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Prepared by Habitat for Humanity Great

Team Leader Manual

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Table of Contents

Welcome ............................................................................................................................................ 2

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3

Global Village.................................................................................................................................. 7

Our Team Leaders ........................................................................................................................... 9

Before the Global Village Build ................................................................................................. 13

Preparing Your Team to Travel .................................................................................................. 17

Money Matters ............................................................................................................................... 22

Team Building ............................................................................................................................... 23

Worksite Health and Safety ........................................................................................................ 30

Risk Assessments .......................................................................................................................... 38

Global Village Crisis Management Plan .................................................................................. 39

Personal Health and Safety ......................................................................................................... 46

Insurance and Useful Contact Details ...................................................................................... 55

Post Build Debrief and Evaluation ............................................................................................ 58

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Dear Team Leaders,

Thank you so much for partnering with Habitat for Humanity Great Britain

(HFHGB) and our beneficiaries to lift families out of poverty. We hope this is just the

beginning of our journey together. Our

Team Leaders are vital to our Global

Village programme, making it possible for

volunteers to directly contribute to the

creation of safe, affordable housing and

helping families realise the Power of Home.

Your experience, guidance, and devotion to

our mission inspires others to embrace their

role is addressing the global housing crisis.

Our Team Leaders are central to achieving

our mission—we could not do it without you!

This role is both a privilege and a responsibility with a great deal of work and

tremendous reward. This is why we select our most extraordinary Global Villagers

to take this step with us. From volunteer recruitment to onsite coordination and

post-Build support, you have a critical role in HFHGB’s Global Village programme

and furthering our mission at large. As a Team Leader you provide a public face for

our work and put our vision into action.

This Team Leader manual is specially prepared for you as you get ready to lead your

Global Village Build. The materials inside will cover the procedures and processes

for creating and delivering a successful Build. In addition, you will find resources on

health and safety, team dynamics, and cultivating long-term support for HFHGB.

We are here to support you throughout this journey, if at any time you would like

additional assistance please contact our Global Village staff.

In partnership,

Manuela Campbell

Head of Volunteering

Habitat for Humanity Great Britain

Welcome

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The Power of Home

Home is the cornerstone of hope for those living in poverty.

Habitat for Humanity Great Britain (HFHGB) helps the

poorest and most vulnerable people lift themselves out of

poverty by partnering with them to build their homes and

communities. With a home comes protection from the

elements, from disease and from violence. A decent and

secure home provides the foundation for health, education

and employment. As a leading international non-

governmental organisation focused on shelter, Habitat for

Humanity understands the Power of Home.

Poverty is a complex issue. Through our focus on home at

our core, Habitat for Humanity works with established

partners in over 70 countries to offer a simple, sustainable

solution. We partner with and serve low income families

and individuals including orphans and vulnerable children,

people with HIV/AIDS, the elderly, single mothers, ethnic

minorities and internally displaced groups.

Habitat for Humanity was founded on a Christian ethos,

however, we build homes for people of all faiths and no

faith. Our staff, volunteers and supporters come from all

different faith backgrounds and share a common principle

of putting their beliefs into action. We are a signatory of the

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and

NGOs in Disaster Relief Code. Principle two of the Code

states “Aid is given regardless of the race, creed or

nationality of the recipients and without adverse distinction

of any kind. Aid priorities are calculated on the basis of

need alone.” Our desire is to reduce the barriers to

participation in our work and to strengthen mutual

understanding and friendship by building together.

Why We Build

Worldwide, nearly 2 billion people are living in inadequate

housing and some 830 million people live in urban slums.

With about 50% of the world’s population now living in

urban areas, by 2020 it is estimated the global slum

population will reach almost 1 billion. Lack of clean water

and sanitation claim the lives of more than 1.8 million

young children every year. Living in poverty housing robs

people of their dignity and the ability to earn an income. It

leaves them with impossible choices to make about how to stretch their finances to cover

essential needs such as food, clothing, healthcare, or an education for their children.

Introduction

• 1.6 billon people still

live in poverty housing

and another 100 million

have no home at all.

• Housing deficit in

Kenya was 2 million in

2012 and is growing by

200,00 units a year.

• In Addis Ababa

Ethiopia’s capital 82%

of households lack

access to proper

sanitation facilities.

• In Ghana, rooms in

homes are shared by an

average of between 10-

20 people.

• Nearly one third of

more than 160 million

people in Bangladesh

live below the national

poverty line.

Habitat for Humanity has

built, repaired or

renovated over 1 million

homes around the world.

Over 5 million people

now have a safe and

decent place to live.

What do we mean by

“inadequate

housing”?

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Homelessness and poverty housing trap people in a cycle of dependence, keeping them

vulnerable for generations.

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How We Work

The ultimate goal of Habitat for Humanity is to eliminate poverty housing and

homelessness by building adequate and affordable housing. The organisation also seeks to

put shelter in the hearts and minds of people in such a powerful way that poverty housing

becomes socially, politically and religiously unacceptable anywhere in the world. We work

in many ways to achieve this goal:

Building and

renovating homes

Disaster risk

reduction and

response

Volunteering

Water, sanitation and

hygiene (WaSH)

Advocacy, land and

inheritance rights

Microfinance

Construction training

Energy efficiency

From Humble Beginnings The idea for Habitat for Humanity was born at Koinonia Farm, a community near Americus,

Georgia. In a programme called partnership housing, Koinonia founder Clarence Jordan and

others began building houses in partnership with low-income, rural neighbours and then

selling the houses to the families on a no-profit basis.

In 1973, the Fullers—a couple who had abandoned a millionaire lifestyle and devoted

themselves to a life of service—moved to Africa to test Koinonia’s partnership housing

model overseas. The programme they began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

formerly known as Zaire, soon became a working reality. Convinced that a concept that had

worked in southwest Georgia and in Africa could be expanded and applied worldwide, the

Fullers returned home and founded Habitat for Humanity International in 1976.

Through this programme, simple, decent houses became affordable to those who were too

poor to qualify for conventional financing. Each homeowner, HomePartner, family helped in

the construction of the homes. This “sweat equity” lowered the cost of the houses, instilled

pride of ownership and fostered positive relationships with volunteer builders. Their house

payments were placed into a revolving “Fund for Humanity”, which was used to build

more houses.

Habitat for Humanity Today Today Habitat for Humanity (HFH) works in more than 70 countries addressing the critical

global housing need. Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) is headquartered in

Americus, Georgia and is supported by national organisations operating in several

countries, including Great Britain. HFHGB is privileged to be a member of the Global

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Funding Network, which is comprised of several national organisations focusing their

efforts on raising vital funds to further Habitat for Humanity’s mission worldwide.

The Future of Habitat for Humanity

HFHI has embarked on a five-year strategic plan that will help the organisation further its

mission to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope. The plan will run

through to June 2018 and is aimed at expanding the organisation’s impact on all aspects of

affordable housing in the more than 70 countries where HFH is at work. HFH’s plan has

three main components:

Improve housing conditions for an ever-larger number of the world’s poor and low-

income families;

Support and influence partner organisations to increase access to shelter and

advocate for affordable housing policies; and

Mobilise hands, hearts and voices of volunteers in the cause of adequate and

affordable housing.

See Appendix 1 for Philosophy and Terminology of Habitat for Humanity and Appendix 2

for Habitat for Humanity Structure.

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Global Village supports the mission of Habitat for

Humanity by working in partnership. It provides cross

cultural experiences, mobilises volunteers and generates

resources in the hope of creating long-term advocates for

affordable housing.

The Global Village (GV) programme began in 1989 in

response to increasing requests for international short term

volunteer opportunities. In its first year, 12 countries

invited 30 teams to participate in housebuilding work and

to learn about Habitat’s work in their country. The GV

programme is growing rapidly; today GV staff throughout

the world coordinate more than 850 teams from over 25

countries traveling to at least 50 host countries each year,

serving more than 10,000 participants.

The GV programme could be criticised in a development

context. That is, amateur volunteers flying in to do the job

for communities in need. The programme raises questions

over our commitment to local decision making,

sustainability and quality control. However, HFHGB

works thoughtfully and strategically with HFH host

countries to ensure all projects are community-led and

aligned with local priorities. HFHGB have identified 3

main benefits of the GV programme:

It raises funds to further our mission, fulfilling our

remit as part of the Global Funding Network.

It responds to the desire of communities in need to

be socially and economically connected rather than

isolated. Communities in need see the opportunity

for a relationship with the world around them as a

vital component to their own development.

The experience personalises the mission for

volunteers, generates inspiration and creates

enthusiastic advocates for our mission.

GV is more than a one-time experience. Before they go,

volunteers spend months fundraising from friends,

families and communities and telling their networks about

the work of HFH. Then, during the Build they have the

opportunity to connect in a personal way with the

communities in which they are working. They create new and unexpected relationships that

were previously inaccessible. These are life changing and precious moments for

We believe that GV is more

than money. We want you

to come back with the

mission of Habitat for

Humanity in your heart

and this experience will

help you to understand it

more fully. Your

willingness to travel

overseas and participate in

the physical construction

of decent, affordable

housing will inspire people

you know to donate. You

are providing a direct,

personal connection

between those who give

money and those who

benefit from Habitat for

Humanity’s work.

In addition, what you will

give is more than money.

You will give hope and

express solidarity. When

your HomePartner points

to a picture of your team

on his wall and says “these

are my friends from the

UK” it will mean that a

truly deeper connection

has been made. Inspiration

goes two ways. Our

beneficiaries have

incredible stories and they

inspire and encourage our

volunteers as well! You

bring them hope and they

send you home changed.

Why not just send the

money?

Global Village

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HomePartners, communities and volunteers. At the end of their Build, we want our

volunteers are filled with a passion to see the world changed for the better. We want the

personal experiences of the

volunteers to transform

into a global perspective

on HFH’s far reaching

work. As GV volunteers

become long-term

supporters, we hope that

they will continue to

donate, fundraise and

advocate to address the

global need for affordable,

decent housing.

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Leading a Global Village Build

The role of a Team Leader (TL) starts from the moment an individual enquires about a

Build. From the very beginning stages, you will liaise with HFHGB GV staff to plan the

Build and work to recruit team members. As the main point of contact for the team, it is

your job to enthuse and manage the team before they depart, help with their trip

preparation and support their fundraising. By building a rapport with the team members

prior to departure, you will set the precedent for the Build and enhance your ability to

manage the team on the ground.

Your main responsibility whilst in-country is to keep the team safe and focused. You will

work with the local HFH Host Coordinator to oversee the health and safety of the team at all

times. You will brief the team, liaise with local staff and masons, carry out risk assessments

and maintain HFHGB’s high standards. You are also the primary first aider and will be the

first to deal with any medical incidents that occur throughout the duration of the Build.

Alongside being responsible for the safety of the team, you will also need to ensure their

wellbeing and enjoyment of the Build experience. It is a role requiring diplomacy and strong

leadership skills. As a representative of HFHGB, you will need to be able to answer

questions confidently and accurately about the charity and our work. You will be

responsible for guiding the team through the cultural challenges and new environments and

do so in such a way that shows enthusiasm, approachability and empathy.

Team Leader Responsibilities: The responsibilities of a TL are varied; these can be shared when there is a Deputy Team

Leader (DTL) assigned to the Build.

Pre-departure

Be the main point of contact between HFHGB and the team,

Recruit team members for the Build,

Manage the team’s expectations,

Collect and disseminate documents from team members,

Support and advise team members in their fundraising efforts, and

Be an extended arm of the HFHGB staff and an advocate of the charity.

On the Build

All health and safety on-site, including first aid, site safety management and regular

risk assessments,

Manage the team’s expectations and keep them motivated,

Act as a liaison between the local staff and team members when in-country,

Deal with administrative duties whilst in-country,

Pay bills and deal with any financial elements of the Build as needed,

Organise regular team meetings,

Problem solve when unexpected circumstances arise,

Deal with conflict within the team and between the team and the community,

Ensure the team complete the evaluation forms, and

Promote the work of HFHGB and encourage team members to continue their

involvement with the organisation.

Our Team Leaders

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Above all, your role is to transform every GV volunteer into a life-long supporter of HFH!

HFHGB GV staff are responsible for the logistics of the GV Builds, we will:

Prepare the team budget,

Prepare the team itinerary,

Support recruitment of the team,

Pay and manage the in-country finances,

Collect and disseminate information from the host country to the TL,

Track trip payments from volunteers,

Be the point of contact between the TL and the HFH hosting coordinator,

Arrange hotel and transport bookings with the HFH hosting coordinator,

Arrange all in-country ground transportation,

Cover the costs and donation for the TL, and Waive the donation element for the Deputy Team Leader (DTL).

