Customized Travel Programs
As part of our mission, Envoys is always ready to speak with interested faculty and administrators to learn how we might assist their school to achieve global education goals. Envoys works hand-in-hand with our partner schools to design, implement, and assess travel programs around the world.
Qualified Envoys staff conduct participatory workshops for administrators, teachers, parents and/or students to discover goals and objectives for global competency and educational travel.
After accurately understanding the end outcomes and specific needs of a particular teacher, we meet with the school to discuss the possibilities. Envoys staff outline the intersections between the school’s needs and research-based, proven approaches to global education.
Based on this work, Envoys crafts a program proposal tailored to the partner school in terms of the following:
- Educational goals and objectives
- Destination country or region
- Thematic content and curricular integration
- Specific targeted skill-sets
- Assessments and student outputs
We then work hand-in-hand with our partner schools to integrate the program into the life of the school.
Envoys Communication Principles
Research has proven that there is a positive and convincing relationship between family involvement and student academic success. Similarly, the achievement of our learning outcomes requires the establishment of a collaborative and trusting relationship that includes all relevant stakeholders.
We respect the intelligence of parents considering international travel for their children, and we refuse to make ‘guarantees’ that are untenable in a complex world. Instead, we provide information about the potential risks involved with each destination and the external sources that should be consulted prior to making a decision.
Advances in communications technology are rapidly removing barriers for the flow of information from the field. This ‘new normal’ means that we have a responsibility to provide regular updates, no matter where in the world an Envoys program is located.
Envoys Communication Methods
Envoys staff make presentations to parents and students about the educational objectives, potential risks, necessary preparations, and expected communications. We answer questions, take notes for any adaptations, and provide a concrete timeline to follow. Most importantly, we establish relationships with our program participants, allowing us to create a better-tailored program.
Envoys creates a dedicated and customized website for every program, containing all necessary information for participants. From this site, parents access online portals for uploading medical forms and processing payments, while students are able to log into online courses and check their packing lists.
Envoys HQ and program staff take pride in our responsiveness with parents. We understand that many important questions arise outside of normal business hours, and so we dedicate ourselves to providing multiple means of communication at all times, including 1-800 numbers, online trip-tracking sites, customized program portals, and rapid email responses.
Along with our ‘window-into-the-adventure’ provided by our online trip-tracking system, Envoys can work with teachers to create detailed reports on each student at the conclusion of the program. These reports detail areas of strength evidenced during the program, as well as areas where improvement is needed.
Partner With Envoys
Our team works hand-in-hand with innovative faculty to maximize educational value.
“It was not only the good times with our friends or the relationships we built but how we were after we came back, returning to this agitated society with a new view of ourselves and not just our impact on the world, but the world’s impact on us.”
— Gabriela , Student, Deerfield Colombia 2014“This course was very informational. I really enjoyed the speakers and have learned a lot from the legalization of drugs to how the criminal justice system began. I felt as of before this course my feelings towards the system were strong, and this course only made them stronger. “
— Kate , Student“The Envoys staff were very open about sharing their first-hand experiences, which was a game-changer in terms of learning about post-apartheid South Africa. Also, having everything planned to the T made me feel very safe. I knew that I was in good hands.”
— Gio H. , Student, Friends Seminary South Africa 2016“Envoys was at the top of their game from start to finish. What initially interested me was their focus on curriculum during pre-departure meetings and the program itself. Envoys cares deeply about the experience of the participants and faculty. [They] constantly ask for constructive criticism and make changes when necessary.”
— Joe Vogel , Executive Director, Global Education Benchmark Group“We had an amazing program. It was a biology teacher’s dream and Felipe and his crew couldn’t have been more thorough and professional to work with. Thanks for all of your efforts to organize an unforgettable experience for us all.”
— Gerry , Traveling Faculty, LCC Colombia 2016“Every single person working for Envoys is excellent and committed to the kids and their experience, not just during the trip, but before and after. We would recommend Envoys to anyone looking for a high quality and enriching summer experience.”
— Amy G. , Parent, Envoys Malawi 2014 & 2015“I loved the structured activities like our final project because it gave us the freedom to really be original with presenting our information. “
— Emilie , Student“My favorite part was getting to meet and befriend new people from around the world, which is especially hard right now. “
— Akira , Student, HISD SGD Exchange 2020“The Envoys Staff were exceptionally committed to us and to the goals of our trip. They were thoughtful, kind, caring, friendly, with great sense of humor, yet serious in their connection to the ethos of professional development that was our trip’s purpose. I was struck over and over again by how they literally RAN to be in the right place to respond to any given situation.”
— Constance , Traveling Faculty, Friends Seminary Colombia 2016“[Envoys] knows kids extremely well…they know how to be cool with them while still commanding authority and establishing ground rules…I was incredibly impressed with the protocols established and put in place by Envoys.”
— Micah M. , Traveling Faculty, Friends Seminary Peru 2015“I was incredibly impressed by the care taken by Envoys. Before we even hit the ground, there was an emphasis on comprehending impact on our destination’s environment that I appreciated..Throughout the trip, our Envoys leaders made sure that we continued to be conscious of impact. That awareness of cause and effect is something that often gets lost when traveling, and Envoys did not allow it to. During this trip, there was never a moment I did not feel safe and cared for nor a moment where I did not feel I was learning something!”
