Safe Guide July 2018 Explanation of Changes We recommend that you print the Key Terms (pages 10-15) and General Planning for Activities sections (pages 16-43) for handy reference. These sections are key to planning all activities. You will need to refer to the 2018 version of Safe Guide when planning activities. All previous versions are out of date. Highlights of the changes The following are highlights of the 2018 updates. Please review the complete Explanation of Changes for details. 1. GGC will not be involved in approving arrangements to drive girls as these are private arrangements. The reference to personal vehicles in the Activity Planning Chart has been deleted. However, rental vehicles remain on the chart as Yellow level. Riding on a float in a parade, hayrides and sleigh rides have been added. 2. Throughout the document, references have been updated to the new Fundraising Procedures and Guidelines. Safe Guide no longer includes any details about Fundraising. The purpose of Safe Guide is about Safety management. 3. Who can pick up a girl has been revised to allow Guiders to use their judgement in situations where there is a problem, such as not being able to reach a parent/guardian. 4. There are new procedures regarding the responsibilities of boating activity facilitators. As well, the Boating Waterfront Personnel Qualifications have been replaced with new standards. 5. To align with current practice female GGC employees are specifically mentioned as being able to have supervision responsibilities. As such a definition has been added to Key Terms. References to them have been inserted appropriately in the procedures. Detailed Changes The following is an overview of the amendments to procedures. It does not include minor edits and wording changes that only provide more clarification or explanation. Please refer to Safe Guide 2018 for details. Introduction Supporting Safe and Awesome Activities Insured, Not Permitted and Conditional Activities Not Permitted Activities 6 New introduction to reflect the new Vision and Mission 9 Home Trampolines has been added to the list of not permitted activities. Research indicates unacceptably high levels of injury from home trampolines page 1 of 7
Conditional Activities 9 Trampoline Parks have been added to the list of Conditional Activities which must comply with additional oversight. (See below for details) Key Terms GGC employee 12 A definition of a GGC employee has been added to Key Terms. References to them have been inserted appropriately in the procedures. General Planning for Activities Pre-planning and Activity Levels Activity Age and Participant Restrictions 17 The PSGA (or her designate) will manage the decisionmaking for requests for adventure camping groups that are larger than 12 participants. Activity Planning Chart 18 As GGC will no longer involved in arrangements to drive girls, the chart has been revised as follows: Removed the reference to parents arranging transportation and the use of personal vehicles. The rental of vehicles remains on the chart as a yellow level. Added as yellow level are riding on a float in a parade, hayrides and sleigh rides. This aligns with the current practice. The SG.3 has been updated to reflect this change. Supervision 24 To align with current practice female GGC employees are included as individuals who can take on the responsibility of supervising girls. Edits to this effect have been made throughout the document. Role of Supervisors 28 Procedures with regards to who can pick up a girl have been edited to allow Guiders to use their judgement in situations where there is a problem, such as not being able to reach a parent/guardian. The Permission to Pick-up Girls on the Health form has been edited to show the change. 29 The word tobacco has been replaced with smoking to clarify the expectations with regards to GGC events being smoke-free. Health/First Aid First Aid 34-35 Added clarification that non-members can be first aiders under the supervision of an adult member/ggc female employee. Continued on next page page 2 of 7
Health/First Aid First Aid Activity Planning Transportation 34-35 For Yellow level only women can be first aiders. For Red level activities requiring wilderness first aid, a non-member male adult with those qualifications can be first aider. This will support TPSPs who have higher level qualifications that GGC adults. 39 Information about the use of rental vehicles has added to reference the need to ensure there is appropriate insurance and GGC s non-owned vehicle insurance. This section has been edited to remove the statement regarding not recommending the use of personal vehicles and the need for the SG.4. Activity Guides Guide Page Description of Amendments Third Party Service Provider Travel: In Canada - 72 Hours or More Activity Specific Procedures 77 A new procedure has been added to clarify that a TPSP instructor or guide (male or female) with higher level first aid qualifications (e.g. wilderness first aid) can be the first aider. As a best practice, a GGC adult supervisor should have first aid training as well. 79 Added that a non-member adult woman can participate in trips to provide one-on-one support assistance to a girl member. This requires the approval of the PSGA according to the provincial process. Additional clarification has been added with regards to the process and reasons for addressing low ratio trips. Request for Alternate Travel Arrangements Travel: International Under 72 Hours Guidelines 84 This section formerly only addressed leaving a trip early. There is now additional flexibility for girls to meet a group at the start of the trip. There is additional clarification that the Provincial Safe Guide Adviser (or according to provincial process) will need to determine that these arrangements are feasible and do not inconvenience the group. 91 The responsibility to resolve issues (after EMS) has been edited for clarification. It is the responsibility of the Provincial Commissioner. The national level will manage determine the communication with parents/guardians and others as appropriate. page 3 of 7