Deputy Team Leader Responsibilities: In most cases, each GV Build will have a DTL. It is the role of the DTL to be the ‘right-hand’

of the TL and to help them in any way deemed necessary. It is up to the TL to decide what

roles and responsibilities they could assign the DTL. Some suggested options might be:

Additional site supervisor,

Group supervisor (when the team is broken down onto different build sites),

First Aider,

Lead team/reflection meetings, and

Budget controller (if there are funds that need to be managed).

See Appendix 16 and 17 for Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader Role Description.

Becoming a Global Village Team Leader Whilst there are no formal qualifications needed to become a TL, all candidates must go

through a training and selection process before they will be eligible to lead a team. The

process for becoming a TL is as follows:

1) Participate in a GV Build - This is so you gain a basic understanding of Global

Village and an appreciation for what it is like to be a part of a GV team

2) Complete a Team Leader Application - You will need to fill out an application form

and submit it to the HFHGB GV staff. This can be found here:

www.surveymonkey.com/r/HFHGBTLApplication

3) Undertake Team Leader Training- This is a semi-annual training course designed to

impart the knowledge and expertise that you will need to successfully lead a team.

4) Undertake a GV Build as a DTL – Once you are placed on a Build as a DTL, you will

need to sign a Deputy Team Leader Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (see

Appendix 18 for a DTL MOU). You will be given some basic roles and responsibilities

which will allow you to demonstrate your ability to lead a team.

5) Receive positive DTL evaluation – Throughout the course of the Build, the TL will

assess the DTL as to their suitability to lead a team in the future. At the end of the

build the TL will submit a DTL evaluation to HFHGB GV staff recommending

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whether or not the DTL is ready to lead. The DTL Evaluation can be accessed here:

www.surveymonkey.com/r/HFHGBDTLEvaluation

6) Complete first aid training and receive a DBS (previously Criminal Records

Bureau check) - HFHGB will reimburse you for the cost of your first aid training and

organise and pay for the DBS check.

7) Sign a Team Leader Memorandum of Understanding- Prior to the trip departing,

TLs must sign an MOU which outlines their roles and responsibilities and those of

HFHGB (see Appendix 18 for a TL MOU).

*Please note- there is no guarantee of a Build should you go through the process of becoming a Team Leader.

Placement will depend on the number of available Builds and the need.

Costs

The cost of a GV Build is comprised of three components:

Registration fee— non-refundable, non-transferable and must be paid in order for

the volunteer to officially register for the Build.

Trip costs – includes all in-country costs, medical and emergency insurance, T-shirts,

administrative expenses, etc.

Donation for HFH– split between HFHGB and the host country.

One of the primary reasons HFHGB runs the GV programme is to raise vital funds for the

host countries. As such, the donation amount the participants pay is critical. This allows the

host country to continue to build and expand their programmes and allows HFHGB to

widen our scope and invest more in our programmes and volunteers (see Appendix 14 for

Donations and Excess Funds Policy).

All TLs will have their GV Build trip costs, first aid and DBS check paid for by HFHGB.

They will also be given a small allowance for other expenses such as visas and vaccinations.

They are not required to pay a donation to Habitat for Humanity (see Appendix 12 for an

Expenses Policy.)

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All DTLs will have to pay their trip costs component, but will not have to pay the donation

to Habitat for Humanity. DTLs do not get any allowance for other expenses.

Some TLs and DTLs may choose to fundraise their costs as this increases the donation we

are able to send out to host countries and reduces the fundraising burden on the team

members.

See Appendix 32 for the Sample HFHGB Budget Sheet and Appendix 33 for Team Leader

Expenses Claim Form.

Team Leader Training The GV staff runs a semi-annual TL training which is designed to provide TLs the skills and

knowledge they will need to successfully manage a team. It is compulsory that all

potential/new Team Leaders attend this course at least once if you wish to lead in the future.

As our policies and procedures are always evolving, existing TLs and DTLs are also

encouraged to participate once a year to keep their skills and knowledge up to date.

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Team Recruitment

Open GV Builds are publicised to the public on the HFHGB website, however, it is vital that

TLs also play their part in the recruitment process. We encourage TLs to advertise the Build

they are leading to their networks. Social media is a useful tool to get the message out to

potential participants and we can provide you with photos and content for Facebook and

Twitter updates. (A comprehensive HFHGB social media guide is available upon request.)

Putting posters up in local coffee shops and getting articles in your local paper are just a few

ways that you can begin to recruit your team. The GV staff will be with you every step of the

way to help with any advice and provide additional resources.

Registration Process:

Registering Interest Individuals interested in joining a GV Build, who have not already spoken to the TL, are

directed to “register their interest” on the HFHGB website. This consists of completing a

form that collects basic information, including telephone number and email address.

Registering interest does not obligate them to joining any particular Build, it simply connects

them to the TL for further discussion.

Expectations Call To help the process of team selection and ensure a ‘right-fit’ for volunteers and TLs, after a

volunteer registers an interest in a Build, HFHGB will connect them to the TL for an

Expectations Call. The call must take place prior to their full registration and payment of

their fee. This is an opportunity for the TL to introduce themselves to the volunteers and

provide more information on their Build. This will promote stronger working relationships

between the TL and volunteers as well as help avoid any personality clashes that might

arise.

Some good questions to ask are:

Why are you interested in volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Great Britain?

This is a good way to learn more about a volunteer's motivation.

Do you feel you can adapt well to unexpected changes in the itinerary? Flexibility

and adaptability are key traits for a GV volunteer.

Do you have any medical or physical conditions? This isn't about excluding anyone

from the Build, more about ensuring they are comfortable sharing this information

with you. You'll need to know this information in order to provide effective medical

care in the field if needed.

Let them know what they can expect from you as a leader. Keep this conversation a

two-way process; let them know that this is their decision too and invite them to ask

questions.

Volunteer learns about Build via

recruitment event, website, etc.

Volunter Registers Interest On HFHGB

website.

Volunteer and Team Leader conduct an Expectations Call.

Volunteer completes full

registration and pays fee.

Before the Global Village Build

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At the end of the conversation ask them if they want to think about it some more and let

them know there are no hard feelings if they decide not to join the Build.

Registration and Payment After the Expectations Call, if the TL and the volunteer feel that they are ready to join the

Build, the next step is for the volunteer is to register through the HFHGB website and pay a

non-refundable, non-transferable £300 registration fee to confirm their place on the Build.

They will also submit their personal, health and, medical details and next of kin information

(all of which remain confidential) and agree to HFHGB’s Terms and Conditions (see

Appendix 5 for Terms and Conditions). The balance of the payment (total build trip cost

minus the £300 registration fee) must be paid in full no later than 45 days prior to the

departure date. Volunteers will have to abide by HFHGB’s Payment and Cancellation

Policy. Please see Appendix 6 for full Payment and Cancellation Policies.

Once the team member has completed the registration form, had their call, and paid their

fee, they will be sent a welcome email with a link to set up their fundraising page. They will

also receive a welcome pack in the post with a t-shirt and HFHGB GV Orientation Manual

providing each team member with information about HFH, what to expect on the Build,

health and safety, a kit list and general advice.

Organisations or a group of individuals undertaking a ‘closed’ Build will also will follow a

similar process, but will also be required to complete an Organisation Memorandum of

Understanding (see Appendix 19).

Team Member Fundraising

Many GV volunteers opt to fundraise some, all, or above their Build trip cost. Each GV Build

has a corresponding online fundraising campaign which is set up by HFHGB staff.

Volunteers will be able to create a fundraising page connected to the Build’s campaign.

HFHGB will provide a Fundraising Tool Kit (included in the GV Orientation Manual) and

promotional materials to help the volunteer communicate HFHGB’s work. Whilst HFHGB

GV staff will track volunteers’ fundraising progress, TLs are also encouraged to support

them during this process.

Minors on Teams It is the policy of HFHGB not to take GV volunteers younger than 16 years of age. Young

people of the ages of 16 and 17 are considered minors and may go on HFHGB trips under

certain conditions, such as being accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and that parent

or legal guardian having parental responsibility for the minor. Habitat for Humanity also

takes into consideration the minimum age for construction work in the host country and

Habitat for Humanity’s Child Labour policy (see Appendix 10 for Child Labour Policy and

Appendix 11 for Minors Policy).

Communicating With Team Members Whilst there is no exact formula as to how much contact each team member will require, we

recommend that you consider getting in touch at least once a month with the team. This will

allow you to check in and find out how things are going with their fundraising, to build a

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rapport and to chase any outstanding details the HFHGB GV staff may require. See

Appendix 4 for sample Team Member Emails which may be useful to guide your

communications with the team.

One of the ways to keep the team enthused and informed could be through a shared blog or

website. This way you can share stories and information with the whole team at once and

use visual aids such as photos to keep them enthused. The key is to find a form of

communication that will work for the team and for the TL.

To keep messaging coherent and clear, the GV staff will direct most communications

through the TL. HFHGB GV staff will communicate with the volunteers primarily regarding

payments. This is aimed to compliment the TL’s contact.

When using social media to promote the Build or connect team members, it is important to

remember to use discretion and sound judgement as you are representing HFHGB. Any

social media use that damages HFHGB’s reputation or spreads misinformation could be

cause for GV staff to part ways with a TL or DTL. If you have any questions or concerns

regarding social media usage, please contact the GV staff and/or request a copy of HFHGB’s

social media guide.

Lines of Communication on a GV Build

Team Leader

Global Village Sending Coordinator

Global Village Hosting Coordinator

Host Community

or Local affiliate

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Team Leader Pre-Trip Supplies

Before you depart you will receive the following information from HFHGB:

Site safety check list for TLs (see Appendix 23),

Health and Safety briefing list for team members to sign to confirm they received a

briefing (see Appendix 24),

Emergency cards with key contact numbers for each team member to keep on their

person,

H&S signage for the site and each team member (see Appendix 26 for Site Safety

Form),

Links to evaluation forms for the team to fill out at the end of the Build. This can be

accessed here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/gvteam , and

Team Roster*

*HFHGB GV staff will provide all TLs with a team roster containing everyone’s personal

details as per their registration form. It is good practice to verify the details that volunteers

have entered. This information is for you to assemble into a Crisis Packet which will help

you manage the team and deal with emergencies. Please remember that this information is

sensitive and personal; it should be kept

with you at all times and not be accessible

to others. It may only be used for the

purposes of managing the Build and

ensuring a safe experience for all. It should

be destroyed after the Build ends (see

Appendix 7 for Data Protection and

Confidentiality Policy).

HFHGB will provide reimbursement

(within reason) for a basic first aid kit and

advice as to what it should contain. It is the TL’s responsibility to restock the kit and submit

receipts to the GV staff for reimbursement.

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Every GV Build experience is different. Not only do the team composition and cultural

differences make each experience unique, but also the logistical arrangements. It is

important that the TL manages the team’s expectations and prepares them for their GV

Build. There are a number of key topics which are particularly important to cover during

your pre-Build communications with the team.

Passports All passports must have at least 6-

months validity before departure and at

least 2 clean pages. If volunteers’

passport do not have this, we

recommend that they get it renewed.

Please ensure team members allow for

sufficient time to do this.

Vaccinations and Immunisations It is the responsibility of the volunteer

to arrange their own vaccinations and

seek the advice of a medical professional in regards to immunisations and relevant

medications prior to their departure. It is always recommended that participants take their

vaccination certificates with them. This is particularly relevant in destinations that require

the evidence of a yellow fever vaccination.

Visas

All participants are responsible for arranging their own visas. HFHGB will advise of any

visa requirements but the best approach is to visit the Embassy website of the appropriate

country to get further advice. Another good resource is the UK Government foreign travel

advice website: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. If ‘Letters of Authorisation’ are

required, HFHGB will work with the host country to secure these.

Transport It is the volunteer’s responsibility to book their own international travel and any ground

transport in their country of departure. All transport in-country will be arranged by the Host

Coordinator unless otherwise specified. HFHGB will book the TL’s flight—it may be useful

to pass these details onto the team in order for them to gauge their own arrival in-country.

Gift Giving It is not unusual for volunteers to want to take gifts for the host country. HFHGB has robust

policy regarding gift giving and it is important that this is communicated to all volunteers

(see Appendix 8 for Gift Giving Policy).