— Keylee S. , Student, Dalton South Africa 2014“I loved being able to interact and collaborate with people all around the world. I really liked learning about other people’s cultures, and I loved how even though we all came from different backgrounds, we were able to come together and work on something we were all passionate about.”
— Mia , Student, DCDS SDG Exchange 2020Operations
Envoys operations are built on the extensive infrastructure and experience of Off-Bound Adventures, our parent organization.We take an adaptive approach to developing each program, including the following elements:
Envoys is proud to recognize that we NEVER work alone. Upholding our belief in intercultural understanding, Envoys engages carefully-selected local academics, guides, social workers, and artisans to ensure the highest quality and most authentic educational experience.
In 2013, we established a partnership agreement with the Grassroots Business Fund, a social impact investment firm assisting low-income businesses throughout the developing world. Through this partnership, Envoys has a mandate to select, train, and support locally-owned businesses during our travel programs. On an annual basis, we review and report on the impact of our programs according to a series of impact metrics developed in partnership with GBF, ensuring that our programs contribute to the development of sustainable livelihoods abroad.
Envoys prices each program according to the specifications set out by our partner schools. We commit to providing a full and transparent depiction of the costs associated with the program, including our own program fees, to help make decisions and ensure that the opportunities are available to a wider range of students.
Envoys engages in regular scouting trips to our destinations, both during the ‘off-season’ and in the days before student arrival. During these trips, we evaluate accommodation, restaurants, transportation, and activity vendors to confirm that our standards have been met. We invite partner teachers to accompany us on these trips and learn more about both the destination and how we work!
Envoys staff follow a strict set of protocols for communications with our operational headquarters and actions in the event of an emergency. Based on our years of experience, we have developed a set of “field checklists” to guide our staff in the day-to-day conduction of field operations, including transportation management, hiking protocols, and other frequently occuring activities. Checklists are submitted through a mobile application to maintain a flow of information from the field to headquarters.
Every year, Envoys recruits, screens, and trains an array of adults to serve as field staff on our programs. Our field staff bring a wide diversity of education, experience, and talents to their work, including regional expertise, language ability, medical training, logistics prowess, and subject-matter. Most importantly, they all love working with youth, and believe deeply that our work makes a difference. We utilize a blended training model of face-to-face and online courses, including tests from the Expert Online Training system, to develop staff and prepare for work in the field.
Envoys recognizes that a degree of risk is inherent in all international travel and outdoor activities. Potential hazards include tropical diseases, exposure to unsanitary conditions, severe weather, public disorder, and transportation delays. Mental health issues may also be exacerbated through the stresses of a new experience.
No one can guarantee freedom from harm, including accident, injury, illness, or death.
Operating under these constraints, Envoys is responsible for creating and implementing risk assessment and management plans, in partnership with our collaborating schools for our programs. We maintain lines of communication with the field to handle any eventuality. Upholding our organizational ethos of continuous improvement, Envoys engages in regular and repeated updates of our procedures.
Envoys utilizes rigorous evaluations to drive performance and communicate our results to schools and families. Every lesson is field-tested and regularly assessed for its effectiveness at meeting learning goals.
Envoys internal assessments are conducted through three means:
1. Detailed staff observations produced by Envoys staff at the conclusion of each trip
2. Open-ended evaluations from students and teachers taking Envoys trips
3. Skill development assessments taken by Envoys students following each trip
At the conclusion of the trip, we produce reports for our stakeholders
Curriculum Development
Through our online platforms, Envoys provides a wide range of curricular materials for schools to improve the quality of their global education programming.Students review a curated series of videos, articles, and other media relevant to the history and culture of their destination. Instructors from Envoys facilitate discussions and answer questions. Students take assessments to prove their understanding.
Students research the health risks relevant to their destination, learn about methods to mitigate those risks, and pass assessments related to health and safety.
Students learn about best practices for packing light and traveling smart. They provide their own potential packing lists for comment by Envoys instructors.
Students learn about common pathways for diseases, including vectors, food and water, and animals, as well as necessary precautions to take while traveling abroad. A mixture of assessments and practical activities ensure that they have gained the necessary skills.
Students learn about methods to calculate risk and the heightened potential for faulty judgments when abroad. They display their ability to make better decisions by explaining their reactions to a variety of travel scenarios.
Through a series of introspective and collaborative exercises, students begin the process of examining their own assumptions around culture. Students take empathy assessments and create plans for developing their empathic abilities, both at home and abroad.
After developing the necessary background knowledge, students select an individual research topic and create a briefing sheet to share with their classmates. These sheets provide the basis for individual research areas conducted while in-country.
Communication Platforms
Envoys has developed a proprietary mobile system (which functions without a data connection) to maintain a flow of documented information from the field to headquarters. Forms submitted by each device can be sent to a variety of channels, including email and cloud-based data storage.
They are intended to serve three purposes:
1. To assist chaperones to perform their responsibilities more effectively and efficiently
2. To aid decision-making processes
3. To provide documentation of operational standards in practice
These forms include open and closed-ended questions, and photographs. Forms can include geolocation and/or timestamps. The form application may be installed on either an iOS or Android device. The application does not require a data connection to function. Checklists can be completed and stored on the device, then submitted automatically when a data connection is present.
On a subscription basis, Envoys provides schools with the technological infrastructure as well as a base set of “field checklists” to guide our staff in the day-to-day conduction of field operations, including transportation management, hiking protocols, and restaurant inspections.
