General conditions of participation

Volunteers must be resident in the UK to apply through Xchange Scotland.
Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age, unless a specific project states otherwise.
Volunteers aged under 18, taking part in a teen projects, must seek permission from a parent or guardian before applying.

Volunteers must arrive on the first day of the project and stay for the whole duration. If volunteers wish to leave early, this must be agreed with the project leaders/organiser on arrival.
If for any reason a volunteer decides not to accept a place for which they have been confirmed they should inform Xchange Scotland immediately so that a replacement can be sought.
Volunteers must be ready to share their time and energy with the group to help the project succeed. This requires common sense, patience, compromise and above all a good sense of humour.
Some projects may involve very basic conditions or submersion in a culture very different to your own. We strongly recommend that volunteers, especially those taking part in projects outside Western Europe, take part in one of our training days before departure.
The most effective way for Xchange Scotland to monitor the quality of partner projects is through the feedback received from volunteers. Volunteers are requested to take time to fill out an Evaluation Form on their return. This helps us to maintain the standard of projects we offer.

Xchange Scotland is not responsible for insuring volunteers. We strongly recommend that volunteers take out separate and full insurance cover as soon as their place is booked.
All travel costs and arrangements to and from the project are the responsibility of the individual volunteer. We strongly recommend that you research several methods of transport and providers.
Many countries require an entry visa and visa information can be found on the embassy website of the relevant country. As these can take several weeks to obtain, we strongly recommend that you research visa requirements well in advance and ensure that you make a timely application. The responsibility for arranging any visa requirements are for the volunteer.
Although Xchange Scotland cannot make any of the above arrangements on the volunteer's behalf, please contact us as soon as possible is you are having issues and need support.

The partner organisation is obliged to provide all volunteers with adequate (at minimum dry and warm) accommodation, water, food and washing facilities. The project host should provide work tools, supervision, transport, basic emergency aid and provision for accidents.
The partner organisation is not obliged to provide the volunteer with conditions they would expect to receive in their Therefore, volunteers should note that access to home comforts (e.g. power showers) and technology (including phone and internet) may be restricted.
The partner organisation should send out a detailed information sheet about 3 weeks before the beginning of the project. The timeframe for receiving project information cannot be guaranteed by Xchange Scotland and we advise that you begin making preparations for your trip well before this time.
Information we give you about specific projects has been prepared by our partner organisations and is subject to change. We cannot be held responsible for any changes made to project details, although we will try to notify you of any significant changes as soon as possible. Further information we give you regarding your project is also the responsibility of our partners.
In the very rare circumstances projects may be cancelled hosts are responsible for putting volunteers on another project, as close to the original as possible. If you feel that these obligations or any other listed above have not been met, then please contact us on your return.

Xchange Scotland is unable to give advice on the safety or security status of any country or region and the inclusion of projects in our programme does not imply that we are recommending any country or region as safe to travel in. We strongly recommend that all volunteers go to .
Health and safety standards on projects overseas are the responsibility of our partner organisations and standards may differ from the UK norm. If you decide to do a project, you should understand that you are taking full responsibility for your decision to travel.

Once we have confirmed availability, the project place will be held for a period of 7 days within which the volunteer must initiate payment.
A place will not be fully confirmed until the project fee has been received.
Payment must be made by cheque or online transfer.
Once paid, the project fee is non-refundable in the event of cancellation. If, however, a cancellation is due to circumstances beyond your control (i.e. bereavement or serious illness), we will consider a full refund. Please let us know if you are unable to participate. If a volunteer is unable to participate in a project but would like to attend an alternative project, they may apply for a project change up to 14 days before the start of the project. There will be a charge of £25 for this.

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