Preparing Your Team to Travel

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HFHGB Global Village Gift Giving Policy

The Global Village department discourages GV teams and individual team members from giving

personal gifts while engaged in or as a result of being engaged in a GV team. Team members being

there working is a gift in itself. Because they travel the world GV teams encounter diverse cultures

that view the giving of gifts in decisively different ways. Many cultures feel that to receive a gift means

that a gift must be given in return. Most times, the person or family to whom a gift is given is not in a

position to reciprocate. This may inadvertently result in disappointment and unhappiness.

Because it may set precedence, gift giving can have a negative impact on the host affiliate, HFH in

general, other volunteers that build with the affiliate, the GV programme and future GV teams. To

avoid potential problems, embarrassment, hurt feelings and unhappiness, it is best that gifts not be

exchanged between the team or individual team members and: individual children, the local

masons/volunteers, on-site construction supervisor, HomePartner, host coordinator, host affiliate

staff, HFH local coordinator, GV team leader or anyone else.

Donating Tools and Clothes

Donations to the local affiliate that benefit an entire community such as school supplies, small tools

and clothing are welcome and appreciated. They will be distributed by the host affiliate personnel,

however we ask that your team leader and HFHGB GV staff remain the first point of contact for this

type of in-kind or monetary donations,

The host coordinator can advise HFHGB on the appropriate tools needed by the host

programme.

Donated tools are retained by the host programme and used on future builds.

Clothing should be clean or team members should include a small donation to pay for the

laundering of any donated clothing.

Donated clothing is distributed by the local host programme or through local charities and

churches, to those most in need.

A Wish List May Be Provided.

Many HFH national offices and programmes have developed wish lists which include in-kind

donations that would be most useful to HFH in the host country. These items may include

office supplies, printers, computers, construction tools, etc.

Questions about gift giving, donations and sponsorships should be directed to HFHGB GV

staff, GlobalVillage@habitatforhumanity.org.uk.

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Kit

A detailed kit list is included in the GV Orientation Manual all volunteers receive when they

register for the Build (see Appendix 20 for Kit List). It is always worth having a detailed

discussion with the team members about kit before they go. As we have to adhere to UK

standards of health and safety on building sites overseas, all team members are required to

wear steel toe-capped boots and hard hats. The team may want to consider that some items,

such as sun screen, could be shared to save space. Remind your team to test things out

before setting off so as to ensure they are complete, they function properly, they fit and they

do not trigger an allergic reaction. This is especially important for mosquito spray.

In-Country Details It is important to communicate to the team that they should be flexible as details could

change at the last minute. Ask the team to think about their expectations before their trip.

Below are some talking points to guide communications with the team.

Differences: Different is different, not wrong.

Schedules probably won't happen as

planned.

Be flexible. They might be tired of

hearing about flexibility, but it will

continue to be one of the most

valuable words to consider as they

go on their Build.

Frustration. No matter what the

situation, you’ll always be

encountering the unexpected.

Be forgiving. You will make

mistakes. Make allowances for

yourself as well as others.

Be willing to be stretched, challenged and transformed.

Accommodation The type, quality and cost of accommodation varies from country to country. Most teams

stay in a guesthouse or hotel, but some will stay with a homeowner family, in a community

hall or a school. All accommodation will be double (or triple in some cases) occupancy for

volunteers and TLs will have a single room.

Meals Most budgets accommodate all meals, but in some cases meals may not be provided outside

of the build days. If this is the case, the HFHGB staff will inform you of this as the TL may

have to pay, which can later be reimbursed. In most cases, dietary requirements can be

accommodated.

Water Bottled water is provided throughout the Build. If participants are concerned about the

water quality, they can take water purification tablets, but this will be at their own expense

and their responsibility to organise when in-country.

20 | P a g e

Washing Facilities & Toilets

Most guesthouses and hotels have running water. However, these may not be to the

standard expected in the UK and are often communal. Some parts of the world have drop

toilets and other sanitary facilities that may not be familiar to team members, but it is all part

of the experience. There will always be toilet facilities on the build sites although these

might not be quite what the participants are used to.

Laundry In some locations, participants might be able to get their laundry done, but there is no

guarantee of this. Participants would do better to ensure they have enough clothing to last

for the duration of the build.

Language It is important that you are able to communicate with the people you will be working with.

If the first language is not English, the local HFH Host Coordinator will either ensure there

is an English-speaking host from the affiliate or that an interpreter is present on-site at all

times. Remember to be patient as levels of English proficiency will vary—a lot can be

communicated through gestures and demonstration.

Build Itinerary Most Builds are ten or fifteen days in duration. Of that, 80% of the participant’s time is

normally spent on the build site. The other 20% is often spent doing cultural activities or free

time. HFHGB will not organise rest and relaxation excursions before or after the Build- this

is at the participant’s own cost and risk. A typical build itinerary may look something like

this:

Sample 10 Day itinerary Sample 15 day itinerary

Saturday

Depart UK

Saturday

Depart UK

Sunday

Meet the team, travel to build location, and

participate in orientation.

Sunday

Meet the team, travel to build location, and

participate in orientation.

Monday – Friday

Work on site

Monday – Friday

Work on site

Saturday

Work on site and farewell celebration*

Saturday and Sunday

Some hosts build on Saturday but will

arrange cultural activities at the weekend

Sunday

Cultural activities and depart destinations

Monday-Thursday

Work on site

Monday

Arrive UK

Friday

Work on site and farewell celebration*

Saturday

Return to the UK *Depends on project and is likely, but not guaranteed.

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Team members will be motivated to get on with the work they have travelled a long way to

do. However, it is important that they don’t start half asleep from the travel and that they

have an appropriate briefing before they begin. When the Build is planned, we try to leave

some time for acclimatising before starting a demanding Build.

HFHGB will also try to arrange a few cultural activities such as visiting a local partner, etc.

in consultation with the team leader and hosting coordinator prior to departure. Cultural

activities should focus on the local development need and existing projects and partners. For

these reasons, it may not be appropriate to visit local schools or hospitals as their needs may

be outside the scope of HFH’s ability to assist. Volunteers should remain focused on what

HFH can and does strive to address—the global housing need.

Cultural Differences and Customs

Cross-cultural exchange can be one of the most enriching and challenging parts of the Build.

TLs will need to brief team members on cultural appropriateness for the country they are

visiting. Your Host Coordinator will be able to advise you on cultural do’s and don’ts. This

will include appropriate dress, behaviour and greetings as well as any other information

they feel is relevant. It is

important to remember - and to

impart on team members - that

different things are valued in

different cultures. For example,

time is often not as important,

women may not experience the

same degree of freedom, and it

is the quality of the relationship

or the discourse, not the time it

takes.

The rule of thumb is always:

Ask if you don’t know.

Be flexible and ready to apologise if necessary.

Smile and be willing to learn.

If you want to take a photograph, always ask permission and share the results with

your subject.

Remember, you are a visitor and thus you are not there to challenge or question but rather

to respect, learn and experience.

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In most cases all expenses such as food, transport and accommodation (as stated in the

itinerary) are managed by the host country, therefore the participants or TLs do not have to

handle any monies. In some cases, the TL may need to handle small sums of cash for

example when the team are eating off-site. Unless otherwise stated, the Build budget will

always cover:

Insurance,

Transport in-country (to/from airport, to/from worksite, days off),

Accommodation,

All food (unless otherwise stated in the itinerary),

Bottled water whilst on the site,

Team Leader admin expenses,

Interpreter (if required),

Accommodation and food costs for local staff members,

T-Shirts and Orientation Manuals, and

Donation to HFH.

Expenses While preparing for and during a Build, the TL may incur costs such as visas, vaccinations

and travel costs. TL expenses will be reimbursed upon receipt of an expenses claim form on

return from the Build. Please note, only expenses with a valid receipt will be paid (see

Appendix 33 for TL Expense Claim Form and Appendix 12 for Expenses Policy).

Although every endeavour is made to pay all in-country costs prior to the team’s departure,

in some cases HFHGB might need to advance you funds to cover expenses for the team

whilst in-country. This may include money for meals or cultural activities.

During instances of a free day a TL may consider providing a small meal stipend for each

volunteer. This must be recorded by an original receipt and leftover monies being returned,

alternatively the TL can bring a receipt book and complete and sign a receipt for each

volunteer. It is advisable to liaise with the local Host Coordinator on the average cost of

goods to reduce the chance of being taken advantage of.

Contingency Fund Unexpected situations can arise during a Build therefore TLs should ensure that they have

access to at least £200 as a contingency fund. If a TL does not have access to this amount of

cash, then HFHGB can make arrangements to advance it to the TL. The TL will be

responsible for returning the full amount of any unspent monies to HFHGB upon return. It

is acceptable to use the contingency fund in a medical emergency or for team cost;

expenditure of the contingency monies should be recorded and receipts submitted on your

return. Acceptable uses for the contingency funds:

Medical costs for a team member,

Transportation if the pre-arranged transportation does not arrive or breaks down, or

Meals or water for the team if the in-country arrangements do not arrive.

Contingency funds should not be used for personal items, souvenirs, gifts, tips or anything

else that is not addressing an urgent need for the team.

Money Matters

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A large part of your role as a TL is coach your team to perform at their optimum levels.

Creating a cohesive and harmonious team requires a conscious effort on your part to

recognise individual’s personalities and how they work. This will help to understand what

their needs are and how you could help them to reach their full potential and have a

rewarding GV Build.

What is a Team? A team is a group of people working towards a common goal. Team building is the process

of enabling that group of people to reach their goal. In its simplest terms, the stages involved

in team building are:

Clarify team goals.

Assign roles that utilise the strengths of each individual.

Identify those issues which inhibit the team from reaching their goals.

Address those issues, remove the inhibitors and enable the goals to be achieved.

As a TL, it is one of your responsibilities to ensure that the team is working together

effectively. This may mean resolving any conflict that occurs and ensuring that there is a

clear line of communication. Holding regular team meetings is one way to highlight any

areas that may need attention.

Team Dynamics Teams typically go through a number of stages as they

form. Some of the stages feel quite negative, as team

members may not seem to be ‘getting on’. It is therefore

helpful to be aware of the stages and recognise them so

you can lead the team to a successful Build.

Dr Tuckman (1965) defined a four-stage progression in

team formations. These are Forming, Storming, Norming

and Performing and each describes what you can expect

from your team as it forms (see Appendix 36 for Team

Development: Tuckman’s model).

Forming is characterised by:

High dependence on leader for guidance and direction.

Little agreement on team aims and processes are often ignored.

Individual roles and responsibilities are unclear.

Leader must be prepared to answer numerous questions about the team’s purpose

and objectives.

Storming is characterised by:

Decisions don’t come easily within group. Team members vie for position. Clarity of

purpose increases but plenty of uncertainties persist.

Cliques and factions form; there may be power struggles.

The team may be distracted by relationships and emotions.

Compromises may be required to enable progress.

Team Building

24 | P a g e

Norming is characterised by:

Agreement and consensus is largely formed among team who respond well to

facilitation by leader.

Roles and responsibilities are clear and accepted. Big decisions are made by group

agreement.

Smaller decisions may be delegated to individuals or small groups within the team.

Commitment and unity is strong.

The team may engage in fun and social activities.

Performing is characterised by:

The team is more strategically aware.

There is a focus on over-achieving goals.

The team makes most of the decisions in line with criteria agreed with the leader.

Disagreements are resolved within the team positively.

Team members look after each other.

Leader delegates and oversees.

Reflection Meetings When you are in-country it is important that you hold frequent reflection meetings.

Reflections meeting are a useful tool for TLs to help volunteers have a meaningful GV Build.

The discussions can help strengthen bonds between volunteers, deepen their understanding

of the local housing conditions and inspire the volunteers to take action on their return.

Some team members can be overwhelmed by their experiences in a new country. Having an

opportunity for team members to air their feelings and discuss them with others helps to

promote the mental wellbeing and bonding of the team.

Below is a framework of questions to guide discussions, but it is open to customisation. It is

important to find a quiet space in order to maximise participation. Volunteers should be able

to express their opinions without being judged or rushed. Finding the right time is also

important, perhaps on return to the hotel after the Build – it should be kept in the mind that

the volunteers may be tired so again, this could be adapted.

Possible objectives for reflection meetings are:

Review the itinerary,

Deal with team issues,

Communicate information,

Resolve conflict,

Discuss feelings about the day/experience,

Outline activities and health and safety issues that need to be considered, and

Goals for the following day to ensure problems do not arise.

