SAFETY

Safety is of the utmost importance to our organization! Please know, if we felt that participants were to be in danger in South Texas, we would cancel the trip. We want participants to feel safe throughout the entire week, and we want parents and church leadership to know that we take every precaution in order to ensure their safety. With that said, we do rely on participants to help the Border Perspective staff in maintaining the safety policies and procedures for their trip.

When groups arrive at community, our staff leads orientation meetings explaining the following:

• The community that the participants will be serving

• The boundaries of the housing site (including appropriate behavior at the housing site)

• The Three-Together Rule: All participants are required to travel in groups of at least three including at least one Adult Leader

• Fire drills and other drills applicable to the area they are in

• Any other site-specific safety boundaries

Additionally, we are very aware of the communities in which we work. We have secure housing for our participants and our schedule does not bring us out late at night. Our program is conducted within solid boundaries and in communities where we are known and loved. Our staff will supply your group with phone numbers and addresses of local emergency medical facilities.

The participant release form filled out by each participant is sufficient for entry into any U.S. Emergency Room. Every staff member at Border Perspective is CPR and First Aid certified. Furthermore, each staff member has gone through an intensive application process and has had a thorough background check completed.

Long-term Partnerships

At Border Perspective, we prioritize building strong relationships and partnerships with local communities, pastors, non-profit organizations, and churches. Our staff live and work in border communities year-round and have developed long-term relationships with trusted partners. These partnerships allow us to gain crucial insights into the areas where we serve and visit, and help us receive guidance on how to navigate any changes or potential risks. Local partnerships provide us with support and assistance in case of emergency situations, which helps ensure the safety and well-being of all our participants.

Money & Valuables

You and your group may choose to bring a small amount of spending money for souvenirs, and we encourage you to bring money for Border Perspective merchandise. We encourage participants to leave valuables at home. Please remind all participants to keep cash and valuables in a secure location at all times. Border Perspective cannot be responsible for lost, damaged or stolen items.

Food Preparation

All groups help in the preparation and serving of meals and cleanup. This gives participants an opportunity to serve one another and share the responsibility of the housing site. A Border Perspective staff member or trained volunteer will be present in the kitchen for all meal preparations. Border Perspective provides breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks times each day.

Due to the nature of large group meal preparation, we cannot guarantee a participant will not be exposed to any certain food. Nor can we promise to have exactly the right food to meet every special dietary need. For those participants who are gluten-free, we will do our best to provide GF bread, GF pasta and GF cereal.

Navigating the ingredient lists and having access to the correct foods invites too much room for error for staff that don’t know and understand the required diet. We recommend that participants with severe allergies or special dietary needs bring supplemental food for their trip.

Discipline

Border Perspective staff and Leaders from other groups will leave the discipline of your participants (youth) to you. Likewise, we ask that you leave the discipline of participants (youth not in your group) to their leaders. Remember that other leaders may discipline differently than you do at your church. If a situation arises that the Border Perspective staff members believe is irreparable, the participants involved will be transported home immediately at their own expense.

Background Checks

To promote a safe environment for Border Perspective participants and for the community that we serve, we require that a federal and national (“multi-state”) background check and sex offender registry check be completed on all participants 18 and over. Knowing that all adults are getting background checks will give peace of mind to our community hosts and other groups that will be part of the trip. It will also fulfill requirements from ministry partners that want background checks completed on adults who will be volunteering at their organizations.

Alcohol, Drug & Weapon Policy

Alcohol, illicit drugs and weapons are strictly forbidden at Border Perspective’s housing and ministry sites. Anyone in possession of such items will be sent home immediately. To ensure the safety of your participants, we request that any prescription drugs and other medications be held in the custody of one of the Adult Leaders from your group.

Harassment & Abuse Policy

Border Perspective prohibits sexual harassment, harassment, and physical and/or sexual abuse on or off the Border Perspective premises or in the course of Border Perspective activities or ministry opportunities. Border Perspective will investigate any allegations of such misconduct in accordance with applicable law. Border Perspective will not retaliate against the reporting person.