Group Safety Practical Safety Precautions Students are old enough to use common sense in most situations and should be
encouraged to do so. Advising them of the following rules and explaining why they are important will help students make wise decisions.
• Students are not permitted to go exploring alone, nor are they allowed to go alone with a foreign friend. • Money, passports, traveler’s checks, and other important documents should be kept in a safe place at all times. Seasoned travelers recommend a string bag, worn around the neck and tucked inside a shirt, as the safest way to carry money. Belt packs or money belts also are recommended and should be worn under T-shirts when in very crowded areas. Boys should be reminded not to carry their money in a wallet in a pants pocket, as this can entice pickpockets. • Also, students should consider keeping money in more than one location. If they do become victims of theft, they won’t lose everything. • Be forewarned that relationships between men and women differ from country to country. Have a discussion with your travel group about flirting and relationships with foreigners. Foreign men often have different expectations, and what would be considered friendliness in the U.S. could be mistaken for an invitation.
TAKE NOTE Anything of value should be carried with you—on
your person—at all times.
Passports should always be in a teacher’s possession.
• Encourage students to be honest, and explain that this is crucial for safety reasons and that “covering up” for a friend may turn into a serious incident.
Following Your Instincts As a teacher, you are entrusted with the care and safety of your students. In addition to the specific guidelines laid out in this book and in other training materials, you may encounter a situation that you feel poses a risk to you or your students. Be
aware and listen to your instincts. You are empowered to act in the safety interests
of your students at any time. Unless you reasonably believe that an activity poses an imminent risk of harm to the teachers or students, itinerary activities should not be
cancelled to achieve this. Ways to enhance student safety include keeping students with teachers at all times or avoiding breaking into small groups, limiting free-time
out of poorly lit or unsupervised areas. If you feel there is a risk of imminent harm in any activity, call the Discovery Student Adventures office immediately.
TRAVEL GUIDE
activities to locations or to activities you believe are safe, or guiding students to stay
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