Key Terms Boat Boating Planning Guide GGC Managed Boating Activities Prerequisites for Boating GGC Managed Boating Procedures Boating Activity Facilitators 110 The refence to sailboards has been changed to windsurfs as this term is more commonly used. This change has been made through out this section. 117 Swim Tests for Boating is now called Prerequisites for Boating. The name of the test has been changed to Non- Swimmer PFD Check as this is not technically a swim test. Non-swimmers are doing a test to ensure they are able to move in the water and are familiar with the feel of wearing a PFD. This language is more inclusive and less likely to deter a non-swimmer from doing these activities. 120 This new title has been added to assist in the reading of this section. Added new procedures regarding the responsibilities of boating activity facilitators with regards to ensuring boats are under control, a support system is in place and the Responsible Guider has this information for her SG.4. First Aid for Boating 120 This title has been added to assist in easier reading of these procedures. Windsurfing 127 Formerly, Board Sailing. The need for a lifeguard has been removed. With clarification of the responsibilities of Activity Facilitators for boating, this is not required and generally not practical for this activity. Sailboats or Dinghy Sailboats Boating Waterfront Personnel Qualifications 127 Added a new procedure to ensure control of boats based on the sailing conditions. 128 This section has been completely revised with new information applicable to a boating waterfront. Much of the previous version was not relevant to managing a boating program. International Travel 72 Hours or More Planning Guide Making your trip happen: What you need to know and do 131 The note regarding Orientation and Mentoring has been amended to say that Guiders must follow their provincial processes that support travel. page 4 of 7
GGC Travel Preauthorization 132 As there are concerns that some international volunteer programs have determinantal effects on communities, the SG.8 for these types programs must be sent to the national level for review after the provincial review which will determine if the plan is valid from the Safe Guide perspective. Travel Advisories 134 The SafeGuide@girlguides.ca email addresses has been added as the contact for the national level when approval for travel is required because of a travel advisory. Girl and Guide Participation Requirements 136-137 Added that a non-member adult woman can participate in trips to provide one-on-one support assistance to a girl member. This requires the approval based on the provincial process. Ratio information has been clarified with regards to the process for addressing low ratio trips. Parent/Guardian Planning Orientation Parent/Guardian Information 138-139 Correction that parents may be responsible for medical insurance and examinations (not medical insurance). Insurance 140 Edited this section to simply explain what insurance is required and reference the section What parents/guardians need to know and do Health for details. Booking Travel 139-140 The wording has been edited to clarify that the purpose of travel insurance is such things as cancelled flights, lost luggage. Communication Plan Guidelines for International Travel GGC Authorization Final Authorization Six-months Before Departure One Month Before Departure 148 The responsibility to resolve issues (after EMS) has been edited for clarification. It is the responsibility of the Provincial Commissioner. The national level will manage determine the communication with parents/guardians and others as appropriate. 152-153 Request for Alternate Travel Arrangements have been updated so that there is additional flexibility for girls to meet a group at the start of the trip as well as before travel home. There is additional clarification that the Provincial International Adviser (or according to provincial process) will need to determine that these arrangements are feasible and do not inconvenience the group. 154 The email address ggctrips@girlguides.ca is now the national email to which provinces send trip forms. page 5 of 7
Appendices Conditional Activities Trampoline Parks Girls Travelling On Their Own to GGC Events or Attending Conferences Guidelines Provincial Contacts 161 Trampoline parks are now a conditional activity. Similar to other conditional activities, groups need to: Use the TPSP Activity Guide Obtain a certificate of insurance from the facility Have participants sign the GGC Waiver (SG.5) For international events, if girls are travelling on their own, this is approved by the national level. 170 A sentence has been added to explain that when a parent doesn t pick up a child, and Guiders needs to make arrangements for her, they should avoid oneone situations and include either another girl or female adult in the vehicle. The list has been updated to reflect new emails and addresses. Forms Personal Health Form Girl Members (H.1) Glasses and motion sickness have been added to the Health/Accommodations section. Permission to pick up a girl member has been edited to include agreement to a process for Guiders to use their judgement when a person with permission isn t available. Parent/Guardian Permission (SG.2) Activity Notification or Authorization (SG.3) Plan (SG.4) The permission section has been edited to reference the activity details top of the form so that it doesn t need to be written twice. The form has been updated to reflect the changes in the procedures: On page 1 trampoline parks are listed as a conditional activity On page 2 the chart has been revised: o The first row about parents arranging transportation has been removed. o The use of personal vehicles in the second row has been removed. However, the rental of vehicles remains on the chart as a yellow level. o Added to the chart as yellow level are riding on a float in a parade, hayrides and sleigh rides. The Crisis Management section has been revised to clarify the communication steps for a crisis situation. After EMS, the Provincial Commissioner is contacted. She will follow-up with the national level. page 6 of 7
Travel Preauthorization (SG.8) Swim and Boating Test Verification (WA.2 & WA.3) To put more rigour to the approval process for travel in Canada 72 hours or more Guiders will need to provide the names of participants. A new page has been added to the form for this purpose. The form has been revised to reflect the change in terminology for the Prerequisites for Boating with regards to the Non-swimmer PFD Check. page 7 of 7