Preparing for Reflection Meetings:

Communicate the importance of the meeting to the team prior to your trip,

Know your team,

Encourage members to keep a journal, and

Think through what others might be experiencing.

25 | P a g e

Some team times may appear to be unsuccessful. This could be due to one or more of the

following factors:

Failure to hold meetings at all,

People don’t talk,

No objectives or purpose,

Team members see no value,

Meetings are held too late at night,

Conflict within team left unresolved,

One person dominates the meeting,

Local staff are present (difficult to be honest),

Lack of privacy,

No creativity, and

Problems with the leader:

o Not viewed as the leader,

o Lectures the group,

o Berates or induces guilt,

o Expects others to have the same experience, and/or

o Shuts down discussion.

26 | P a g e

Ice Breakers A good way to break down the barriers between team members, especially when they are in

the forming stages of a relationship, is to engage them in some simple icebreakers. Ideas for

ice breakers and teambuilding activities can be found on these websites:

www.residentassistant.com/games.htm

www.eventwise.co.uk/code2/v2/asp/PartyAnimals.asp

www.wildevents.co.uk/games.htm

Recommended Questions for Guiding Reflection Meetings

O – Observe

After the first day in the community, share first impressions. Invite the team to observe and not to rush to

figure what it means.

• What did you see?

• Who did you meet?

• How did people act?

• What about their houses and community?

R- Reflect

The team may be further into the Tuckman model, guide them into sharing their own personal reflections.

These more personal questions may stretch across numerous meetings, therefore do not try and rush the

group, let the group dynamics determine the flow.

• How did you feel in the community?

• What is different /similar to your own family and the community?

• What did you think about on the work site today?

I – Interpret

Lead the team into the higher level questions that draw connections between the HomePartners’ community

situation, HFH’s interventions and the conditions that sustain poverty housing. It is important for volunteers

to understand that poverty may look different everywhere but there are always ways in which conditions can

be improved.

• What support does the partner family have?

• Why is their community strong?

• What choices does the partner family have? What is out of their control?

D – Decide

As the trip comes to a close, help volunteers to consider how they will channel their energy on their return.

• How have you helped people experiencing poverty?

• Where you live – who has trouble affording housing?

• What could you do in your community?

• What’s your next step? Who will you contact to get started?

The intention to end with ‘decisions’ is deliberate. At some point, each volunteer made the decision to join the

GV Build. Therefore there are still decisions to be made as to how they will continue to address the issue of

global poverty housing on their return.

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Resolving Conflict

One of your main responsibilities as the TL is managing and minimising conflict whilst on

the Build. Below are some examples of types of characters and personality types that may be

a part of your team and some advice on how to deal with them.

Situation Strategy

The nonstop talker:

Talks so much he or she prevents others

from talking.

Be attentive to the talker; he or she probably

has good ideas. Always look to people

away from the talker for contributions. You,

as the leader, must control contributions

that inhibit other contributions.

The overly helpful member:

Always responds quickly to requests, using

this as a subtle way to direct the group.

Voice appreciation for his or her

suggestions. Look immediately to others to

lead off in the discussion. Look to others to

be the first to contribute. Suggest that he or

she is “working too hard” and ask for

responses from others in the group.

The bored or indifferent member:

Feels he or she is not being heard.

Call on him or her, pointing out his or her

competence, experience or expertise on one

or more topics of discussion. Try to focus

on a strength and ask for a contribution

from that base.

A team member is quiet and non-

contributing for quite a while:

He or she seems successful and competent

but is silent in group situations.

Some people find it hard to contribute in a

group. Don’t push too hard. Offer

encouragement occasionally so that he or

she knows you value his or her

contributions. It is less important that the

team member talks readily than that he or

she stays close to the group. Be patient.

The shy, hesitant team member:

This team member is afraid to contribute.

Ask direct questions that you think she or

he can answer. Support the responses

if you honestly can.

Team member is not disposed to help

others: He or she wants other team

members to pull their own weight and not

depend upon them.

This kind of person needs to be recognized.

Privately let the team member know

how much you appreciate having him or

her in the group and how much you think

he or she can contribute to the group.

Continue to try to draw him or her out.

Team members who hold conversations

on the side during team meetings:

This can be the source of considerable

distraction. Don’t let the team member hold

a side conversation with you! As leader,

you can pause and look at them until they

stop talking, or ask them if they have

something valuable to add to the

28 | P a g e

discussion. The goal is to let the whisperer

know that this kind of behaviour is not

acceptable in this group without making a

big issue of it.

Team members who have a poor voice

or a poor choice of words:

This person might mumble when speaking

or feel too uneducated for the group.

Protect him or her from group ridicule.

Give his or her comments recognition

and support.

Team member who is definitely wrong

but not willing to be corrected:

If wrong information is irrelevant to the

group, simply say, “Okay, thank you,”

and go on with the agenda. If the error

could damage group work, take time to

clarify the error.

Personality clashes: The leader or another team member needs

to cut into the dispute by pointing out

that there are certainly different ways of

looking at a topic and both perceptions

can be valuable to the team. If properly

understood and appreciated, a personality

conflict can become an asset rather than a

problem for a team.

The mumbler who rambles on and on,

getting off the topic: This person needs an

audience and uses the team meetings to

procure one.

Intervene when the team member stops to

take a breath, thank him or her for the

contribution, and quickly move on by

asking another member of the team a

question.

The arguer: This team member likes to

disagree, and joins groups to start

arguments.

Recognize that the objections might be

legitimate. Ask for clarification. If this

behaviour persists, sit beside the team

member and pretend not to hear him or

her. If the behaviour continues, talk to him

or her privately, asking for his or her

help and giving a specific task for the

session so you can thank him or her when

the task is finished. If all of these efforts fail,

call on the group by asking if the

group wants to spend time now on the

complaints.

A team member who constantly speaks

off the subject:

This is usually easy to handle, as the team

member is not hostile or argumentative.

Continually redirect the group discussion

after thanking the team member

for his or her thoughts. You might have to

tell the team member you will take his

29 | P a g e

or her topic up at another time.

A team member who gripes about

leadership or authority (usually in

country):

Help the team to recognize what can be

accomplished within limitations. Discuss

worthwhile goals that can be accomplished

within the present parameters.

A team member who has overwhelming

personal problems:

Personal problems should be handled

personally. Do not allow the team member

to say things in the group setting that he or

she will be embarrassed about later.

Survival Strategies for Team Leaders The best way to deal with difficulties in a group is to prevent them from arising.

Help team members become aware of the group process. Use this awareness to

reflect on the workings of the group for a short time at each meeting.

Be sensitive to the level of maturity of the group.

Share leadership with team members so that they feel a sense of responsibility for

accomplishing the tasks of the team and help to maintain positive relationships.

Handle each difficult situation with objectivity and empathy. Don’t take problems

personally. Don’t try to solve difficulties all by yourself.

Tips for Addressing Inappropriate Behaviour During the team orientation, direct team members to bring problems, concerns or

issues to the TL first.

Address situations first with the team member on a one-on-one basis.

Identify the inappropriate behaviour with the team member

Help the team member understand the potential negative effects of inappropriate

behaviour.

If a team member continues inappropriate behaviour, it might be necessary to

involve other team members or the Host Coordinator (depending on the situation).

If inappropriate behaviour persists, remind the team member that he or she agreed to

the Terms and Conditions as part of the GV registration process as well as the

purpose of the GV programme.

Disciplinary Procedures for Volunteers HFHGB takes the safety and security of our volunteers very seriously and will not hesitate

to send volunteers home that are posing a risk to themselves or others. This is may also

include behaviour which HFHGB feels is contradictory to our core values. The TL will

address inappropriate behaviours directly with the volunteer in a bid to understand and

resolve the situation. If the situation is unable to be resolved, HFHGB GV staff will

intervene. If GV staff are not sufficiently satisfied with the ongoing conduct of the volunteer,

he/she may be asked to depart the host country at their own expense.

Problem Solving with HFHGB

HFHGB encourages team members and TLs to have an open dialogue and bring any issues

that arise to the fore. HFHGB will endeavour to work with involved parties to rectify any

concerns or complaints (see Appendix 15 for Problem Solving Policy).

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Whose Responsibility is Health and Safety?

HFHGB takes the issue of health and safety seriously. We will do our utmost to ensure that

the risks are minimized and mitigated were possible. However, it must be emphasized that

health and safety standards in overseas countries will vary compared to those experienced

in your home country.

HFHGB, the TL and individual team members all have a part to play in keeping the team fit,

healthy and safe. Although health and safety is everyone’s responsibility, the TL has a

special role in ensuring that your team has a safe and rewarding experience. Health and

safety is wider than the building site, it extends to all aspects of the trip, including cultural

activities and travel in-country. Each team should appoint at least one member to monitor

safety, whose responsibility it is to recognize and eliminate safety hazards. There are also

risks associated with working in the vicinity of children, which is also addressed.

The TL will carry a well-stocked first aid kit. Every team member needs to know:

The location of the first aid kit,

Who on the team is first aid trained,

The emergency response telephone number (if applicable), and

The location of the team’s Emergency Contact Information forms and Crisis

Management Plan.

Communication

All TLs will need to have a mobile phone with them at all times. This may be their personal

number or a local number given by the Host Coordinator. This needs to be switched on and

fully charged. This is to ensure that HFHGB can always contact you should there be an

emergency at home and also to advise you of any changes in circumstances regarding your

safety. Please ensure you communicate this number to the GV staff in the UK, the local

hosting coordinator and team so that they are all able to get in touch with you.

Roles and Responsibilities for Health and Safety

HFHGB:

Provide the TL with the team roster which includes the participants’ date of birth,

medical conditions and next of kin contact details.

Liaise with the Host Coordinator and set out our expectations for health and safety,

particularly on site.

Ensure the TL is a qualified first aider.

Ensure that all team members are advised to seek medical advice regarding

vaccinations and medicine for travel.

Liaise with Host Coordinator to ensure that the team receives a site safety

orientation.

Ensure that a safe vehicle and competent driver is provided by the host affiliate for

team transport.

Ensure that any potentially unsafe situations reported by the TL are addressed.

Worksite Health and Safety

31 | P a g e

Team Leader:

Carry the team roster, which will be provided by HFHGB staff.

Ensure that the site safety notices are given to each team member and that one is

attached to the wall of the tea room or another visible location for team members.

Carry out and record daily risk assessments.

Develop a close working relationship with the local Host Coordinator and staff in

charge of the site.

Not allow team members to undertake activities that he/she feels are unsafe and

work with the local programme to solve the problem if possible.

Report any potentially unsafe situations to the local staff.

Be the first aider or delegate the role of first aider and ensure she or he knows what is

expected of them in a medical emergency.

Hold regular team meetings.

Ensure that the team have access to a supply of safe drinking water and that they

take regular rest breaks.

Communicate the needs of the team to the local Host Coordinator.

The First Aider (TL):

Keep the TL up to date with any health related situations (e.g. illnesses).

Administer first aid to team members as required.

Keep a record of any accidents and pass the record on to the TL and HFFGB staff.

Comply with requirements of the individual (see below).

All Team Members (including TL and DTL):

Seek professional medical advice and comply with any required vaccinations.

Bring enough personal medication/specialist medical equipment to last the duration

of the Build and carry a letter from their GP if necessary.

Carry a spare prescription in case of loss, damage etc. (with the generic rather than

brand name).

Inform the first aider as soon as they feel unwell (thus enabling the situation to be

monitored).

Take care not to eat contaminated food or drink dirty water.

Work in a safe manner so as not to jeopardize their own or other people’s safety.

Only use equipment that they have been trained to use.

Report any potentially unsafe situations to the TL of Host Coordinator.

Comply with any requests to wear safety equipment or clothing.

Avoid undertaking any activity that they are unsure about.

In-Country Orientation

The in-country orientation is the first briefing the team members will receive. It must cover

the following issues:

Child protection,

Hotel safety,

Road safety,

Personal security,

Hygiene,

32 | P a g e

Behaviour expectations,

Injuries and first aid provision, and

Emergency actions.

Safety Briefings Safety briefings are a vital part of the day. Every day should begin with a safety briefing that

relates to the work about to be undertaken. See below for a sample briefing:

General safety considerations are to be reinforced and specific issues covered. All

hazards, or potential hazards should be identified and action should be taken to

prevent potential accidents on site. In particular, items that could be fatal need to be

identified, such as electrical hazards and holes.

If volunteers feel uncomfortable doing a task they lack competence in, they should

undergo more training or be moved to a different task.

