Safety Comes First on PTP Journeys

Primary leaders:

These are our seasoned veterans who have been through many travel programs with us. They are the point people on any travel program, as well as the people leading the groups on their life-changing adventures. While traveling, the primary leader serves as a liaison with the delegation manager, making sure all details are addressed and ensuring the best possible experience for each of our travelers. Every once in a while, there will be more than one primary leader per program on the rare occasion that two smaller groups are joined to reach the ideal program size of 40 travelers. In these cases, the two primary leaders quickly work together to determine who will serve as spokesperson for the group when working with the delegation manager. This system creates clean, concise, and open lines of communication between the leaders and the delegation manager who is responsible for guiding the travelers to their many destinations. We have found that a single point of contact for the travel group reduces the chances for miscommunication and, most importantly, creates a safer program for all.

Delegation managers:

People to People Ambassador Programs works with more than 40 different partners around the world to deliver our various programs. Each of these partners provides a delegation manager on each program itinerary. The manager ensures every venue is alerted to the delegation’s arrival and that all hotels and meals are arranged before the travelers arrive at any location.The delegation manager completes the same training as our leaders and must maintain a current background check, as well as be licensed as a professional tour guide in their country. In addition to the training that must be completed with People to People, these delegation managers also complete an exhaustive training with their own local partner, even going so far as to conduct a tour on the planned itinerary without any travelers. In some countries, it is common for delegation managers to have more than five years of experience before being allowed the opportunity to participate on a People to People program—and then only when they have demonstrated that they are the best at what they do. Even then, these delegation managers are accompanied by a seasoned People to People manager on as many programs as it takes to confirm they understand all the People to People-specific safety protocols. Clearly, our partners embrace our belief that the safety and health of each delegation is our number-one priority.

Teacher leaders:

The teacher leaders traveling with our programs are often longtime veterans of People to People Program travel. All leaders are responsible for working closely with each other to ensure all program leadership is consistent. Each of our teacher leaders is responsible for the safety and health of 10 students—and only 10 students. We work diligently to keep these ratios because we believe that this situation is how we can best provide excellent guidance and supervision to each and every traveler.The leaders complete in-person CPR certification, not online programs, and must maintain a current background check on file with the program office. They also complete an extensive set of online training modules covering everything from identifying abuse to ensuring students remain hydrated when traveling. In addition, we always pair our newer teacher leaders with experienced teachers to create a learning environment where the new teacher can gain the necessary skills and knowledge before the program starts. As with all our training processes, we are committed to procedures that have proven to be highly effective, safe, and repeatable.

Taken directly from the PTP Website