Step 1: Goals and Prep – Getting Started
Before you start planning, you need to be familiar with the processes associated with planning an independent trip. Here’s what you need to read to prepare:
These documents will give you some of the basics that you need to plan the trip from a risk management and financial perspective. After you’ve reviewed them, it’s time to talk to the girls in the unit about what they want to get out of their independent trip. Get them involved by reviewing Safe Guide, activity guides, and applicable governance policies with them. Take note of the timing for paperwork as noted on the IT.1 (International Group Trip Planning Timeline). Consider these questions:
- Where do you want to go?
- Why are you going?
- Who is going?
- When should you go?
Remember to involve parents/guardians in this process as well.
Step 2: Submit the SG.8 package and Ontario Council Code of Financial Accountability
Once you and your girls have decided some of the key details about the trip, it’s time to work on the SG.8 package. The package should be submitted to on-trips@girlguides.ca. The items included in this package are:
Once the package has been received in full, it will be sent to an International Safe Guide Assessor for review. You will receive an official acknowledgment of your SG.8 package via the office once all the required documents have been submitted. This Assessor will work with you throughout the duration of the planning process to provide Safe Guide approval.
*In addition to providing caregivers with the SG.1, you must also have them sign the SG.2 Parent/Guardian Permission for Non-Regular Unit Activities to indicate that they understand the commitment associated with their girl’s participation in the trip.
Step 3: Trip Finances
After your trip’s SG.8 package has been approved you will receive a communication that identifies the trip unit’s name (which is determined by its destination) that should be used on all future communications associated with the trip. You will be directed to complete a Unified Banking Authorization Form to identify who will be your trip unit’s Treasurer and P-Card Holder. A separate form for each position is needed. The Treasurer does not have to be one of the Guiders planning to travel with the trip, however, the P-card Holder does need to be. A separate account from your program unit’s account is necessary to segregate the financial transactions associated with a trip from those of a typical unit’s finances. The budget template that was submitted with the trip’s SG.8 package must continue to be utilized throughout the trip’s lifespan to accurately record all of the revenues and expenses transacted through the unit’s account.
Step 4: Detailed Planning and Fundraising
Once the SG.8A has been approved and the bank account opened, the trip can begin more detailed planning and fundraising initiatives. Fundraising cannot begin until the trip has been approved and the bank account has been activated (by identifying a Treasurer). Fundraising for a trip must be initiated by the trip and cannot be deposited to a program unit account and transferred after the trip unit account has been opened.
Here are some items to take into consideration as you enter this phase:
Detailed planning
- Though it is not compulsory at this stage, it is highly recommended for international trips that you have participants sign the IT.7 - (Guarantee of Financial Responsibility for International Group Trips) to demonstrate that they understand the financial commitment associated with the trip. A copy of the IT.7 that is distributed to participants of an international trip is required for the One Year Check in (further details in Step 5).
- If at any time there is a change of the trip participants (addition or withdrawal), a revised IT.11 must be submitted to on-trips@girlguides.ca in order to ensure the roster remains accurate in iMIS.
- If at any time during planning, the number of girl participants decreases such that the ratio of Guiders to girls falls to 1:3, the Responsible Guider must provide details about the trip and rationale for maintaining a lower ratio to the Travel Support Coordinator. In consultation with the Provincial Commissioner (or her designate) the coordinator will work with the group to determine whether the trip can proceed based on the size of the group and the circumstances. Refer to the Government of Canada’s Travel Advisory website regularly to see if any travel advisories have been issued for your intended destination(s). Refer to Safe Guide for information on how each level of advisory should be handled. If any travel advisories of concern are issued, contact on-trips@girlguides.ca for assistance. Alternative plans may have to be made to the destinations on a trip’s itinerary. This can occur at any time during the planning process or while travelling.
- Travel for all participants must be booked together as one group reservation. No one is permitted to use travel incentives or points from a rewards program.
- If there are any agreements/contracts associated with your travel bookings that require an organizational signature, the document must be submitted via the Contract Submission form. Please note that it can take up to two weeks to process the request.
Fundraising
The preferred method of fundraising is via cookie sales. Trip units order cookies to sell separately from a regular program unit’s order. The profit tier is the same as regular units - up to a maximum of $13.25/case and dependent on the number of cases ordered/participant rostered to the unit. 25% of all fundraising undertaken by a trip unit must be derived from cookie profits.
All fundraising outside of cookie sales is subject to approval. If your trip unit wishes to engage in additional fundraising, a FR.1 (Application for Fundraising Approval) must be submitted via the online submission form. The submitted FR.1 is delivered to the on-trips@girlguides.ca email address and the trips team will forward the submission to an identified assessor for review. Once the assessed form is returned from the assessor, the trips team will forward the outcome of the application to the trip unit’s RG (Responsible Guider). FR.1 approved activities will be identified with a file number that must be included in the comments of all revenue and expense transactions associated with the activity in the unit’s trip account. Approved FR.1 activities are valid for a maximum of six months. If the unit intends to continue with an activity beyond the approval period, a new FR.1 is required. This should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the expiration of the previous approval.
Step 5: One Year Check-in
One year from your trip’s scheduled departure date, Safe Guide requires your trip to submit an updated set of documents. The purpose of this is to ensure that your trip’s planning is on track and to identify any concerns that may have arisen. The required documents are:
- Updated IT.1 - International Trip Planning Timeline
- Updated IT.4 - International Group Trip – Guider Application (for additional Guiders who have joined the trip following the SG.8 approval)
- Updated IT.11 - International Group Trip – List of Participants
- Copy of IT.7 - Guarantee of Financial Responsibility for International Group Trips
- Updated Itinerary
- Updated Budget Template
Once the package has been received in full by on-trips@girlguides.ca, it will be forwarded to your International Safe Guide Assessor for review. The Assessor will work with you to acknowledge the submission. You will receive an official acknowledgement of the successful completion of your One Year Check-in via an email from the office.
