. For the reason that volunteers will be fully aware of what is expected of them before they arrive in-country. Any breaches of the Code of Conduct may jeopardize the safety and wellbeing of yourself and others around you. Consequently, your placement may also be terminated without a refund.

We do our utmost to provide all the information needed in order to determine the suitability of our projects to you. Each project page can be broken down into four sections, outlining aspects such as expected roles and important factors to consider. It is really important that you read and understand these project outlines, to ensure that the volunteer program meets your expectations.

At PMGY, we place particular emphasis on the nature of medical and wildlife volunteering abroad projects. Both of these volunteer projects can be assumed to be observational opportunities only. PMGY does not guarantee, endorse or encourage hands-on opportunities. We also explicitly note that any such engagement by a participant during their time must be performed under suitable supervision. This is also done at the participant’s own risk.

Medical Volunteering

A participant’s level of involvement on all medical volunteer programs is dictated by a range of factors. First of all an individual’s medical experience, but also the duration of the program and willingness to get involved. The medical staff are accountable for all volunteers whilst under their supervision. Ultimately, it is completely up to them if you are permitted and want to get involved in hands-on procedures.

Previous PMGY medical volunteers abroad have sometimes been given the chance to administer IV injections, dress wounds etc. With this being said, please note we can never guarantee or promote hands-on involvement. This remains true, regardless of medical experience or background.

Generally speaking, medical volunteer abroad participants with little or no experience assume a largely observational role. If you are studying a medically related degree, you should have more opportunity to undertake some basic hands-on involvement. However, to reiterate we can never guarantee or endorse hands-on experience should you choose to get hands-on. Such a decision ultimately lies with the medical staff, and any opportunities are taken at your own risk.

It should be noted that most travel insurance policies will not cover participants for any incidents related to medical practice abroad.

Wildlife Volunteering

Working with animals comes with a high level of unpredictability. For this reason, all PMGY wildlife volunteering abroad programs work on a strict hands-off basis. This means that there is no physical interaction with animals. All of our opportunities work to provide a natural experience, rather than an opportunity to pet the animals. Our volunteers work to provide the essential daily and long-term needs of the animals. This includes activities such as feeding, cleaning enclosures and providing stimulation in the form of behavioural and environmental enrichments. There is no requirement to engage in any activities you are uncomfortable in. In addition, any hands-on opportunities should be approached at a participant’s own risk.

It should be noted that most travel insurance poilicies will not cover participants for any incidents related to hands-on activity.

Many of our wildlife volunteering abroad opportunities abroad can be both physically and emotionally demanding. It is therefore imperative that participants are fit in both physical and mental health in order to complete their volunteer project. Before committing to the program, individuals are encouraged to reach out to a member of PMGY staff should they have concerns.

On a volunteer placement with animals, each volunteer will have their own pace, strengths and weaknesses. You are asked to kindly respect that not everyone will have the same abilities – individuals may work at different paces. Everyone on a PMGY volunteer program is there to help and will make their contribution in their own way. There is no benefit of working outside of your abilities since this will only hinder your experience and safety.

Having an appropriate travel insurance policy during your time abroad is essential. It is therefore mandatory for all of our international volunteers to be appropriately covered across all of their trip dates.

Although most of our volunteers experience a smooth ride during their time overseas, occasionally things may go wrong. Having a travel insurance policy in place helps you effectively deal with any problems you may encounter during your time away.

We recommend you put your travel insurance policy in place as soon as possible after confirming your place with PMGY. This may provide you with some protection for your trip, in the event of an unforeseen cancellation (circumstance dependent).

It is your responsibility to ensure you have a suitable insurance policy to cover all aspects of your time overseas. Your policy of choice should include cover for everything relevant for your travel. This includes the following:

• All the relevant activities you want to get involved in
• Cover for any medical issues
• Lost luggage/possessions
• Flight & trip cancellations

Search comparison websites will have extremely low prices available. However, this will often result in a more basic offering, which may not cover ‘volunteering’ as an activity. Additionally, this may only offer a basic medical cover. We recommend that you carefully assess the level of cover on offer and excess amounts charged. A cheaper price could result in a more limited or independent level of support from your insurance policy. This is something that should not be compromised in the event of an emergency abroad.

Our local teams will provide you with as much information as possible, so you can stay mindful during your time abroad. Of course, there is a range of advice our teams will be able to offer. If you feel like something hasn’t been addressed, please do not hesitate to raise your question.

Here are a few handy tips for staying mindful during your time overseas:

Crossing the Road – Walk at a slow and steady pace. Do not panic. Maintain your speed as transport will judge the path they take according to this.

Street Food and Drinking Water – Be adventurous and enjoy the local cuisine. Similarly, it is important to be wary of where you are purchasing your food. Furthermore, avoid drinking unfiltered water at all times.

Local Laws and Customs – Be wary of local laws and customs. Any relevant points of note for your destination will be highlighted in the Volunteer Handbook. We also recommend researching these further, to ensure that you remain conscious and respectful throughout.

Keeping in Contact – It is important to keep our teams updated with independent travel made during your time with us. You should also ensure that you notify friends and family of what you get up to during your time. This all starts with contacting home as soon as you arrive in-country and letting them know you are safe. It is very easy to get caught up in the excitement of your travels. However, it is also very easy for your loved ones to worry if they don’t hear from you!

If you have any concerns about your safety overseas, please do not hesitate to contact us.