Training should be given in appropriate lifting techniques. Keep the back straight

and use the leg power to lift.

Carry a health and safety notebook with you at all times. Jot down any points that

need covering in the briefing. This way you will always have a record of what was

covered in the health and safety briefing.

See Appendix 25 for a Sample Health and Safety Briefing.

Health and Safety Standards You should have a safety orientation when you first arrive on site and before starting any

new activity. If a proper safety orientation is not provided, then insist upon one before

starting construction. Please remember that countries have different health and safety

standards. You will need to liaise with local staff to ensure that the health and safety policy

Keeping Your Team Safe on Site

Advise all team members to report to them immediately any accident, near miss or anything

that could lead to an accident.

Assess every task before it is carried out. Think first and avoid putting yourself or others in

danger. If in any doubt, speak to the local HFH staff or the TL.

Use the correct tools or equipment for the task you are carrying out. Visually check all tools and

equipment before using it; never tamper with it and report any defects to a member of site staff.

Volunteers will be instructed by site staff in the correct use of various tools and equipment.

Never throw materials in a bid to save time, always work in a chain.

Do not indulge in horseplay or cause distractions to anyone on the worksite.

Follow instructions given by the local HFH staff. If you are unsure, ask a member of site staff.

No alcohol or drugs are permitted on site at any time.

Drink lots of water and beware of heat exhaustion.

Support the local HFH programme to enforce its policy about children on the worksite.

Know where the first aid kit is located and who to contact in case of an accident or injury.

If you’re tired, stop and take a break. You are more likely to be injured, or to injure others, when

you are tired.

When lifting heavy objects, remember to always lift with your legs, not with your back.

33 | P a g e

is adhered to. Sometimes this may need some gentle explaining; ‘HFHGB have said we are

not allowed to do that’.

Share any concerns you may have in the written evaluation at the end of your trip and

provide continual feedback to the local HFH staff. At certain points, you may need to

intervene as necessary. This may involve:

Supplementing local HFH staff’s health and safety briefing.

Negotiating with local HFH staff on a health and safety issue.

Asking the HFH staff to rectify a health and safety issue if necessary e.g. provide a

different bus because in your initial inspection the current bus has a bald tyre.

If there is an accident, complete the incident report form and give a copy to the local

HFH staff and a copy to HFHGB (see Appendix 22 for Incident Report Form).

Should a person arrive on-site unfit for work (i.e. they have been out drinking the

night before), the TL is at liberty to deny them access to the site for their own

protection and the protection of others (see Appendix 13 for Alcohol Policy).

See Appendix 9 for Worksite Safety Policy.

Proper Clothing, Tools and Equipment

Before starting work on the build site, ensure

that the volunteers are aware that all HFHGB

teams must:

Wear steel toe-capped boots on the

worksite,

Wear a hard hat on site at all times,

Wear culturally appropriate clothing,

Wear safety goggles, gloves, dust mask,

ear plugs, etc. when necessary,

Guard against using any hand tool if the handle is loose or in poor condition,

Be sure tools are sharp and properly adjusted, and

Keep hair back, no jewellery and wear sunscreen.

Importance of a Clean Work Site Untidiness can cause many tripping accidents which could be very serious,

Collect rubbish and scrap materials on a regular basis,

Keep materials and equipment properly stored,

Return tools and equipment to their proper places when not in use, and

Tidying the site should be the first and last thing the volunteers do every day.

Digging Holes Before starting to dig, the area where the hole will be dug should be marked off with

safety tape,

The hole should be filled as soon as possible,

Volunteers are to dig no deeper than 1 metre, and

Volunteers should only dig a hole with supervisors present.

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Fall Prevention and Working at Height

Volunteers need training in the safety

implications of working at height,

Volunteers should not be left to work at

height unsupervised,

Barricades should be installed to prevent

people from falling off the edge of the slab,

Do not work at height without proper safety

equipment, such as secure scaffolding or

harnesses,

Handrails should be installed immediately

on all temporary and permanent stairwells,

Be careful with tools and loose materials,

particularly when working on the roof or at

a height (be sure to block off an area on the

ground if you will be throwing materials

down from below), and

Volunteers should never be in a position where there is no scaffolding below them

e.g. they should not be laying tiles over eaves with no scaffolding below.

Volunteer must be aged 18 or over if they are working at height.

Ladders and Scaffolding Inspect a ladder before you use it. If the ladder is unsafe, don’t use it. Look for wear

and tear, loose rungs and defects.

Place your ladder on a solid footing. If there is a danger of the ladder moving while

you work, tie it down. If there is a danger that the ladder will be hit, barricade it. If

the feet of the ladder are not level, dig the ground out under one foot with the claw

of a hammer rather than raise one foot with blocks.

Scaffolding should be grounded to the satisfaction of the TL before it is used by

volunteers.

If the scaffolding is of a ‘make-do’ variety, it must not be over 4-feet (1.3 metres) from

the ground.

All scaffolding should be equipped with a safety railing and a toe board to eliminate

the possibility that tools or debris will be kicked or pushed onto people below.

Many scaffolding accidents are caused by defective planking. Use only properly

graded and inspected timber for planking.

Volunteers should never work underneath scaffolding.

Volunteers must be aged 18 or over if they are working on scaffolding.

Electrical Equipment In humid or wet conditions electrical equipment can be very dangerous. Only

electrical equipment that use 120 volts should be used on site. Standard DIY tools

that use 240 volts should not be used.

Generators should not be operated by volunteers.

Training in electrical equipment must be provided before it is used by volunteers.

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TL should check electrical equipment for obvious hazards (such as damage to sockets

or no plugs). If it looks unsafe, volunteers should not use the equipment.

Volunteers must be aged 18 or over if they are working with electrical equipment.

Power Cables Nobody on site including workman, crew

leaders, TLs or volunteers are to work within

5.2m of any overhead power line.

Concrete Mixers Mixers are not often used on HFH sites. When

they are used:

No tools or human appendages are to

be inserted into the mixer while it is

turning.

Mixers should not be overloaded.

The base for the mixer needs to be firm to avoid possible tipping, for example the

mixer should not sit on a pile of un-mortared concrete blocks.

Water Pumps Pumping water with electricity is inherently dangerous. Water should be pumped as far

away as possible with a petrol operated pump. If an electrical pump is used on site, this has

to be 120 volts and not 240 volts. Volunteers should keep away from the pump, which

should ideally be taped off with hazard tape.

Sewage Contamination

Volunteers should not be put into situations where there is sewerage contamination i.e. the

contaminated water needs pumping out before volunteers can get involved. Sewerage

contamination can be a particular problem when there is a high water table. Exposure to

sewage or its products may result in a number of illnesses.

Tools

Sometimes the availability of tools can be an issue and local staff will do their best to ensure

that there are enough tools for the tasks. The quality of local tools, however, is often not up

to European standards and therefore may not be suitable for use by volunteers. If you are

unsure about the efficacy of the tools, request that volunteers carry out alternative tasks.

Chemicals Chemicals such as creosote are still used in some countries, yet banned in Europe

and North America. Unless a chemical is known to be safe, it is not to be used by

volunteers.

Chemicals known to be safe should only be used by a volunteer wearing a face-mask,

eye protection and long-sleeved shirts and trousers.

If there is any doubt, do not use the chemical or contact HFHGB for further advice.

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Asbestos

Asbestos, while not used on HFH sites, is still widely used in many parts of the world.

Undisturbed asbestos is not necessarily dangerous. Asbestos becomes dangerous in its dust

form. If asbestos containing materials are present and being processed, simple masks will

not offer protection. The material will contaminate clothing and skin and will be released as

the material loses moisture. Asbestos may be being used on an adjacent site and becomes

particularly dangerous when cutting the material with a grinder creating dust. If the wind is

blowing towards the HFH site it must be vacated immediately and another site sought.

Asbestos may also be found in soil, especially when a demolition has occurred. If the odd

shard is found, it should be carefully removed. If every spade full has shards, volunteers

should not be handling the material, digging foundations or moving earth.

Demolition Demolition can pose greater hazards than construction.

Demolitions need to be well planned by HFH staff members.

HFH staff need to supervise the demolition process at all times.

Cultural Activities

The TL must be confident that cultural activities are

safe. A risk assessment should be carried out for all

activities and necessary actions taken to reduce any

risk involved. Please be aware that a there are

number of activities which are not covered by

HFHGB Insurance policy. See Appendix 25 for ACE

Insurance Overview.

Transportation The roads are perhaps the greatest risk to the wellbeing of all the participants. Road safety

and quality may not be up the same standards that volunteers are used to at home. If the TL

has any concerns about the state of the vehicle or the driver, they must exercise their

judgement as to whether the team should proceed with the journey. The local HFH staff

must be notified of such concerns as soon as possible.

Volunteers should not ride in the back of trucks. Other means of seated transport

must always be used.

Wearing of safety belts is required where they are fitted. All HFH vehicles should

have seatbelts fitted.

There must be one seat per volunteer.

Coaches/minibuses should be used for transporting volunteers as far as practically

possible.

Tools must never be carried loose in the back of a vehicle where they may injure

passengers in the event of an accident.

Swimming Swimming in contaminated water may result in skin, eye, ear and certain intestinal

infections, particularly if the swimmer’s head is submerged.

Risk assess the safety of swimming in the sea or in a pool.

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Advise team members that they should never swim in the dark, alone or when under

the influence of alcohol or drugs, and never dive into an unfamiliar body of water.

Accommodation

Hotels can be assumed to be safe, as they are verified by local staff. However as previously

mentioned, there may be differing standards of health and safety. The TL should carry out a

risk assessment on arrival to the team’s accommodation.

Advise volunteers to count the doors to the nearest fire exit.

Check that fire exits are not locked or obstructed.

Check that fire equipment has been serviced. (There should be a service date on the

equipment).

Working Around Children Throughout the Build the team will interact with the local community, homeowners and

HFH staff and volunteers. Interaction with local children is a common component of any GV

Build. Children will befriend the team as they work on site, as they eat a meal or even as

they walk to and from the accommodation each day. Whenever we have contact with any

child it is important that they always feel safe around all members of a GV team. With this in

mind, when interacting with children, team members are asked to adhere to the following

guidelines and to ensure that the safety and welfare of any child is a priority in all dealings:

Children should not be encouraged to work on site by any team member.

Team members should respect children and young people at all times, thinking

about language and tone of voice.

Team members should never participate in games of either an aggressive or sexual

nature with children.

Team members should never invade the privacy of children or engage in

inappropriate or intrusive touching of any kind.

Individual team members should never be alone with any child or group of children.

Team members should not spend excessive amounts of time with any one child or

group of children.

Team members should not make unnecessary physical contact with any child or

make any demeaning remarks or gestures to or about a child.

When taking photographs of children, team members should always ask the

permission of their parents or guardians.

As the TL, please ensure that your team members understand and keep to these principles.

See Appendix 11 for Minors Policy.

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. Risk assessment relates to all aspects of the Build—from cultural activities to building, from

contracting a disease to playing sport with too much vigour. TLs are required to conduct

risk assessments throughout the Build. The methods given for minimising and managing

risk can be adapted to suit the circumstances. The aim is to bring your team home in good

health after having had a rewarding experience.

HFHGB has developed a risk assessment for GV Builds. TLs are required to familiarise

themselves with this risk assessment and to look for other risks not covered and assess those

in conjunction. A risk assessment should be conducted at each new worksite or each time

the scope of work changes significantly, e.g. the team switches from digging foundations to

laying bricks. See Appendix 27 and 28 for a Risk Assessment Form and a Sample Risk

Assessment.

Conducting a Risk Assessment

Identify the types of incident likely to be encountered,

Assess the severity of the hazard and the harm outcome if this incident occurred,

Assess the risk and the likelihood of the incident occurring,

Assess the effect of the incident on the team,

Identify methods to minimize and manage the risk, and

Continually reassess the risk and make amendments to methods where necessary.

Methods for Minimising and Managing Risk Take a cautious approach,

Be prepared to say to the team that an area or activity is hazardous,

If you feel something is unsafe (like a corrugated roof end at head height) discuss

this with the local Host Coordinator and find a way to temporarily cover it up,

Have people work in pairs and looking out for each other, and

Constantly assess the risks – this should become like second nature once on site.

Each morning think about your activities for that day, note the hazards that will face your

team, and decide how you will minimize the risks for the activity. This may be:

A simple “Beware….” ,

Providing safety equipment for the activity,

Demonstrating proper lifting techniques,

Training in the proper use of a piece of equipment,

Modify activity if possible,

Ensure that methods in place to manage/minimise risk are strictly adhered to, and

Continually assess the situation.