Step 6: Submit the IT.3 package
Six months prior to your trip’s departure, Safe Guide requires your trip to submit an updated set of documents. The completion of this step results in the IT.3 acknowledgement for your trip to proceed. The documents required in this package are:
- IT.3 - International Group Trip Authorization
- Updated IT.4 - International Group Trip – Guider Application (for additional Guiders who have joined the trip following the SG.8 approval)
- Updated IT.11 - International Group Trip – List of Participants
- SG.4 - Emergency Response Plan (for each destination of the trip’s itinerary)
- Finalized Itinerary
- Finalized Budget
- If relevant:
- WA.1 - Water Activity Plan
- SG.5 - Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims, Assumption of Risk and Indemnity Agreement
- SG.6 - Adventure Camping/Tripping Plan
- SG.7 - TPSP Interview Checklist
Once the package has been received in full, it will be sent to your International Assessor for review. Once she has completed her assessment and signed the IT.3 and IT.4s the package will be forwarded to the Travel Support Coordinator for signature. This process can take up to six weeks. You will receive an official acknowledgement of your IT.3 package via an email from the office.
After the IT.3 package has been approved, the trip is eligible to apply for the Ontario Council Trip Incentive and Financial Assistance Program. Deposits for all cookies received by the unit must be completed before the cookie incentive can be processed. There is a tab in the Budget Template that must be completed IN ORDER to apply for the Guider subsidy and cookie incentive for girls.
Step 7: Final Approval
This step is only applicable to international trips. Two months before your departure date, Safe Guide requires your trip to submit an updated set of documents that reflect any changes that have occurred since the IT.3 approval was granted. The following documents are submitted if there have been any changes made to them:
Once the package has been received in full, it will be sent to the Travel Support Coordinator for review. You will receive an official approval of your final package via the office. The IT.3, IT.11 and SG.4s that have been approved will be shared by the office with the National office to notify them of your upcoming trip.
After you have received final approval, please ensure that you register with the Government of Canada's 'Canadians Abroad' program. Canadians Abroad is a free service that allows the Government of Canada to notify you in case of an emergency abroad or a personal emergency at home. This service also enables you to receive important information before or during a natural disaster or civil unrest.
Step 8: Travel
Go on the trip, have a fantastic time!
Step 9: Post-Trip
Within 30 days of your trip’s return date, ensure you have a debrief meeting and finalize any expenses associated with the trip. This can include a participant dinner and the creation of memory books you may wish to have done. These are items that should be budgeted for and should have the expenses included when you submit your financials.
Step 10: Financial Reconciliation
In accordance with Safe Guide, you are required to submit the financials associated with your trip within 30 days of the last day of your trip. The items included in this package are:
Once the package has been received in full, staff will reconcile your account. They will contact you within 60 days to provide you with the results and discuss how the balance of funds in the unit account will be handled.
Meet the volunteers and staff team that supports independent trips in Ontario Council
There are lots of volunteers and staff to help you through the process. Here’s an overview of the team’s members:
VOLUNTEERS:
- Travel Support Coordinator – on-travelsupportcoord@girlguides.ca
- The Travel Support Coordinator will support units, Guiders and individuals with planning, coordinating and organizing travel opportunities. The TSC works in partnership with the national Travel Team to review travel documents, to approve travel experiences, to answer questions and queries specific to travel opportunities beyond the standard “weekend camp”. The TSC supports the financial and administrative elements of all domestic and international travel opportunities over 72 hours.
- Provincial International Adviser – on-internationaladviser@girlguides.ca
- The International Adviser provides support to units and Guiders. They promote and coordinate international activities, programs and educational opportunities. The PIA can assist with questions, connections and queries related to global Guiding and WAGGGS. Examples of support and offerings included: international connections such as pen pals or connecting with other Member Organizations, providing information or programming options related to WAGGGS, the WAGGGS regions, World Centres of the Canadian World Friendship Fund.
- International Safe Guide Assessors
- There’s a team of volunteers that liaises with Guiders to approve/acknowledge their Safe Guide documents and fundraising applications. An Assessor is assigned to a trip when a trip is initiated with the submission of a SG.8 document package and works with the Responsible Guider throughout the planning process.
STAFF:
In Ontario, all documentation connected to trips, including trip unit finances and fundraising, is supported by the National Council’s Travel & Events team.
- Travel Coordinator:
- Hausalya Kulanayagam – on-trips@girlguides.ca or 1-289-809-4438
Samantha monitors the trips inbox and responds to day-to-day inquiries. She also connects with Guiders to ensure documents related to Safe Guide and Ontario-specific processes have been submitted accurately.
- Travel and Event Coordinator
- Patricia McDonald – on-trips@girlguides.ca
- Patricia assists trip unit Guiders with inquiries regarding the finances for their trip unit. She is responsible for overseeing the reconciliation process at the end of the trip’s journey.
- Team Lead – Events and Travel
- Michele Garrett – garrettm@girlguides.ca or 1-437-747-1257
- Michele oversees the administration of the independent trip process, addresses financial questions and oversees the reconciliation process.
Planning for Interprovincial Trips
Tips for interprovincial travel are coming soon!