Terms & Conditions

Volunteers will appreciate that Starfish Ventures need to set out terms and conditions to cover our agreement for their placement.

These terms and conditions apply to all applications and bookings by volunteers for their venture placement.

These conditions protect volunteers, their coordinators and Starfish Ventures. Please read very carefully our terms and conditions prior to your start date. By reading our terms and conditions volunteers will have a clear understanding of our expectations and their responsibilities to Starfish, their venture and venture country.

By proceeding with the application volunteers will be accepting our terms and conditions. Any queries should be raised prior to booking.

1 Starfish Ventures Service

Our service is to help individuals travel to developing countries and assisting in a number of projects in a variety of fields: teaching, community, construction, environmental, conservation. Starfish Ventures aim is to offer a secure safe service. The service includes a support service so that in the unlikely event there is a problem it can be dealt with swiftly and promptly by the local co-ordinator or the head office.

The venture price is an administrative fee for researching the project, making the arrangements and for the support network during a volunteers venture. For further information on what is included in an individual venture please refer to our website, www.starfishvolunteers.com.

All volunteers will need a successful CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) or check to complete their application. Non-British Citizens must provide clear evidence that they have no criminal record.

2 Code of conduct

Volunteers will be beholden to the laws of their host country.

Starfish volunteers are expected to respect their host country’s culture, traditions and people. They are expected to follow all the terms and conditions of Starfish Ventures and accept local practices. Starfish Ventures Briefing Kit contains more detail on this subject.

If a volunteer witnesses any impropriety, whether it be from a fellow volunteer or any other individual, it is the volunteer’s duty to report this matter to Starfish Ventures and if necessary the local authorities. Starfish is committed to providing a safe environment for all concerned. Any impropriety from whoever will not be tolerated. This includes acting irresponsibly and not taking into consideration local customs, culture and tradition.

3 Placements

All literature is correct to the best of Starfish Ventures knowledge.

Volunteers must remember in dealing with developing countries a ventures details maybe changed by the organisation after a venture has been arranged. Starfish Ventures is an introduction service and a venture sponsor organisation. Changes in a venture prior to a volunteer’s arrival or during a volunteer’s stay are beyond our control. But, volunteers’ In-country Co-ordinators will be on hand to support and help volunteers in such an instance. If, in the unlikely event, a venture changes and is considered unworkable a suitable alternative will be found by Starfish Ventures. If an alternative cannot be found, Starfish will refund a volunteers fee minus the deposit.

4 Venture Fee

For what is included in the venture fee please read the information concerning the chosen venture.

5 Payment

Full payment is required a minimum of eight weeks prior to a volunteer’s leave date. A placement can only be secured on the successful receipt of a £300. This fee is a deposit and gives individuals lifetime Starfish membership. For payment methods please check with one of our Venture Managers or at www.starfishvolunteers.com.

6 Refunds

If a volunteer is unable to attend their venture and if written notification is received by Starfish Ventures more than six weeks prior to the departure date Starfish will refund the fee minus the deposit/membership fee. The deposit is required to cover the administration costs Starfish will have incurred and gives the individual lifetime membership to our organisation.

If a volunteer chooses not to attend the venture after the four week cancellation period any refund will be determined by the level of cost/investment Starfish has already incurred.

In some cases a refund will not be possible even if more than four weeks notice has been given. A volunteer’s support is of the up most importance to our venture organisations. So as not to lose good will to future volunteers Starfish Ventures reserve the right to donate a volunteer’s fee to the venture.

7 Airport Pick Up

Volunteers will be picked up from the airport; however they are requested to inform us of the flight schedule at least 4 weeks before arrival. If our representative has not arrived within three hours of the time set for collection due to unforeseen circumstances, volunteers should contact our chosen hotel (please do not forget to ask for address and telephone number of our chosen hotel) and call the Incountry Co-ordinator. If the flight is delayed or cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, in this case please go to our chosen hotel, if receipts for hotel expense are logged with us we will compensate the volunteer.

8 Accommodation

Accommodation in many cases will be basic and may require volunteers using outside or old style Asian toilets, to share rooms and have very basic facilities. This all part of the volunteer experience and should be embraced rather than shunned. Starfish is not responsible for providing western style accommodation and facilities.

The level of accommodation for each venture, and it’s facilities, is included in Starfish Ventures website, www.starfishvolunteers.com.

9 Expenses

Volunteers are responsible for all of their personal expenses during their placement. This may include all meals and daily transportation to and from a volunteers venture. Volunteers should check the information concerning their chosen venture at, www.starfishvolunteers.com.

10 In-Country Coordinators

Details of a volunteer’s In-country Co-ordinators are included in their ‘My Venture’ section of www.starfishvolunteers.com.

Throughout a volunteers placement their In-country Co-ordinator is responsible for the volunteer’s venture.

A venture country’s In-country Co-ordinator is a volunteer’s first point of call for any eventuality. That is why they are there. They are there to provide local support, understanding and advice. If, in the unlikely event, a volunteer does not feel their co-ordinator has resolved/solved the issue a volunteer should contact their Venture Manager. Their Venture Manager will then investigate the issue and act as he/she judges appropriate.

