Sportventurer FAQs
Answers to your important questions about what, how, and if...
Questions about who can take part and how they are selected
- What type of people go on a Sportventurer Expedition?
- What is the age range of participants?
- What are the selection criteria and procedures?
- Do I have a choice of programmes?
- How many participants will there be on my programme?<
Questions about who will benefit from the activity
- What will I gain from the programme?
- Who else will benefit from this programme?
- Will the programme continue after I have left?
Questions about exactly how you will spend your time
- How has the programme been chosen, planned and vetted?
- Has a responsible member of the organisation personally checked each placement?
- What living and meal arrangements are there?
- What are my responsibilities? What is expected of me? Is there a code of conduct for participants?
Questions about the detail of the cost
- Do I need a budget for extras?
- What are the payment terms? What are the cancellation terms?
- Is fund-raising necessary in order to cover expenses and, if so, what advice is given?
Questions about Sportventurer itself
- What are its aims, objectives, philosophy?
- How long has it been in existence?
- Can I speak to an ex-sportventurer?
- \What is the legal status of Sportventurer?
- What are the organisation's policies on Equal Opportunities?
Questions about pre-departure arrangements
- What are the travel arrangements? Who is responsible for them?
- What medical/health precautions are necessary?
- What pre-departure orientation and/or training is given?
Questions about the debriefing arrangements
- What contact will the organisation have with me on my return?
- Will I be encouraged to contact other returned participants?
- Will my experience be used in briefings for future participants?
- Are there opportunities to work for Sportventurer in the future?
Questions about safety procedures and in-placement support
- Who is responsible for me at the programme location?
- What in-placement emergency procedures are there?
- Who do I turn to if I have a problem about my work or about the placement itself whilst on my programme?
- How do we apply for a Visa?
- Is an ISIC card necessary?
- Would any old sports equipment and books taken out be beneficial for the local community?
- What is the truck like and what equipment does it carry on the Adventures?
- Are the people on the adventure the same as those who are on the project with me?
- Do I get picked up at the airport?
What do I get for the cost of the placement?
- All food and accommodation on the placement site.
- For group placements on project site support from your fully trained crew.
- For all projects 24 hour expert and logistical in country support.
- 24 hour UK support for emergency contact from Sportventurer HQ.
- Transport to and from the placement site from the overseas airport where we will meet you.
- The careful selection, setting up and sustaining of all Sportventurer's overseas sports development projects.
- Organising of socials and games by Sportventurer crew.
Do I need qualifications in order to coach sport?
The short answer is no. The beauty of our placements is that you don't need a coaching qualification in order to take part. As a Sportventurer coach you are volunteering your time to support sports development projects in areas where most aspiring athletes do not have the funds to go to coaching schools or academies. The need for volunteer coaches is, therefore, very important.
Questions about who can take part and how they are selected
What type of people go on a Sportventurer Expedition?
Several current students bring their friends along who have finished full-time education and many young people join the expedition during and throughout their gap-years. Career breakers are also increasingly joining our expeditions.
If you are joining on your own, don't worry, the vast majority do, and you will soon make plenty of friends.
Our Sportventurers tend to be made up of sportsmen and sportswomen and travellers from all over the world. We do have a high percentage of British (mostly students), all of who are looking for that same sense of achievement and adventure.
What is the age range of participants?
Our minimum age criteria is 17. There are three different types of people that come on our expeditions: gappers, students and recent graduates undertake most of our trips and are aged between 18 and 25. However we are increasingly signing up career breakers who are often older.
What are the selection criteria and procedures?
Choosing how to spend your time out should be done carefully and with sound advice. Why not come and meet the SV Team, have a chat and watch some videos!
To secure your place, fill in the 'join' form and post it to SV HQ with your deposit of £175. You can download the 'join' form from our web site www.sportventurer.com/join. The deposit will be deducted from the overall cost of the expedition. We will then contact you by phone at a suitable time to ensure that a Sportventurer Expedition is right for you. Within 7 days of receiving your join form we will offer you a place on your chosen placement and/or adventure. If we are unable to offer you your desired place we will refund your deposit in full. Once you have been allocated a place, we will send you out Pre-Departure Pack 1 within 7 days.
Do I have a choice of programmes?
Absolutely. Our aim is to provide an placement that suits:
- Your interests - You want to get involved in an overseas sports development programmes working in a field that you are interested in, learning about and living in a new and challenging environment. You have a choice of 3 placement regions and a variety of sports to pursue when on site. Similarly for the adventures there are numerous overland itineraries in 3 different continents, all of which contain plenty of activities to choose from so that you can pick and choose what you want to do en route.
- Your budget - we let you know exactly what you are paying for, so there are no hidden costs.
- Your time - our expeditions are such that they can be flexible to the amount of time you have to go away for. You can go on projects from one month up to a year, and on adventures from 2 to 15 weeks.
How many participants will there be on my programme?
On a group project there will be no more than 12 people.
Questions about who will benefit from the activity
What will I gain from the programme?
