Ecoteer Projects Responsible volunteering policy

Please note this policy only applies to official ECOTEER PROJECTS which can be found on www.ecoteer.com/ecoteerprojects.

As part of our Responsible Volunteering Policy we are committed to the following areas.

Responsibilities to the Project:

To create projects that fulfil the needs and requirements of the local environment. To work alongside local government, universities and partner organisations, building long-term relationships based on mutual trust and respect. We work to ensure our project is sustainable to avoid dependency and continually monitor and evaluate it.

Responsibility to our volunteers:

We believe we have a responsibility to provide our volunteers with worthwhile, meaningful and quality programmes that are based on solid responsible volunteering principles at the right price. We aim to provide honest and accurate information, and relevant information to prepare volunteers for their placements. We provide continual support to volunteers and necessary training throughout their placements through our local team members. We highly value our volunteers and recognise their importance. Ecoteer prides itself on low cost volunteering and only approved agents with project knowledge and who charge clear admin fees are used. Volunteers are only allowed to contact the people in charge of the projects or sales people who have had personal experience at the project sites. The program fee will always be taken in full at the project site and if going through an agent the volunteer will only pay before they go an admin fee which goes direct to the agent the program fee the volunteer pays at the project site. This reduces the price to a minimum and ensures all of the program fee goes to the onsite organisation. It also means you get up-to-date information and you can talk to the people whom you will be volunteering with increasing your connections with the project even before you go. All ecoteer projects seek to increase local participation and will give local volunteers a discounted price. Each project will have a Know before you go guide including a graphic showing how the program fee is being spent, if any volunteer wants further information as to where their money is being spent they can contact us at contact@ecoteer.com.

Environmental Responsibility:

Environmental conservation lies at the heart of most Ecoteer Projects- each project will look at the local problems and seek to address each issue. Effective conservation is not something that can be replicated in whole at different project sites each conservation project has different issues and different solutions therefore Ecoteer will address each project on its own merits. Ecoteer believes in working partnerships and at each project site will work with the local communities, government, NGO's and universities and share our knowledge with this wider community.

However all conservation problems are enhanced by human populations and therefore all environmentally focused ecoteer projects will involve the local community and address their issues as much as the environmental issues. Man causes many of the problems so changing man is the key to solving the problems.

Economic Responsibility:

We operate low cost volunteer programs which enable more volunteers, local and international, to experience and play a part in Ecoteer projects. In addition we give a lower price to local volunteers and at least 10% of foreign volunteer fees will be donated to the local community in a fund. The funds will be under the management of project management organization and will be used to fund community development projects. When volunteering, volunteers, when possible, will stay in locally owned accommodation and given a daily allowance to buy food in local restaurants – spreading economic benefits to more villagers ensuring as many villagers as possible benefit economically from the volunteers presence.

Each project know before you go guide will include a graphic like the one below to show how your program fee is spent-

Socio-cultural Responsibility:

Our projects are long-term, helping us build strong relationships based on mutual trust and respect. We respect the local cultures and traditions, encouraging volunteers to do the same by providing them with the relevant information beforehand and during the project, keeping small group sizes and employing local staff.