IMPORTANT keep a health and safety notebook for the trip. At the beginning of each day

assess the activities that will happen during the day and decide what is needed to minimise

the risk. Note them in your notebook. Share your risk assessment for the day’s activities

with your team at the daily briefing and encourage the volunteers to share their concerns

with you. The diary is evidence that you have fulfilled your duty.

Risk Assessments

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HFHGB only sends volunteer teams to countries that can demonstrate that they are able to

safely host a GV Build. Part of this includes paying close attention to the Foreign &

Commonwealth Office updates, which detail everything from terror risks, disease and

weather. If necessary, HFHGB will cancel a trip without hesitation if it is unsafe. If a

dangerous situation develops while the team is in-country, HFHGB will do whatever is

necessary to extract the team safely.

Emergency Preparedness Although steps are taken to ensure the safety of every GV team, during the trip TLs and

team members must still be prepared for a variety of possible emergencies. Emergency

procedures are outlined in the GV Crisis Management Plan (CMP) alongside first aid

recommendations. Additionally, every TL should compile a Crisis Packet.

Crisis Packet

Prior to departure each TL should assemble a Crisis Packet consisting of important

information on every team member. TLs should urge that each team member also assemble

a packet of their own information for themselves. Assembling a crisis packet primarily

involves organizing existing information and documents into a format that is easy to carry

and efficient to use. Every team member must provide their passport, emergency contact

and medical information in their registration form and provide a copy of the photo ID page

of their passport to HFHGB or the TL. Both the TL and HFHGB GV staff will retain a copy of

these documents. Throughout the trip all TLs should keep this information with them so

that they can easily access it in a crisis (See Appendix 29 for Crisis Pack Checklist).

The basic items that should be included in the crisis packet:

Team member roster (with personal data, next of kin info, passport numbers,

emergency contacts, medical and dietary info),

Copies of the photo ID page of passports (international teams),

Copy of visa (if applicable),

Air travel itinerary,

Medical Insurance/ACE contact and policy numbers and instructions,

Accident claim forms,

Crisis Management Plan,

Incident report forms,

GV Emergency Contact Information sheet,

HFHGB GV 24/7 emergency contact information, and

Medical Insurance numbers.

Being Prepared The TL is responsible for:

Having the first-aid kit readily available throughout the trip - while travelling, at the

worksite and during leisure-time activities.

Having the Crisis Packet readily available at all times.

Obtaining from local HFH staff the location of the nearest medical facility and

contact information for local medical personnel and medical transport services.

Global Village Crisis Management Plan

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Informing team members of potential hazards and ways to prevent them.

Procedure to be implemented when a team member is injured or becomes ill.

Crisis Management Plan

The health and safety of GV team and leaders is a top priority of HFH and GV staff. This

Crisis Management Plan (CMP) is the GV TL’s guide to handling accidents, illnesses and

catastrophic events that involve team members during the course of a GV Build. It consists

of the process flow that defines specific steps for responding to three categories of

occurrences - minor injury/illness, major injury/illness and catastrophic. The following

sections further explain each step in the process flow.

Although the team leader often is the frontline decision maker in a team emergency, the GV

staff and the local Host Coordinator stand ready to assist and need to be kept informed of all

emergencies as they develop.

The Global Village Incident From (see Appendix 22) is the official form for documenting

incidents or emergency situations and what actions were taken. An incident report should

be completed and emailed to the HFHGB and local staff as soon as possible (no later than 2

days) following:

Any accident, injury or illness requiring professional medical attention,

hospitalisation or evacuation, or resulting in the death of any team member;

Any significant disruption in the trip, caused by catastrophic events - natural or

manmade - which pose threat to team members; or

When a team member departs the trip earlier than planned.

If it is not possible to email the Incident Form, the TL should inform the HFHGB staff and

ensure the form is emailed on arrival back to the UK.

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Process Flow

Minor Injury/Illness

Step A1: Minor Injury/Illness

Minor injury/illness describes an occurrence that is not life-threatening and does not require

hospital attention - an injury/illness that can be treated on-site or at a local clinic.

Step A2: Leader Notified

During the in-country orientation instruct team members to notify the leader when a

member is injured or suffers an illness that requires medical treatment, even if self-

administered.

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Step A3: Treat On-site and Cover Medical Cost

Qualified first aiders or a local medical professional can treat some minor injuries/illnesses

on-site, while others might require visiting a clinic. Rather than filing an accident claim

form, the cost of such medical treatment can be paid by the patient or TL and reimbursed

from the team budget. Retain all paperwork and receipts regardless of how payment is

made.

Step A4: Rest/Reduced Activity

Following minor injury/illness, suggest that the team member stay off the job and rest or at

least reduce his/her level of activity until again healthy.

Step A5: Prepare Incident Report

Complete a Global Village Incident Report for every minor injury/illness that requires

medical attention beyond what can be treated from the team’s first-aid kit.

Step A6: Monitor Condition

Continually monitor the condition of an injured/ill team member, until s/he is back at work.

Step A7: If Condition Worsens

During the in-country orientation instruct team members to immediately notify the leader

when the condition of a treated injury/illness worsens. Advance to Step B2.

Serious Injury/Illness

Step B1: Serious Injury/Illness

Serious injury/illness describes an occurrence that may or may not be life threatening but

does require hospital attention or evacuation, including A&E treatment and release, or

hospital admittance.

Step B2: Leader Notified

During the in-country orientation instruct team members to immediately notify the leader

when a member is injured or suffers an illness that requires medical treatment.

Step B3a: Contact the Global Village team and ACE insurance

ACE insurance is the HFHGB approved medical insurance that covers all participants. ACE

may be contacted in respect of:

Medical advice, referral or treatment

Emergency repatriation

Local payments of hospital bills

Replacement of essential maintenance medication or drugs

ACE insurance contact details will be made available to all participants on their emergency

contact cards.

Step B3b: Seek Medical Attention

First priority in a serious injury/illness is to stabilize the victim and prevent further injury.

At the same time, summon medical assistance.

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Step B4: Transport the Victim

Based upon the type and seriousness of the injury/illness, decide how to transport the victim

to a medical facility. Consider availability of emergency services versus transporting by

private vehicle.

Step B4a: Minor Permission Form

If the victim is a minor, remember to take/send the properly signed Parental Form of

Authority.

Step B5: Contact and Brief

At the medical facility, following the examining physician’s initial evaluation, consultation

and prognosis, notify the person listed on the victim’s Personal Information for Emergency

Use, found in the Emergency Booklet, HFHGB GV staff and the local HFH staff.

Step B6: Resolve Medical Payment

ACE insurance will provide guarantee payment for medical expenses.

Step B7a: Hospitalize

Follow the doctor’s advice and admit the victim to the hospital, as recommended. Involve

insurance company as required. Prepare an Accident Claim Form.

Step B7b: Evacuate

Follow the doctor’s advice to evacuate the victim, if recommended. ACE Insurance and the

Host Coordinator will be able help arrange and coordinate the evacuation. Prepare an

Incident Report Form.

Step B7c: Release

If the victim is treated and released, transport him/her as directed by the doctor. Fill medical

prescriptions as needed and cover the cost out of team funds, to be reimbursed later. Retain

all paperwork and receipts. Prepare an Incident Report Form.

Step B8: File Claim Form and Incident Report

Complete ACE Insurance Claim Form, including Physician’s Report, and mail immediately

or hold for mailing upon arriving home, depending upon timing of occurrence and

dependability of local mail service. Prepare GV Incident Report and email to GV department

in the UK.

Step B9: Brief Family and HFH

Following hospitalization, evacuation or release, provide information on the victim’s

condition and prognosis to the person listed on the victim’s Personal Information for

Emergency Use form, to HFHGB GV staff and the local HFH staff.

Step B10: Monitor and Provide Daily Updates

Continue to monitor the situation and provide daily updates to the family, HFHI EMEA

staff and the host country staff. If the victim is hospitalized or evacuated ACE Insurance will

maintain up-to-date information about the victim’s condition.

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Catastrophic Events

Step C1: Fire/Wind/Civil Unrest

This category represents any disruption in the GV event caused by weather, natural disaster

or any type of terrorism, war, insurrection or criminal activities, which pose threat to team

members. As stated in the Terms and Conditions, HFHGB will “not pay ransom or make

any other payments in order to secure the release of hostages.”

Step C2: Seek Safety and Advice

The first priority is to stay together and seek safety as a group. At the first indication of

pending catastrophic event, review the separation contingency plan introduced during the

team’s in-country orientation. Designate the regrouping time and location, and a procedure

for when and how separated individuals should contact HFHGB, local HFH and/or the

embassy in the home country for assistance and/or advice. (See below)

Step C3: Head Count/Assistance

Following a catastrophic event or upon regrouping, take a head count and assess conditions.

If the situation warrants, contact the GV team and your Host Coordinator. If in danger and

unable to communicate with the local or in-country HFH contact or GV team, it may be

necessary to contact the embassy for assistance.

Step C4: Injuries Incurred?

If team members are injured and require medical attention, re-enter the process flow at Step

B2.

Step C5: Brief HFH

Once conditions permit, brief HFHGB and the HFH in-country contact regarding the team’s

status, specific needs and immediate plans.

Step C6: File Incident Report

As soon as possible after calm is restored, complete a GV Incident Report and fax it to the

Global Village team documenting what transpired and what actions were taken. A report

should also be filed when a team member departs an event earlier than planned, with or

without the leader’s concurrence.

Consular Services British Consuls will do everything they can to help British people in difficulty abroad. In an

unlikely situation when HFHGB or the host country staff is unable to intervene, they could

be a valuable resource. They can:

Issue emergency passports,

Contact relatives and friends and ask them to help you with money or tickets,

Tell you how to transfer money,

In an emergency, cash you a sterling cheque worth up to £100 if supported by a valid

banker's card,

As a last resort, in exceptional circumstances, and as long as you meet certain strict

rules, give you a loan to get you back to the UK, but only if there is no-one else who

can help you,

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Help you get in touch with local lawyers, interpreters and doctors,

Arrange for next of kin to be told of an accident or a death and advice on procedures,

Visit you if you have been arrested or put in prison, and arrange for messages to be

sent to relatives and friends,

Put you in touch with organisations that help trace missing persons, and

Speak to the local authorities on your behalf.

But they cannot:

Intervene in court cases,

Get you out of prison,

Give legal advice or start court proceedings for you,

Get you better treatment in hospital or prison than is given to local nationals,

Investigate a crime,

Pay your hotel, legal, medical or any other bills,

Pay your travel costs, except in special circumstances,

Do work normally done by travel agents, airlines, banks or motoring organisations,

or

Demand you be treated as British citizen if you are a dual national in the country of

your second nationality.

Consular Fees It is the British Government's policy that fees for consular services should be set to recover

the full costs involved without being subsidised from UK general taxation. Payment is

generally made in the country where the service is performed, is normally levied in advance

and must be made in local currency.

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Medical Matters

It is important that you are suitably informed about the health of each team member in order

to ensure their mental and physical wellbeing. Some people will be reluctant to reveal this

kind of information, but failure to declare details may invalidate the insurance and have a

serious impact on the whole team. All personal information of this type must be kept

confidential at all times (See Appendix 7 for Confidentiality and Data Protection Policy).

The GV staff will have identified any major issues that might preclude a team member from

undertaking a Build when they register. This information will be provided to the TL before

departure. However, it is best practice for the TL to ensure that they have discussed any

medical conditions with participant before the Build.

Vaccinations HFHGB are not able offer advice on the types of vaccinations needed as we are not medical

professionals. HFHGB also discourages TLs from advising team members, they should be

directed to consult a medical professional to seek advice. It is the responsibility of the

volunteer to ensure that they have had the appropriate vaccinations and necessary

medications prior to travel.

It is recommended that each team member visit their GP prior to departure to ensure they

have the right vaccinations for travel. If possible, allow 8-10 weeks to have all the relevant

injections as some require multiple doses over an extended period of time.

In some cases, dependent on the location of the Build, a yellow fever vaccination may be

required, which can only be given at registered centres. Therefore, if required, each team

member will need to find out from their practice nurse or health authority which local GPs

are licensed to administer the vaccine. Also, it should be noted the yellow fever vaccine and

certificate only become valid 10 days after the injection.

