Safety culture
Ensuring the safety and well-being of participants, leaders, staff and instructors is AE's primary objective. Robust safety systems that are tried, tested and constantly kept under review are at the heart of our operations. Information is collected from staff and instructors at the end of every programme to ensure that systems are updated where necessary and feedback is circulated to all members of the team.
AE firmly believes in the power of adventurous and authentic outdoor learning. To support our team expertise and experience on the ground we have a 24/7 Duty Mobile system in operation to provide support and assistance (whether this is needed on the phone or on the ground in person) and this is further backed up by the support of Pharos Emergency Response Services should this be needed.
Instructors & Qualifications
All instructors working with Adventure Expeditions hold the relevant National Governing Body (NGB) award qualifications for the activities and terrain that they are operating in. The majority of our instructors hold higher qualifications in practice and all have a depth of experience in the outdoors to draw on. As a team, we really value experience, professionalism and integrity alongside holding NGB awards - a great combination to pass on skills to those that we work with and inspire future adventures.
Adventure Expeditions also asks that instructors are members of the appropriate professional body for the qualifications that they hold and all instructors hold 16 hour first aid certificates with an outdoor focus.
Meet The Team
Insurance
Adventure Expeditions is fully insured for all programmes that it runs through insurer Activities Industry Mutual. Our cover includes:
- £10 million liability insurance cover;
- Employers liability;
- Full cover under the Package Travel Regulations in case of third party failure.
Cover goes far higher than the recommended minimum of £5 million and we hope that this gives you peace of mind.
As our programme elements often require advance booking (instructors, campsites, bunkhouses, equipment logistics), we have in place cancellation time frames for refunds. Full details can be found in our Booking T&Cs when you book. We therefore recommend that all participants take out cancellation and curtailment insurance in case anything unforeseen arises before or during your programme that means you have to withdraw.
Safeguarding
All staff and instructors undertake enhanced checks with the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS checks - formerly Criminal Records Bureau checks) as a cornerstone of our approach to safeguarding and these are repeated every three years. For more information on Adventure Expedition's safeguarding policy and Designated Safeguarding Lead, visit Knowledgebase below.
Read More Information On Safeguarding
Adventure Activities Licensing Service (AALS)
AALS is part of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and licensing ensures that activity providers follow good safety management practices. Our licence includes trekking, climbing and caving and we are currently undertaking reaccreditation following the Covid pandemic period. Details of our licence can be confirmed by emailing info@aals.org.uk. Adventure Expeditions is registered under L14270/R1848.
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Quality Badges & Accreditations
Recognising the quality of our provision, Adventure Expeditions holds the following:
- Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge: demonstrates that we have given thought and provided structure to the programmes that we deliver in order to maximise learning opportunities for participants. The LOtC badge combines the essential elements of provision: learning quality and safety;
- DofE Approved Activity Provider: Adventure Expeditions is licensed by the DofE as an Approved Activity Provider (AAP). This shows that we have passed the DofE's licensing requirements and are subject to regular inspections. By completing an expedition or residential with us you can be assured that these will officially count towards your DofE programme;
- DofE Business Provider: we have been selected by the DofE National Delivery Team to provide expeditions for companies operating the DofE Business award;
- AAIAC Adventure Mark: demonstrates our ability to manage the potential risks of the activities that we operate;
- AHOEC Gold Standard: as members of the Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres, Adventure Expeditions has been inspected and awarded AHOEC's Gold Standard for the operations that we run.
Professional Associations
All members of staff working on the hill or delivering training courses with Adventure Expeditions are asked by us to join the appropriate professional association for the awards that they hold:
- Mountain Training Association (MTA) for Mountain Leaders;
- Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI) for Mountaineering Instructors (MIAs and MICs);
- British Association of International Mountain Leaders (BAIML) for International Mountain Leaders.
Being a member of these associations ensures that instructors continue their professional development and training and keep on top of current issues affecting the outdoor industry. Staying up to date and current in your training is vital in the outdoors.
Inclusivity & Diversity Commitment
AE's fundamental aim is to widen participation in the outdoors for young people. We meet this aim through our not for profit bursaries and awards schemes as well as through our commitment to inclusivity and diversity:
- Personal Action Plans: for individuals joining programmes to ensure that individual needs are met - these may include adjustments on physical, mental, emotional, religious or dietary grounds or simply a wish or preference that helps make an individual feel comfortable;
- Tailored Programme Development: programmes designed around the needs of a group to remove barriers to participation in the outdoors or encourage participation of under-represented groups in outdoor activities;
- Instructor Training - Duty to Care Accreditation: all AE staff and instructors are requested to undertake UK Coaching's Duty to Care Diversity and Inclusivity training. This is an individual accreditation and AE views this is a vital part of staff and instructor continuing professional development across all parts of our operations.
Data Protection
Joining us for a course or expedition means sharing your data with us - we need information about you in case of emergency or to support any illnesses, injuries or medications that you may be taking. We therefore have a responsibility to look after your data carefully and have spent time ensuring that we are fully compliant with the new General Data Protection Regulations 2018 and Data Protection Act 2018.
Adventure Expeditions is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and appears on the Register of Fee Payers under reference ZA023769. Please get in touch if you would like to see a copy of our full Data Protection Policy.
Quality Assurance
Feedback is important to us - we want to hear about your experience with us so that we can continue to develop all aspects of what we do. All feedback received gets discussed and logged so you can be sure that we take note of what we receive and follow up with appropriate action.
Get in touch below to send over some feedback.
Get In Touch
Feedback and Complaints
We always welcome your feedback and thoughts and are very open to discussing any aspect of your programme - please do call on 01433 651449 or email on info@adventure-expeditions.net
If an issue has arisen that you would like help with or some adjustments made, please get in touch immediately - the sooner we know about an issue the quicker we can help resolve it, however that may be. We often have more options to make adjustments or changes if we know about things immediately.
We'd like to assure you that your comments will not be taken personally - we work hard as an organisation to cultivate a culture of openness in all aspects of what we do.
If you would like to take make a complaint, please find a link to our Complaints Procedure with full information below. All complaints are taken seriously to ensure appropriate time and attention is given to the issues arising.
Complaints Procedure