Coronavirus Update & Anti-vaxxer policy

The world is more or less back on track, so we have deleted most of our COVID policies. It's wonderful that things have reopened! Our latest policy is below - updated August 2023.

Updated Policy on COVID Vaccination

We're thrilled to share that with the collective efforts worldwide, we are moving towards a post-COVID era, and as a result, we've updated our policies. Here's what you need to know regarding vaccinations:

Guided by Expertise:

We pride ourselves on basing our policies on sound science and advice. We rely on medical experts for guidance and recommend that our community do the same. It's always essential to ensure that your sources of medical advice are trusted and qualified. Please don't take medical advice from people on Youtube! 🤣

Importance of Vaccination:

Vaccination has far-reaching implications, both for personal health and the ease of international travel. Most of these are obvious and well-established, so we won't explore those here. For those interested in our programmes there are some additional good reasons to get vaccinated.

• Global Schools & Programmes: Some institutions mandate vaccination for their staff. While we have a diverse range of programs, certain programmes may have reservations about accepting unvaccinated candidates.
• Travel Simplified: Being unvaccinated can greatly increase challenges on international travel. Just as examples until Spring 2023, unvaccinated individuals were banned from transiting through countries like the USA. We are continuously updating our travel advisories, but being vaccinated can certainly ease the process.

Unvaccinated Applicants:

We respect an individual's right to choose to not to follow sound scientific consensus. However, if you choose to remain unvaccinated without a medical exemption you will face this and other risks that we won't be able to help with.

1. Potential Additional Costs: Please be informed that you might bear additional costs, like quarantine fees, which can range significantly - sometimes into thousands of £. Ensure you are aware of the various restrictions and conditions of your travel destinations. For instance:
   • Now and then, different countries apply specific conditions to unvaccinated international travellers.
   • Layovers might demand multiple PCR tests at different airports, etc.
2. Insurance Clauses: While we provide health insurance, it's crucial to review the policy. Policies may invalidate a claim if they believe you have willingly taken risks, like not getting vaccinated. You can research this further by speaking with our insurers or booking your own policies.
3. Participation at Own Risk: We deeply care about the well-being of our community. However, choosing not to get vaccinated puts you at a certain risk. If you decide to participate, it will be under the acknowledgment that you do so fully at your own risk.

*If you are unvaccinated for a medical exemption reason, please let us know and we can provide additional support in the face of the above risks.

Benefits Remain:Despite these points of caution, unvaccinated participants will still benefit from our offerings like funding for flights, TESOL, meals, and accommodation, albeit with the above stipulations.

Your safety, health, and convenience are paramount to us. We hope this information assists you in making an informed decision. If you have questions or need further clarification, we're here to help.