Terms And Conditions

The work undertaken by our volunteers is invaluable and these aims could not be achieved without their help and support. Our volunteers are treated with the same respect and courtesy we give our employees and we expect to receive the same professionalism in return. Our volunteers are key in the continuation of Agape Volunteer’s work.

recruitment process

Agape Volunteers aims to keep the volunteer recruitment process as simple as possible and open to all those over eighteen years of age. Prospective volunteers will be required to
complete the following:

• A volunteer application form including questions about past experiences and reasons for their wish to volunteer.
• An interview which will be conducted via the phone.
• Agape Volunteers reserves the right to CRB check all our volunteers, without prior request or notice other than that given on this form. In accordance with our child protection policy we are to reserve the right to carry out random CRB checks, which we regularly do.

volunteer roles

The roles of our volunteers will differ according to the specific projects that are applied for.
Project-specific information will be made available to prospective volunteers showing interest in these projects. Generally we expect our volunteers to complete their projects with a respectful and friendly approach, maintaining a tidy living space and an open-minded approach to local customs and traditions.

diversity policy

Agape Volunteers is committed to a fair, non-discriminative approach in all areas of its work. Applicants for volunteering projects are selected solely on a basis of their competence and will not be persecuted on grounds of age, sex, gender, race, ethnic origin, disability.

induction and training

Induction and Training will be given before any project. Volunteers working overseas will receive an induction in the UK via an information pack and email correspondence followed by a project specific induction and training in their overseas placement. Any information or instructions given in these must be adhered to at all times.

property insurance

Agape Volunteers does not provide travel insurance for volunteers and cannot be held responsible for lost, damaged or stolen possessions or any incurred healthcare costs. Volunteers must hold comprehensive insurance to cover all the above. By signing this document you are claiming that you have such insurance.

health and safety

Agape Volunteers aims to upkeep the highest standard of health and safety in all of its activities worldwide. Agape Volunteers is responsible for providing and maintaining a safe and healthy environment for volunteers, in accordance with UK health and safety laws and the organisations policy and procedures. You are required to cooperate with Agape Volunteers to help achieve the required standards of health and safety. When Volunteering with Agape Volunteers, you have a
duty to take reasonable care of yourself and others who could be affected by what you do or fail to do.

travel

The volunteer is solely responsible for arranging and paying for their own travel, specifically including all airfares or other transport costs to and from the host country as well as any local transport costs. It is the responsibility of the volunteer to carry all necessary documents when travelling abroad. While Agape may advise the volunteer on required travel documentation, Agape Volunteers are not responsible for any supporting documents necessary for the volunteer’s travel needs or other purposes.

personal insurance

Agape Volunteers does not provide the volunteer with insurance of any kind. While travel insurance is not mandatory to volunteer with Agape, it is highly recommended and we will ask to you to sign to say that you have such insurance and as a result declare to us if you do not. The volunteer is solely responsible for evaluating and determining the type, extent and levels of any insurance coverage they need or desire for their planned volunteer travel period. Any advice given by Agape Volunteers or any member of staff should not be taken as final and we will not be held responsible for event that should occur from the taking of this advice.

Agape Volunteers’ insurance

Agape Volunteers is insured for its operations by the UK company BJK Insurance. The levels of insurance that we hold are; personal, public and employers liability insurance for all of our activities within the U.K. The policy number for this insurance is UKSCMC48281/001133.

refund policy

Compared to similar companies that provide comparable comprehensive volunteer service opportunities, Agape Volunteer’s fees are much lower. We allow a refund of a program fee up to 30 days* before your given departure date. This refund will be minus a fee of 4% of the program fee that you paid. This is to cover the costs of the transfer of this money to ourselves and then back to you which is conducted by PayPal. After this point, your money will have been distributed to programs, home stays, transport individuals and documentation. For this reason, after 30 days before your start date, no refund of any amount is possible. Agape Volunteers are in no way responsible for refunding flight, insurance, equipment and travel costs.
*The period of 30 days before program start in which no refund can be given applies to all programs other than Tanzanian Programs where this period has been extended to 50 days. The reason for this to we have to purchase a Visa for you within this period and these costs are non-recoverable.

program fees

Program fee revisions are not applicable to volunteers who have already paid their fee before the revisions take effect. Program fees are due 60 days prior to the beginning of the volunteer’s program placement in normal circumstances. Failure to make this payment can result in a loss of volunteer placement. Program fees are not transferable to other persons, under any circumstances.

change of dates and duration

Once registered and a full placement fee has been paid but before they begin their trip with Agape Volunteers, the volunteer is entitled to change their start date and duration once, at no additional cost. If they need to change their start date or duration a second time they will be required to pay an administration fee of £50 for each change they make.

personal risks

The volunteer acknowledges and accepts the responsibilities and risks associated with their agreement to travel to, temporarily live in and provide volunteer services in a developing country. Such travel and volunteer work can be often hazardous and involves a certain degree of risk, inherently dangerous activities and personal perils to the volunteer, both foreseen and unforeseen, all of which are fully accepted by and solely assumed by the volunteer. Therefore, Agape Volunteers including any and all of its employees, managers, directors, shareholders, host families and host country partner organizations are not liable, to the maximum extent of the law, for any loss or harm the volunteer or associates may suffer, including but not limited to loss caused directly or indirectly by:

• Personal injury;
• Emotional injury;
• Death;
• Illness or disease;
• Damage to or loss of property;
• Hostage situations;
• War or terrorism;
• Natural disasters; or
• Any ‘Act of God’

indemnity

The volunteer agrees to indemnify Agape Volunteers against any and all liability which Agape Volunteers incurs arising directly or indirectly out of, or in connection (in any way) with, the volunteer’s travel to, living in and providing services in the volunteer’s nominated country.

drug and alcohol Use

The volunteer must abide by the rules put in place by Agape partner organization, volunteer placement institution and host family in regards to alcohol consumption. Drug use (unless prescribed by a doctor) is strictly prohibited and will result in instant dismissal from the program with no refund, or any allowance for travel expenses.

partner organizations

A number of Agape Volunteer’s programs are not directly owned or fully funded by Agape Volunteers. This can include home-stays, placements, staff, infrastructure and registrations. The volunteer agrees to comply with the partner organization’s code of conduct at all times and will respect the agreement in place between the partner organization and Agape Volunteers. You agree that Agape is not liable for any actions or omissions of any partner organization. A full list of partner organisation is available on request.

miscellaneous

Agape Volunteers reserves the right to use feedback and images provided by volunteers for website materials such as testimonials, promotional videos, posters, television commercials and any other form of advertising.
To the full extent permissible at law, all representations, terms, warranties, guarantees, or conditions whether implied by statute, common law or custom of the trade or otherwise, including, but not limited to, implied warranties and guarantees, are excluded.
Notwithstanding anything else contained in any agreement, the liability of Agape Volunteers to the volunteer shall not in aggregate exceed the amount of the placement fee paid by the volunteer.

Agape Volunteers does not warrant or make any representations regarding the correctness, accuracy, reliability, or otherwise of the materials in this site or the result of their use.

Agape Volunteers and its partner organizations reserve the right to remove the volunteer from the program at our discretion. Whilst we would aid the volunteer to return home we are not legally obliged to do so.

governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the United Kingdom.