Support & Safety During Your Placement
Everything you need to know about how NVW looks after you before, during and after your gap year.
You Are Never on Your Own
Choosing to volunteer abroad is a significant decision, and we take our responsibility to you seriously. Every placement we offer is carefully vetted, every organisation we work with is known to us personally, and every volunteer who travels with NVW has a named Programme Manager looking out for them from the moment they apply to the moment they return home.
This page sets out exactly what that support looks like in practice, so you and your family know what to expect before you commit.
How We Support You
A clear picture of what support looks like at every stage of your placement.
Before You Leave
Your Programme Manager will prepare you thoroughly before your placement begins. A detailed pre-departure briefing covering your specific placement, day-to-day life in your host country, visa and travel requirements, and practical advice on everything from what to pack to how to stay safe.
On the Ground
Every volunteer is assigned a mentor at their placement. Your mentor works alongside you, shows you the ropes, and is your go-to person for day-to-day support. As part of a wider network that includes colleagues, a potential host family, and the NVW team, you will never be far from someone who can help.
Your Programme Manager
Your NVW Programme Manager remains available throughout your placement for anything that goes beyond the day-to-day. Whether you have a concern, a question about your visa, or simply need to talk something through, they are there.
Regular Check-ins
We get in touch around six weeks in to ask for feedback and stay in touch throughout your placement. We aim to visit in person during the year where possible, and at some point you will have a one-to-one with a member of the NVW team. If something isn’t right, we want to know and we will act on it.
You Are Never Alone
Whether you are settling in, facing a challenge, or simply having a tough day, there is always someone in your corner. Between your mentor, your host organisation, and your NVW Programme Manager, you have a network of people who know you, know your placement, and are ready to help.
If Something Goes Wrong
We won't pretend that placements always run perfectly. Here's what to do.
Step 1 - Talk to Your Mentor
Every volunteer is assigned a mentor at their placement. Your mentor is your first point of contact for practical matters and day-to-day support on the ground. Most issues can be resolved quickly at this level.
Step 2 - Contact Your Programme Manager
If the issue cannot be resolved locally, or you do not feel comfortable raising it there, contact your NVW Programme Manager directly. We will listen, take your concern seriously, and act.
Step 3 - We Find a Resolution
In the rare event that a placement is not working out, we will explore all available options with you. This might mean working through the issue, arranging an alternative placement, or supporting an early return home if that is what you need. You will never be left to figure it out alone.
Keeping You Safe
All organisations we work with are known to us personally and assessed before joining our network. We do not place volunteers with organisations we have not vetted, and we continuously track and review placements through regular contact with host organisations, volunteer feedback, and placement visits where possible.
All placement organisations are responsible for giving you a health and safety and child protection and safeguarding briefing on arrival. For placements working with children and young people, all relevant child protection and safeguarding requirements are also communicated clearly by us before you begin, so you are fully prepared ahead of your induction.
For Parents & Families
We know that for many of our volunteers, this will be their first time living and working abroad, and we understand that families want reassurance as much as the volunteers themselves.
If you are a parent or family member with questions about a specific placement, or about how NVW supports volunteers more generally, you are welcome to get in touch directly.
James Langdon
Founder & Director, New Ventures Worldwide
“We have been arranging volunteering placements for young people for many years, and in that time the one thing that has never changed is this: the safety and wellbeing of our volunteers is the foundation everything else is built on. Every decision we make, from which placements we accept into our network to how we prepare volunteers before they leave, starts from that point. It is not a box we tick. It is the reason we do this work the way we do.”
Common Questions
Answers to the things volunteers and families ask us most.
Speak to your mentor first. They are your go-to person at the placement and most issues can be resolved quickly at this level. If you do not feel comfortable doing that, or the issue needs to go further, contact your NVW Programme Manager directly. We will listen, take your concern seriously, and work with you to find a resolution. No concern is too small, and you will never be made to feel that you are overreacting.
We do not operate a 24/7 emergency line, but your Programme Manager will always respond as quickly as possible and will escalate anything serious without delay. You will never be left waiting when something important comes up. For life-threatening emergencies, always contact the local emergency services first.
In the rare event that a placement is not working out, we will explore all available options with you. Depending on the situation, this might mean working through the issue together, arranging an alternative placement, or supporting an early return home if that is what you need. Whatever happens, we have a clear process for handling these situations and you will never be left to figure it out alone. We will be with you every step of the way.
All organisations we work with are known to us personally and have been carefully assessed before being included in our network. We do not place volunteers with organisations we have not vetted.
Once a placement is up and running, we continue to monitor quality in several ways. We review placement documents regularly, covering child protection and safeguarding, health and safety, quality standards, and placement information. We stay in direct contact with host organisations throughout the year, and we gather feedback from volunteers, which gives us a valuable insight into the day-to-day reality of each placement. Where possible, depending on location, we also carry out in-person visits.
This means no placement is simply approved and forgotten. We are continuously checking that the experience we offer matches what we promise, and we will act quickly if something is not right.