Next of Kin Guide

Volunteering with SKIP is an amazing experience for students and is often their first taste of independent travel and volunteering abroad. Alongside the excitement, there are also potential anxieties and lots of questions; many of which will be addressed through the recruitment and training process. However, we are also aware that some of these anxieties may be shared by family members and next of kin (NOK). To allay these anxieties, we have created this page to outline what SKIP can offer and how SKIP supports volunteers. Please note that, information on individual projects can be found on the individual branch pages.

If there is anything that remains unanswered, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the relevant branch or National Committee, as appropriate.

Benefits of being a SKIP volunteer

Volunteering can be a life changing experience for young people
Developing confidence and independence while gaining a better understanding of the world
Opportunities to get involved in pre-project planning, research on project and evaluation of project when back home – gaining numerous skills in the process
Encouraged to join university committee to develop the project
Brilliant experience for CV/future career developments
Travelling with a group of friends
Amazing projects in incredible countries
Involvement with SKIP committees after project providing further opportunities in leadership, global health, and training as well as other transferable skills.

How to become a SKIP volunteer

Each branch has their own application process, where students from the university can apply to be volunteers. This will include application forms and interviews. Branches can also accept volunteers from different universities through our External Volunteer Scheme (EVS). These students go through the same recruitment pathway and training as branch volunteers.

Once through the initial selection phase, led by branches, a “Steps to Summer” pathway, coordinated at National level, will commence. In this phase, we will require the volunteer to pay for SKIP membership, and complete certain forms before the place on project can be confirmed. These forms include an up to date DBS/PVG/Access NI check (criminal record check), a health declaration form (includes information on illnesses, allergies etc) and Next of Kin contact details. Completion of online training modules designed by SKIP trainers is also required.

Once we have received all the information, the place on project will be confirmed and travel arrangements can be made.

Before travel, the volunteer needs to ensure they are thoroughly prepared. The minimum checklist we recommend is to ensure they have.

Visited a travel clinic – to ensure vaccines are up to date and malaria prophylaxis is purchased (if required.
Check the FCO website to monitor any security updates (www.fco.gov.uk/travel)
Obtain a visa (if necessary)
Order foreign currency
Purchase personal travel insurance
Alert the bank of travel plans – allows usage of cards in the destination country
Photocopy everything (several times) – this includes passports, visas, travel insurance…
Start packing….

Each individual branch will provide country specific information about what volunteers need to pack.

How we support volunteers

SKIP Summer Support during project time

This support is provided by the National Committee and Trustees of SKIP to ensure that volunteers remain safe on project. Together, we work as a team to ensure that any issues are dealt with promptly and effectively, enabling volunteers to have the best possible experience. Volunteers receive excellent pre-project preparation and informed of any risks specific to their project and country, but the unexpected can always occur and SKIP Summer Support is a way of dealing with these situations.

SKIP Summer Support consists of a rota with members of National Committee and Trustees on call throughout the summer period who act as a point of contact for volunteers and branches, whilst also liaising with next of kin when required. All volunteers receive training on how to access SKIP Summer Support, while the National Committee and Trustees also get training on how to deal with any situation that may arise. The numbers below are only active during project time.

NC number 05603641231

Trustee number 05603641543

SKIP Summer Support members have access to volunteer Next of Kin details, so should any problems arise they can inform the Next of Kin immediately, with the volunteers consent.

It is important to note that the SKIP Summer Support system is not a replacement to the emergency services and in the case of an emergency, volunteers should make contact with the authorities in country.

In the unlikely event of a serious event occurring, we have contingency plans in place for the team to follow which may include:

Facilitating volunteers seeking medical advice or support from emergency services
Liaising with in-country embassies and other officials
Liaising with volunteers’ next of kin
Evacuating a group of volunteers
Utilising the SKIP Contingency Fund (see below)

Following project, an investigation takes place into every incident to assess if there are any measures that can be put in place to reduce the likelihood of a repeat.

Contingency Fund

In the event of any volunteer illness, or a change in the political or health climate of a project country, it may be necessary for volunteer evacuation back to the UK.

In this event the first priority will be for volunteers to negotiate with their insurance companies to ensure they are able to arrange flights back to the UK. We recognise that it is possible that volunteers may not have the funds in reserve to be able to buy flights whilst awaiting reimbursement from insurance companies. We therefore have developed a designated pool of money, termed the contingency fund, that we can use to make short-term loans to volunteers to enable them to purchase emergency flights.

The contingency fund is not in any way a substitute for an insurance policy, and all money volunteers receive from the contingency fund belongs to the charity, and we expect it to be returned in full within a designated time period.

SKIP Training

Branches are responsible for the majority of SKIP training, but there is some mandatory online training which all volunteers have to complete including health and safety and child protection. Other training provided by branches may include cultural awareness, intervention specific sessions and team building. Each wave of volunteers will also have a trained first aider. All branches have a training coordinator who is responsible for overseeing the training of all volunteers. Branch members are given training, from National Committee and Trustees, on how to deliver high quality training. Committee members have the chance to become part of the SKIP training network to gain even more experience.

Volunteers are also invited to attend the SKIP Big Weekend, which happens twice a year. These are national conferences where all SKIP members receive training. Finally, each wave of volunteers elects a group leader who has to attend compulsory training at one of our group leader training days. This training aim to ensure that volunteers are fully equipped on project.

Life After Project

On returning from project, volunteers will continue to be supported by SKIP. All volunteers will complete a face to face debrief with their branch committee. This will allow them to discuss any problems they may have faced or unresolved issues, as well as providing feedback to their branch about their SKIP experience. It also allows them to contribute positively to the project, suggesting improvements and feeding back any data they gathered. Training on debriefing is provided to all branches and volunteers will receive information on professional services available at their university, if required. If there has been a difficult incident on project, the National Committee and Trustees will provide support during the debriefing process.