First Aid All HFHGB TLs need to hold a valid first aid certificate prior to departure. This will be

funded by HFHGB. Please contact the GV staff for information about which courses you

need to undertake.

First Aid Kits As the TL will be first aid trained and have a working knowledge of the situation on the

ground whilst on a Build, HFHGB is confident that they are best placed to stock a first aid

kit. It is your responsibility to collate your own kit and restock it accordingly, informing

HFHGB for a reimbursement (See Appendix 21 for Recommended First Aid Kit Contents). It

Personal Health and Safety

You will need to discuss the following information with the volunteers:

All existing medical conditions,

Details of any recent operations and mental health problems,

If a volunteer is pregnant, and

What regular medication is being taken and what it is for.

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is strongly recommended that you advise each team member to bring their own personal

first aid kit. It is recommended that personal first aid kits should include the following:

Anti-bacterial hand wash,

Eye wash,

Personal medication- if required,

Anti-malarial tablets- if required,

Insect repellent,

Sunscreen and lip balm,

Painkillers,

Soluble aspirin,

Sore throat pastilles,

Antihistamine tablets- if required,

Rehydration sachets or solutions

(e.g. Dioralyte),

Plasters, bandages, and

Diarrhoea medication.

The health of GV team members is a high priority for HFHGB, below are some key topics on

personal health that should be discussed with the team, both prior to and during the Build.

Jet Lag The team is likely to be flying across several time zones and may experience jet lag. This

term describes a syndrome long haul passengers are very familiar with: tiredness, headache,

irritability, difficulty concentrating, loss of appetite and other gut disturbances. Some of

these other effects are due to the stresses of flying, like dehydration and immobility, while

others are the result of having to set your body clock to a new time. How to reduce the

impact of jet lag:

Recognize that jet lag may be a problem in the first few days and adjust your

itinerary accordingly.

On the plane set your watch to the new destination time and adjust your schedule to

this time.

If it is daytime on arrival, get active and don’t give yourself the chance to doze off.

Eating is a potential time-setter, so try to take all your meals at the appropriate new

time.

Try to stay awake until at least a reasonable bed time. If you can’t keep your eyes

open take a short nap, but set your alarm or get someone to wake you.

The first night’s sleep may be a bit fragile, but after that things should improve.

Water and Food Safety To avoid picking up any bugs and infections through what you eat and drink, the following

tips may be useful to communicate with the team:

Boil any drinking water you are unsure about or drink bottled water. Always ask to

open the bottle yourself in restaurants, checking the seal is in place. If in doubt stick

to carbonated water - and make sure it fizzes.

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Use bottled or boiled water for cleaning your teeth. Don’t open your mouth and

drink water in the shower.

Order drinks without ice and avoid roadside food vendors selling ice cream and

unwashed fruit.

Eat early if you have a buffet that has been sitting out for long periods during the

day - food kept warm under food lamps can be a source of food poisoning and

bacteria.

Avoid unpasteurized milk, shellfish, soft cheeses and lukewarm food.

Apply strict hygiene while away especially after using the toilet and before you eat

food - never use communal, damp towels in public conveniences. Use disposable

paper towels, hot air or leave to air dry.

Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea is the most common travel-related illness. About a third of cases of diarrhoea are

due to non-specific causes including: stress, jet lag, new foods and a change in eating habits.

Bacteria, viruses or parasites are the remaining causes. It is worth remembering:

Traveller’s diarrhoea is usually a short mild illness lasting on average 3 to 5 days.

Medical advice isn’t usually required to find out what is causing your diarrhoea.

Replacing lost fluids and salts is the most important part of treating any watery

diarrhoea, whatever the cause.

You don’t need antibiotic treatment for mild to moderate diarrhoea.

You should however seek medical attention if:

The diarrhoea is very severe or lasts longer than 5 days.

There is blood or mucus in the diarrhoea.

You also have a fever (38ºC or over) with shaking chills.

You are also vomiting and are unable to keep fluids down.

You are jaundiced (your skin and the whites of your eyes are yellow).

Dealing with diarrhoea:

Rest and give your body the best chance to fight whatever is making you ill.

Drink plenty of fluids. It is important to also replace salts lost through diarrhoea so

take one sachet of oral rehydration solution (ORS) after each loose motion (if severe).

Eat a bland diet avoiding fruit (except bananas), dairy products and spicy or greasy

foods.

Take your temperature and note what it is, repeat later to see how the illness is

progressing.

Examine what you are passing for blood and mucus.

Be aware of how often you are passing urine and what colour it is, in order to check

if you are getting dehydrated.

Note any other symptoms you are suffering.

Remember diarrhoea is contagious so be scrupulous about washing your hands after

you use the toilet.

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Dehydration

Adults require an average of 2 litres of fluid a day (excluding caffeine and alcohol) to ensure

good health and biochemical functioning. This increases up to 5L with hot weather and hard

physical work, therefore it is vital to ensure the team is getting enough to drink.

Preventing dehydration:

Ensure you have a regular supply of clean drinkable water - discuss with your Host

Coordinator which method is appropriate: chlorination, bottled water, etc.

Aim to drink a minimum of 2 litres of water a day when working on site.

Carry a good water container (minimum 1 litre) when travelling or away from your

base. Encourage volunteers to label their bottles and keep a track of how much water

they are drinking.

Monitoring urine colour can be an indicator of hydration levels - the darker your

urine the more dehydrated you are.

If you are suffering from diarrhoea or are feeling dizzy and lethargic, take ORS.

Malaria If you are travelling to an area where malaria is present you will need to ensure that all team

members are taking anti-malarial prophylaxes. Each individual will need to discuss the best

type for them with a medical practitioner, as the type recommended will depend upon

country of travel, current disease distributions and individual medical history. All anti-

malarial prophylaxes need to be taken prior to travelling in order to build up the levels in

the bloodstream, and upon returning home to combat the lifecycle of the parasite. Remind

volunteers to continue taking malaria tablets as soon as they return home, as it is still

possible to contract malaria from parasites picked up in the last few days of the trip.

Facts on malaria:

Malaria is spread by mosquitoes. Mosquitoes bite mostly at night and breed in

stagnant water.

When an infected female mosquito bites you, malarial parasites are injected into your

bloodstream and get carried to your liver where they multiply. During this phase

there are usually no symptoms.

Malaria can be fatal. Every year over a million people die of malaria.

Malaria is becoming more common and difficult to treat due to drug resistance.

Most cases of malaria in travellers occur in people who don’t take anti-malarial

prophylaxes or who don’t take them properly.

Prevention of malaria:

Prevention falls into 4 equally important categories:

Anti-malarial prophylaxes

Ensure you are taking the correct medication for the region you are in.

Take the medication as prescribed, both before and after your trip.

Avoiding getting bitten

If you don’t get bitten you can’t get malaria.

Keep legs and arms covered with clothing, as this will lower the risk of getting bitten.

Use mosquito coils or vaporizing mats.

Avoid dark colours as they attract mosquitoes.

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Avoid strong perfumes, hair sprays or after-shaves as they can attract mosquitoes.

Use air-conditioning or fans if available.

Avoid evening walks beside rivers and ponds, as this is where mosquitoes breed.

Repellents and nets

Use a good repellent, ones containing 50% DEET are the most effective.

Try your repellent at home before leaving to check you are not allergic to it.

Apply repellent before dusk - when mosquitoes start biting.

If wearing sunscreen, apply repellent on top.

You can get repellents for clothes and hats (containing DEET).

Before going to sleep use a ‘knock-down spray’ in the evening to get rid of

mosquitoes.

Sleep under a mosquito net impregnated with Permethrin (nets which hang from a

single point are easier to erect and feel more spacious to sleep under).

Early diagnosis and prompt treatment

Suspect malaria if you have a fever (38ºC or above) with or without the following

symptoms: headache and aching muscles and joints, nausea and vomiting, cough,

abdominal discomfort. Seek medical help immediately.

Remember you can still get malaria if taking anti-malarial prophylaxes - although it

will not be as severe.

Malaria can be quickly and simply diagnosed from a sample of your blood.

Once diagnosed the doctor will advise appropriate treatment depending on the area

and what anti-malarial medication you have taken.

HIV/AIDS

Many locations of Builds have a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Indeed many HFH houses

are built for those impacted by HIV. Team members will, therefore come into contact with

people who have the disease. The disease cannot be passed on through everyday social

contact, insect bites or dirty food and crockery. Nor can it be passed on through kissing,

coughing or sneezing. Areas for concern are:

Contact sports. Any team member (on either side) with an open wound should not

be included in a team.

Care should always be taken and protection used when approached by local people

to treat any open wounds.

Dental treatment at a local dentist, there have incidences when the disease has been

transmitted through contaminated dental instruments.

Hospital equipment. It is important to use a hospital referral provided by ACE

Insurance. Such hospitals are scrutinised by ACE Insurance and screened blood is

used where available (it is conceivable that a life threatening situation may

necessitate the use of non-screened blood).

Tattoos, acupuncture treatment or body piercings should be avoided.

Sexual relations whilst on the build are also strongly discouraged. TLs should contact

HFHGB immediately if a team member is sexually assaulted.

For further information: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/staying-

safe/health/hiv

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Animal Bites and Stings

The general rule is that team members should always stay away from animals, even

seemingly domesticated animals. It is worth reminding the team members that animals,

even those typically domesticated such as cats and dogs won’t receive the same treatment

they would at home.

Always wear long trousers and boots when walking through undergrowth or long

grass.

Always check inside shoes and boots before putting them on.

When sleeping outside always have the bed raised off the ground.

If you encounter a snake, do not panic, keep very still until it goes away.

Carry a torch and spare batteries when walking at night.

Ignore all animals. Do not attempt to approach or pet any animal.

If volunteers are concerned about rabies, they should discuss this with their GP or practice

nurse. A rabies vaccination may be advised if travelling in places more than 12 hours from

medical help in risk areas. The vaccination does not prevent the contraction of rabies, but

extends the time period in which one must seek treatment. HFHGB will be able to advise on

the location of the Build and the distance to the nearest hospital.

Snakes and scorpions

Snakes are a hazard in many countries, especially in bushed areas.

Snake awareness needs to be part of the health safety briefing process.

If you have to move a pile of rocks or other materials, hit or kick it first, so any

creature can move away.

If possible, move items ‘away from you’ so that anything sheltered underneath has

an escape route.

Avoid long grass or overgrown areas and report any sightings to local HFH staff.

Issues for Women Although unlikely, some female volunteers may experience a disruption to their normal

menstrual cycle. The stress of preparation and tiredness that comes with jet lag and other

issues surrounding the Build can mean that periods could be late or, in some circumstances,

stop altogether. If volunteers are worried that they are pregnant, it is best to do a test.

However, if there is no risk of this, it could be considered a side effect of travel.

Some women prefer to suppress their periods for the time they are away. This should

be discussed with their GP.

If you/team members are expecting a period while you are away and are travelling

outside of Europe, it would be wise to take sanitary supplies with you. If travelling

to remote areas where disposal could be a problem, a supply of small plastic bags

and a baby wipes could be useful.

Some women suffer from bladder problems, especially after having children, and are

thus tempted not to drink too much when travelling. It is important in a hot climate

to drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluid to avoid dehydration.

Urine infections and thrush are common among women travelling, especially when

taking certain kinds of malaria tablets. If you suffer on a regular basis at home, ask

your doctor if you can take some medication with you.

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When crossing time zones, plan ahead when to take your oral contraceptive pill,

keeping in mind that a break of more than 24 hours between doses will lead to

inadequate protection and the possibility of breakthrough bleeding.

Remember that traveller’s diarrhoea can interrupt the absorption of the pill, thus

leaving you with an inadequate level of protection.

Sun Safety It is important when travelling to recognize both the long- and short-term risks associated

with too much sun exposure. This is true not only on the beach - snow, sand and water also

reflect the sun’s rays. Ensure that the team is adequately protected from the sun and remind

them to top up on sunscreen regularly.

Wear clothes that will protect you in the sun- sunglasses, clothing of tightly woven

fabric and a sun hat covering the neck, ears and back of the neck.

Apply sunscreen liberally.

Be extra careful when the sun is high in the sky at the hottest time of the day.

Drink plenty of non-alcoholic drinks while in the sun to prevent dehydration.

If you are on any medication, check with your doctor before you go as some

medications can make you more sensitive to the sun.

On Your Return

When you get home don’t forget that health can still be a problem, i.e. further change of diet

etc. It’s important to seek medical advice if you have been in a malarial area, have lingering

bowel symptoms or concerns and/or have any other health concerns. It is important to tell

the GP what places you have been to and what activities were undertaken.

