WHAT IF? FOR STUDENT MISSIONS COORDINATORS

Transcription

1 WHAT IF? FOR STUDENT MISSIONS COORDINATORS

2 What If?... For Student Missions Coordinators Prepared by the Office of Vounteer Ministries, a service of the North American Division of the Genera Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Edited by Andrea Keee and Ernest Hernandez. The Office of Vounteer Ministries Pan incudes a mission projects operated by denominationay-owned entities. Projects owned and operated by other organizations are not incuded in the program Corporation of the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. A rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, eectronic, or mechanica, incuding photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieva system without the written permission of the pubisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critica artices and reviews. Printed in the United States of America.

3 WHAT IF? There are so many what ifs? It s amazing that any of us work up the courage to go anywhere or do anything. What coud be more anxiety-producing than having responsibiity for a group of student missionaries on a trip far from home? We understand your concerns, but assure you that our team is here to answer any questions you may have. We aso happen to be exceent at offering practica hep in case of an emergency! This booket outines just a few scenarios that can occur with your student missionaries, aong with the appropriate actions you need to take if they do. Remember that most mission trips go smoothy, and that advance preparation and panning heps remove much of the uncertainty that can exist. Our goa is to support you as you prepare and respond to your student missionaries needs and to maximize their mission experience to be enjoyabe, productive and safe and, of course, return with wonderfu stories to share. This guide does not cover every possibe emergency or crisis that coud arise for your student missionaries, but can give you some basic guideines for some of the more foreseeabe ones. If you have questions or are not sure how to hande a situation, pease contact the Office of Vounteer Ministries. You have our support and prayers! Ernest Hernandez: Te ; Andrea Keee: Te Ben Speege: Te

4 WHAT IF... MY STUDENT MISSIONARY (SM) IS SICK OR INJURED? The SM shoud inform the on-site supervisor The SM shoud et their supervisor know right away if they need medica attention. Ca Europ Assistance It is best if your student, their on-site supervisor or contact person cas Europ Assistance directy, but if they are having troube, you can ca as their coordinator. Foow instructions from Europ Assistance The SM or contact person wi need to provide Europ Assistance with contact information for doctors and medica offices to guarantee payment, and any other information they need to determine what coverage is avaiabe for treatment and benefits. This coud aso incude reocating the SM to the nearest hospita equipped to treat the medica issue if Europ Assistance deems it necessary. The key is to stay in cose contact with Europ Assistance throughout the entire process to determine the steps that need to be taken. They are prepared to act quicky and efficienty to take care of the SM s needs. Keep others informed The SM s supervisor shoud keep you (and others in the organization, as needed) informed of updates on treatment. If you sense that the SM is giving you updates that their supervisor or other administrators shoud be aware of, pease share that information so a are cognizant and abe to hep as needed. This incudes updating parents or other famiy members, and faciitating communication if needed. Be prepared for extra costs If the mission site is unwiing or unabe to pay the $150 deductibe and/or the 10% up to $3,500 (which totas up to a maximum of $500 out-of-pocket), be prepared to take care of these costs if needed. Most emergency expenses shoud be covered by insurance, but be ready to hep in case other costs shoud arise. Caims If payment was aready made for medica bis and your SM is asking you about caim forms, you or your SM shoud contact Adventist Risk Management. EUROP ASSISTANCE: From outside the U.S. Te From inside the U.S. Te Emai. OPS@europassistance-usa.com ADVENTIST RISK MANAGEMENT: Te (Option 2). Emai. caims@adventistrisk.org Caim forms can be downoaded at:

5 WHAT IF... MY SM HAS TO COME HOME EARLY? If your SM has to return eary for any reason, check that the foowing individuas have been notified: SM s supervisor/administrators on site Caing division vounteer coordinator (wi communicate with GC) NAD vounteer coordinator (Eden Ramirez) If you need a shortcut, contact Eden Ramirez and he wi communicate with the oca coordinator so they are informed and can foow up with the situation and with requesting the eary return through AVS so that insurance is bied for the correct amount of time that the vounteer was in service. MY SM HAS AN UNRESOLVABLE ISSUE? Issues at work or iving arrangements Your roe as a coordinator is often as that of a support person. Here are a few suggestions: Acknowedge emais as soon as possibe so SMs fee heard and supported. Encourage SMs to pray and work through issues with co-workers and administrators with honesty and humiity. Advise SMs to reach out to their supervisor for advice or support as much as possibe. Provide resources to hep if you have them avaiabe Bibe verses, website inks, etc. Caution SMs about posting everything on socia media. Instead, encourage them to confide in and request prayer from a few cose famiy members or friends. Let SMs know your confidence in them, and encourage them to aow God to grow them and their faith through the trias. Issues with supervisor or administration Occasionay, serious dysfunctions arise in a mission ocation. If an SM (or group of SMs) shares serious issues about an organization, pease pass those on to the Caing Division Vounteer Coordinator or, if unavaiabe, NAD Vounteer Coordinator Eden Ramirez.

6 MY SM FEELS UNSAFE? WHAT IF... Assaut, harassment or staking If your SM reports any of these incidents or situations, it is important to take them seriousy. The exact course of action depends on the degree of danger in the situation, but coud incude the foowing: Encourage the SM to journa (not on socia media, but on paper) as much information as possibe, especiay dates, times, ocations, and what may have ed to the situation. Generay, this heps a person in crisis retain some contro over the situation. Aso, when questioned ater, the SM may need to refer back to their notes. Document a communication. Be sensitive and confidentia. In anticipation of ega impications (for the SM, the accused, and your schoo), ask the SM for written permission to use this information, if necessary. Invove the supervisor and/or oca administration if at a possibe, according to the situation. Communicate with and seek guidance and assistance from division coordinators, and your schoo s ega department. Find out what resources are avaiabe to the SM ocay other SMs or trusted administrators. Poitica instabiity or natura disaster Your SM s oca mission administration and caing division wi be invoved in monitoring crises and faciitating emergency evacuation if needed. Contact the Office of Vounteer Ministries for updates.

7 WHAT IF... MY SM LOSES IMPORTANT BELONGINGS? Stoen or ost beongings The SM shoud report missing vauabes to their supervisor, and if necessary, the oca poice. If baggage or items are ost whie traveing, contact the airine or other trave company to recover missing uggage. If missing items are not recovered, compete the Persona Effects Baggage Caim Form and emai to This form can be found on our website at: If the SM s waet is stoen or ost, they shoud cance a credit/debit/atm cards and checks as soon as possibe. Stoen or ost passport The SM shoud report a stoen passport to the oca poice. The SM shoud contact their oca U.S. or Canadian embassy or consuate and schedue an emergency appointment to appy for a new passport. It is extremey hepfu if they have a copy of their passport with them, on fie with famiy or at your office. The SM wi need to compete other forms and documentation that can be found at: U.S. Canada CALL FOR HELP Let your SMs know who to contact if they need hep: 1. Loca Supervisor 2. SM Coordinator 3. Loca Division Vounteer Coordinator 4. NAD Vounteer Coordinator

8 Go therefore and make discipes of a nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Hoy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you aways, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20 (NRSV)