11 Complaints

Volunteers who are unhappy with their venture are required to follow Starfish Ventures complaints procedure which is detailed on www.starfishvolunteers.com.

First contact is always a volunteer’s In-country Co-ordinator. If you are not satisfied with their answer/solution a volunteer should contact their Venture Manager in writing, email is acceptable. It is best in these writing to put everything in writing. It will provide clarity of the situation for the country manager. A volunteer’s country manager will then deal with the matter as quickly and as promptly as possible.

12 Travel

Volunteers will be responsible for arranging and paying for their international travel (return air fair). Starfish Ventures will arrange volunteers outgoing travel from country hub. This may include a hotel stop over if required. Any further travel, before, during or after a volunteers venture is the responsibility of and at the cost of the volunteer. This include a volunteer’s domestic incoming journey (return travel to Bangkok) at the end of their placement. It is the volunteer’s responsibility to carry all necessary documents needed to travel overseas, including Visas. Starfish Ventures is not responsible for providing supporting documents for any other purposes than volunteering.

13 Visas

If a visa is required Starfish Ventures does not arrange working visas for its volunteers. None of the countries where we are running volunteering activities have any provisions for providing working visas for volunteer work. Volunteers joining our ventures choose to enter their venture country on a tourist visa. Working under tourist visa is not allowed, but our experience is that our venture countries tolerate non-paid work. We cannot, though, accept any consequences of this not being tolerated but will endeavour to assist in resolving any difficulties. Volunteers are entirely responsible for arranging their visa and any necessary visa extensions during placement. In addition, volunteers are responsible for the visa fee.

14 Travel Insurance

All volunteers are responsible for purchasing their own travel insurance. When purchasing your insurance please take in to account the kind of volunteer work you will be undertaking. You may also wish to consider any further activities you are hoping to join such as SCUBA diving or trekking.

Non-EU citizens are responsible for arranging their own insurance to cover the entirety of their volunteer placement.

15 Inoculations and Immunizations

It is a volunteer’s responsibility to ensure that they have taken appropriate medical advice from their doctor in respect of any inoculations and immunizations required for their venture country.

16 Medical Conditions

If a volunteer has special medical condition(s) it is the volunteer’s responsibility to ensure all necessary medicines are taken for their stay. Starfish Ventures can not guarantee the medicines a volunteer may require will be available. If volunteers need special help, please contact us to make sure that such facilities are available in field.

17 Duration of Placement

A Volunteers placement starts on the date of their arrival at their placement, or on the start date for their orientation, whichever is the earliest and will end on the date agreed with Starfish Ventures. Your placement does not include any independent travel before or after your placement starts or ends.

18 Data Protection

The information contained in a volunteer’s application will be used by Starfish Ventures to make the necessary checks as to your suitability to be a Starfish volunteer. By supplying the information requested you consent to our processing the personal information for the above purposes. You also consent to our transferring such information as we consider necessary to the countries in which you will be operating as a volunteer and such countries may not provide the same level of data protection as the UK. If we do make such a transfer we will endeavour to ensure that the information is only seen by those needing to see it.

We will also be retaining information about you if you are successful in your application. Such information will be for our use only in maintaining our records.

You have a right to ask for a copy of your information (for which we may charge a modest fee) and to correct any inaccuracies in your data.

19 Waiver of Liabilities

By submitting a booking, volunteers agree to follow the terms and conditions of a volunteer placement with Starfish Ventures. Volunteers must agree international volunteering involves risk (seen and unforeseen) and must be ready to accept those risks. Accordingly, volunteers must hereby release and discharge Starfish Ventures and any and all of their agents, employees, or representatives including persons, parties, organisations or agencies collaborating with them, from all action suits, claims, or liability for damages or other legal or equitable relief of any nature resulting from arising out of, or related to their participation in the program (including, without limitation, claims for personal injury, property damage, deviation, delay, curtailment). Starfish Ventures or the sponsoring institution reserves the right to cancel or alter a volunteer program or course if a volunteer fails to obey the rules and regulations outlined in this agreement.

20 End of Agreement

Starfish Ventures reserves the right to terminate a volunteers program, if volunteers do not adhere to the following:

• Volunteer’s behaviour distresses anyone at the volunteer placement, the organisation and/or our Incountry Co-ordinator.
• Volunteer continuously refuses to take part in their volunteer responsibilities
• Volunteer’s found to be involved in any illegal activities or criminal activities during the period of their volunteer placement
• Volunteer does not comply with any reasonable request by their placement
• Volunteers are involved in any negotiation(s) with our partner
• Volunteer will take responsibility for activities assigned to them during their placement
• Volunteers will not engage in any missionary activities
• Volunteers will not become involved in any criminal activities such as sex abuse, drugs and others
• Volunteers will not participate in any political activities
• Volunteers will use common sense and take reasonable precautions throughout the placement whether concerning a venture activity or during their spare time
• Volunteers will not be involved in any intoxicating activities such as taking alcohol, taking marijuana and/or other related drugs
• Volunteer will dress appropriately and respect the culture of their venture country.
• Violation of any conditions outlined in this agreement.