Personal Safety Whilst on the Build

It is important to consider the personal safety of the volunteers whilst on the Build as well.

Below are some points to discuss with volunteers.

Dress conservatively.

Don’t wear expensive-looking jewellery (even if it’s fake!).

Conceal essential valuables and documents.

Bring traveller’s cheques instead of cash if possible.

Have a photocopy of your passport/documents.

Lock your luggage.

Avoid having your home address or nationality prominently displayed on luggage.

Use covered labels if possible.

Be vigilant when out on the streets.

Abide by local laws and customs.

Ensure someone knows where you are at all times, travel in groups of 3 where

possible.

Don’t bring valuable items or large amounts of cash to the build site.

Don’t leave your cash or belongings in someone else’s care.

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Safeguarding Funds

TLs are responsible for ensuring that team members have been briefed about the dangers of

money handling while traveling in foreign countries. Some easy ways to ensure that team

members do not expose themselves to crimes are as follows:

Whilst travelling, always carry cash and credit cards in a secure location on your

body. We recommend using a money belt that can be worn under their clothes.

Do not leave funds or credit cards in hotel rooms- if there is an option of a safe at the

hotel, always utilise this.

Some suggestions as to how to ensure the funds are secure are:

Place the cash and credit cards in an envelope and record the amount. Keep a copy of

the content list in a separate location.

If placing team documents and funds in a safe, place each participant’s documents

and funds in a separate envelope labelled with his/her name and place all smaller.

envelopes in one large envelope before placing in the safe.

Set a schedule for accessing the safe 2-3 times per week.

Minimising Funds Carried Cash carried by individual participants should be minimised as much as possible (the TL

should never handle the volunteers’ cash). There are a number of ways this can be

accomplished:

Credit/debit cards (always ensure you have told your bank about your travel

arrangements prior to departure),

Pre-paid credit cards, and

Travellers cheques.

Currency ‘What type of currency?’ is likely to be a common question prior to departure. HFHGB will

be able to advise, but TLs are encouraged to think about the following:

Assess what form of currency is best. Are credit cards readily acceptable?

Will you have access to cash machines?

Are US dollars or sterling preferred?

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Can you cash traveller’s cheques?

What denomination of notes are preferable?

Do the notes need to be clean (e.g. no marks, no tears)?

Can you buy the local currency before you go or only when you get there?

In most cases no more than £150-£200 spending money per person is required for snacks and

souvenirs outside of the budgeted itinerary.

Lost or Stolen Funds If funds are lost or stolen:

Obtain a police report immediately,

Notify the local Host Coordinator,

Notify the HFHGB GV staff, and

Complete the incident report and submit to the GV staff via email or on your return.

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Insurance

All participants will have comprehensive medical and emergency insurance whilst on the

GV Build provided by ACE Insurance. This is to cover construction site activities, allowable

recreation activities during the trip and emergency evacuation. A summary of the policy can

be found below. Detailed policy can be provided on request.

What is Covered? Cover is in effect while traveling outside of the volunteers' home country or country of

permanent residence and participating in a volunteer activity sponsored by Habitat for

Humanity. Coverage will begin and end on the specified Build trip dates and not extend

before or after those dates. If volunteers are staying out of their home country or country of

permanent residence and are engaged in activities not sponsored by HFH, they will not be

covered by ACE insurance outside of the specified Build dates.

Accidental death and dismemberment Up to $250,000

Disability Benefit (Permanent total disability) $250,000

Out of country medical expense benefits

Maximum for medical expense benefits:

Maximum for pre-existing conditions:

Maximum for dental treatment (injury only):

$250,000

$50,000

£$250,000

Home country extension benefit Up to the ‘Out of Country Medical Expenses

Maximum Benefit’

Home country medical guarantee benefit Up to $10,000

Emergency medical evacuation benefit 100% of expenses covered

Repatriation of remains benefit 100% of expenses covered

Family reunion benefit $100 per day, up to 5 days

Security expense benefit Up to $100,000

(Aggregate limit: $500,000 per occurrence)

Exclusions Some of the policy’s specifications, provisions and exclusions are listed below. A full list of

policy exclusions can be provided on request.

Intentionally self-inflicted injuries.

Suicide or attempted suicide while sane.

Pregnancy, childbirth or miscarriage.

Accidents occurring while a passenger on, operating or learning to operate any

aircraft.

Injuries or sickness suffered while under the influence of drugs (other than

prescribed) or alcohol.

Injuries or illness suffered while racing or committing or attempting to commit a

felony.

Injuries caused by or resulting from recreational travel in or on any off-road

motorized vehicle not requiring licensing as a motor vehicle, or a motor vehicle not

designed primarily for use on public streets or highways.

Insurance and Useful Contact Details

Insurance

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Injuries resulting from off-road motorcycling; scuba diving; jet, snow or water

skiing; mountain climbing (where ropes or guides are used); sky diving; amateur

automobile racing

Call when you or a volunteer:

Require a referral to a hospital and doctor,

Are hospitalised,

Need to be evacuated or repatriated,

Need to guarantee payment for medical expenses,

Experience local communication problems in medical emergency, and

Safety is threatened by a political or military event.

When you call Europa Assistance, please be prepared with the following:

Name of caller, phone number, fax number.

Covered Person’s name, age, sex and policy number.

A description of the Covered Person’s condition.

Name, location and telephone number of hospital.

Name and telephone number of the treating doctors, where and when they can be

reached.

Health insurance information, workers compensation, or automobile insurance

information if the Covered Person had an accident.

*Covered Person’ means the person insured under the ACE Policy.

*By requesting assistance you agree to assign to us your rights to recover to from any of

your responsible insurers any expenses we incurred.

See Appendix 31 for ACE Insurance Claim Form.

Emergency Contact Information

A representative from HFHGB will be available 24 hours a day throughout your GV Build

should you have an emergency situation. You will receive a list of emergency contacts

before your Build with the relevant phone numbers to distribute to the team.

Please advise volunteers to use these numbers once the Build has officially begun. The team

will also be contact details of the country embassies and the HFH office in your host country

as well as other contact numbers for HFHGB before you leave.

In the event of a medical emergency call Europ Assistance immediately.

Reference plan number: 01AH585

Policy Number: GLM N10784177

(00)1-240-330-1432 Collect Call Outside of the USA

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Information Sources

Nomad: http://www.nomadtravel.co.uk/

Foreign & Commonwealth Office: http://www.fco.gov.uk. This is the UK Government

department responsible for foreign affairs. They work through their London headquarters

and their network of embassies, high commissions and consulates throughout the world.

The website provides up to date information and advice for foreign travel including travel

advisories.

Other websites:

www.travelhealth.co.uk (an excellent website with good links to other sites)

www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk (the NHS public access website on travel health)

http://www.who.int/ (the World Health Organisation)

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Final Team Meeting

The final team meeting is an important event, an opportunity to leave a lasting impression

on the team before the end of the Build. It should be scheduled at a convenient time and

place where everyone can relax and savour the moment, if possible, during the final full day

of the Build. Often the final team meeting is held in conjunction with the last team dinner,

but that is optional.

In addition to the final team meeting being a time of sharing emotion, expressing

appreciation and reflection, it is a perfect opportunity to create advocates out of each team

member. The TL should have a number of specific agenda items, most related to re-entry but

also how team members can continue their involvement with Habitat for Humanity. Whilst

they may not be able to commit to another GV Build immediately, there are many different

ways they can remain engaged with HFHGB’s work. Becoming a regular giver, fundraising,

raising awareness about housing poverty or sharing their stories are all ways in which

volunteers can continue their involvement.

Re-entry

Re-entry is the “hidden side” of a GV Build. It is commonly referred to as “reverse culture

shock.” Team members may have been shocked when they arrived at the GV host

destination and saw poverty first-hand. They may be just as shocked upon returning

home—shocked by how those around them live, the wastefulness, the materialism and the

views toward those less fortunate. Reverse culture shock is common among GV team

members who are returning from having been immersed in a new and different culture—

one which is usually much more economically depressed than they are used to. It may seem

as if they have been away for months, but home has remained relatively unchanged. The GV

experience may trigger changes in the team members’ perspectives and priorities. The TL

needs to be aware of the potential impact of re-entry and help team members prepare to

integrate back into their daily lives. There are typically four stages: Fun, Flight, Fight and Fit.

Understanding re-entry is the first step toward addressing it.

See Appendix 37 for the Four Stages of Re-entry and Appendix 38 for the Common Feelings

of Re-entry in the Field.

HFH Evaluation In order to continually improve the HFHGB GV programme, it is important that each GV

team member to complete a GV evaluation. The team should be given ample free time to

spend as long as it takes to conscientiously complete evaluation forms. It is not unusual for

the team to complete two evaluation forms, one from the hosting country and one from

HFHGB. This is likely to happen if the team are travelling out of the EMEA region.

Forms may be completed online or in paper form. If completed in paper form, the TL should

select one team member to be responsible for collecting and returning the completed

evaluation forms to the Host Coordinator before departing the host country. The TL should

also carry out the same process for the HFHGB evaluation forms if they being completed as

hard copies. Alternatively, the Host Coordinator and TL might distribute a link to an online

Post Build Debrief and Evaluation

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version of the surveys. The TL is should work with the Host Coordinator to ensure the

evaluations, either paper or electronic, are distributed to the team.

Online survey for team members: www.surveymonkey.com/r/gvteam

Online survey for Team Leaders: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/gvleader

Honest answers, even if not positive, should be encouraged and the team member’s name on

the form is optional. Different people within the HFH network review the feedback and any

major issues are acted upon as appropriate. The host programme is also given the

opportunity and encouraged to evaluate the team and TL and the HFHGB GV staff. This is

all in the spirit of improving the programme. Ensuring that all HFHGB GV volunteers, TLs

and host programme staff have a meaningful and rewarding experience is a priority for all

parties involved.

Evaluating Team Leaders TLs are evaluated by the team in the HFH evaluations as well as by the host affiliate and

HFHGB GV staff. The evaluations will be reviewed with the TL in a debriefing call with

HFHGB staff. Based on the feedback, decisions will be made about leading future trips,

whether additional training is needed, etc. Outstanding team leaders may be asked to serve

as mentors for future GV volunteers and leaders.

If a TL consistently receives negative feedback from volunteers and/or host programme, the

Head of Volunteering will investigate the situation to assess the severity of the issue and

options for resolution. In the event that the situation cannot be resolved, the TL may not be

invited to lead future Builds. TLs are also subject to the Disciplinary Procedure for

Volunteers, and behaviour that is found inappropriate or inconsistent with HFHGB’s core

values will result in the TL being released from duty.

Build Evaluation TLs must evaluate their own experience by using the Build Evaluation Form. The TL’s

evaluation form includes space for listing team members who possess the qualities and

attitude to be good GV TLs. If there are team members who show potential for leading a

team, try to spend time with them during the trip to further evaluate their leadership

potential. The TL should complete the Build Evaluation Form upon returning home and

submit it to the GV staff within 1-month upon return.

The Build Evaluation Form can be accessed here:

www.surveymonkey.com/r/GVBuildEvaluation

Post trip Film Photos and Words

If you or the volunteers have video footage and photographs, HFHGB would very much

appreciate receiving these. It is only through sharing your experiences that we can properly

describe to a potential volunteer what a GV Build is all about, therefore it is an essential tool

for us. We would also be grateful for written impressions and feelings about your Build,

there is a section at the beginning of the evaluation form for you to write your comments.

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The Story Template and Photo Guidelines (see Appendices 34 and 35) are good tools for

volunteers (and TLs) to organise their thoughts and gather stories.

Welcome Home

Although the team has disbanded and everyone has returned home, the TL’s job is not yet

over. The TL should send out a final welcome home email to team members sharing

personal feeling about the experience. As time passes and team members get back to their

normal routines, the excitement of the GV Build will begin to fade and life will go on. But

the TL should encourage team members to keep in touch, share photos and their initial re-

entry emotions after returning from the trip. Many teams plan a post-trip team meeting to

share photos, stories, etc. Long-lasting friendships often form during a GV Build and

continue for years after (See Appendix 39 for a Sample Follow-up Letter).

For more information about various topics discussed in the manual see Appendix 40 for

Useful Information and Resources.

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Thank You! HFHGB would like to take this opportunity to thank you for being a Global Village Team

Leader. You are an integral part of the team and we would be unable to achieve our

ambitious mission of creating a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live

without you.