The ICEF Education Fund, the charitable arm of events and networking firm ICEF, will donate €7,000 to support Travel Safe International, the educational and training division of international charity Child-Safe, which works to safeguard and protect children involved in educational, cultural or language trips overseas.
ICEF’s donation will be used to support the development of the “Train the trainer” programme, which aims to build a team of expertly trained teachers and support staff involved with international students in specialised pastoral care related specifically to the needs of young students overseas.
Speaking with The PIE News ICEF CEO Markus Badde said this is the first project with an international scope since the foundation launched in 2011.
“It is a useful, timely and also a multiplying initiative that will make its mark and help protect the safety of young people going on courses abroad”
“It is also our first Education Fund project that directly contributes to the youth education travel industry,” he said. “The other 12 Education Fund initiatives to date all being focused on helping disadvantaged youth to access education in origin countries.”
Child-Safe, which is headquartered in the UK was founded in 2004. Director Dave Grimstead said: “Safer environments create sanctuaries for effective learning and education, and the building of cultural awareness – this is the central objective of Travel Safe.”
Badde added that the initiative’s focus on training trainers will help to multiply its mission to protect the safety of young people going on courses abroad.
Among some of the first Travel Safe supported classes of the year are a group of students attending summer language courses in Clifton College in Bristol and groups of international students attending the Tottenham Hotspurs Football Academy.
In addition to monetary support, ICEF will be raising awareness of the charity at its upcoming global events.
Over the past three years, the ICEF Education Fund has donated €36,000 across its 12 initiatives including in Brazil, India, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Ghana, Jamaica, Myanmar, Russia, and Turkey.
Child-Safe was originally championed in the sector by Susan Goldstein, a former director of the WYSTC conference which focuses on youth and student travel around the world.