No two people take away from a Sportventurer expedition exactly the same placement. It largely depends on an individuals' willingness to throw themselves into the placement. You should hope to leave having got to know something about a new culture and way of life, an understanding of working as a team to achieve something worthwhile and a sense that you have really had an impact on the lives of your host community.
Who else will benefit from this programme?
The host communities and other projects working alongside us.
Will the programme continue after I have left?
Madventurer makes a commitment to seeing projects through to their completion. Consequently many expeditions may return to a project site to continue the work of previous groups. As far as the actual choice of placements is concerned Sportventurer aims to develop sustainably, putting in place the means for the project's original objectives to be fulfilled for years after Sportventurer has left.
Questions about exactly how you will spend your time
How has the programme been chosen, planned and vetted?
Sportventurer specialises in community-led, sustainable sports development projects. This means that the communities approach us with their plans and we set about trying to help them achieve them. This is done to ensure that the projects are what the communities want and not an extension of our own desires for a communities' development.
Has a responsible member of the organisation personally checked each placement?
We employ a full-time Director of Operations whose job it is to choose and set-up projects in the field. This selection is made through reference to guidelines set down by Sportventurer over requirements for the placements.
What living and meal arrangements are there?
Whilst on the project we live and eat with the community. This is done for the purpose of full community integration. Whilst venturers are cooked for we still encourage them to get involved with the providing of meals to help bolster this sense of integration.
What are my responsibilities? What is expected of me? Is there a code of conduct for participants?
We organise a Pre-Departure 2 meeting before departure on expedition. We find that this is the best forum for the outlying of responsibilities for each specific project site.
Questions about the detail of the cost
Do I need a budget for extras?
We find that venturers need to allow approximately £50 a week at the top end for personal spending money during the project work and £75 - £100 a week at the top end during the adventure section. Do be aware that this amount varies from week to week and depends largely on how much you eat and drink, how much you travel independently at the weekends on the project and the souvenirs you wish to buy.
What are the payment terms? What are the cancellation terms?
To review our terms and conditions (click here)
Is fund-raising necessary in order to cover expenses and, if so, what advice is given?
Sportventurer will encourage, advise and support you in whatever way it can. However, it cannot directly raise the funds needed for an individual to carry an expedition. To be part of the SV team requires commitment before you join your expedition. The desire to seek sponsorship must come from yourself. It is possible to raise funds quickly, but you do have to organise your time and be committed. Fundraising doesn't just involve writing vast amounts of letters to businesses and grant providers; it can also be extremely fun.
When you join Sportventurer you will immediately receive the welcome pack. This contains the SV fundraising section and you can start straight away. The fundraising pack contains three main sections. The first of these gives you advice on how to write away to organisations and grant providers to try and gain funding for your expedition. An example letter is given that you can adapt, depending on whom you are writing to and you will be able to attach the Sportventurer covering letter. This explains who Sportventurer is, what it's objectives are, your project details and the benefits you will bring to your community and the one you will work in. It will also give you ideas for whom to write to.
The second section gives you fun ideas for individual fundraising events. Not all of these will be relevant to you, but there will be a number that you can use to help you on your way, from Beard Shaves to Bed Marathons. There is also a section on pointers for fundraising success, which has been compiled over the last few years with the input of the SV reps.
The third section gives details of the group fundraising activities that you can get involved with. This will give you the chance to meet some of the venturers who you may be going away with, some of the reps and do some fun and wacky sponsored events. The fundraising pack also contains the sponsor forms that you can use for each event.
Questions about Sportventurer itself
What are its aims, objectives, philosophy?
Sportventurer is a unique organisation that creates opportunities for those with a passion for sport and adventure, and who are seeking to do something extremely positive and exciting with their 'time-out'. Sportventurer organises and operates sports coaching placements and sports tours that seek to benefit less privileged communities across the world.
How long has it been in existence?
Sportventurer's first development projects and adventures were in Ghana. SV now undertakes operations all over the world, assisting in sustainable sports development strategies and tourism initiatives.
Can I speak to an ex-sportventurer?
We are able to put you in touch with ex-sportventurers who have had first hand knowledge that they are willing to share.
What is the legal status of Sportventurer?
Sportventurer is a trading division of Shia International Limited which is a private limited company registered at Companies House in Cardiff. Registration Number 3904898. Companies House holds all legal details of all companies which can be viewed by contacting them. It is also VAT registered Number 746446216.
What are the organisation's policies on Equal Opportunities?
We have a policy of equal opportunities for all.
Questions about pre-departure arrangements
What are the travel arrangements? Who is responsible for them?
Insurance is essential when travelling. Make sure your insurance has comprehensive cover for personal accident and medical expenses and includes repatriation home. Insurance should be considered at the time you book your expedition and flights.
We are happy to advise on flight costs, suitable travel insurance and travel visas. Our SV travel service works alongside STA Travel Newcastle (UK) and Endsleigh Insurance to help you coordinate with our expedition travel dates.
What medical/health precautions are necessary?
Pre-departure one pack gives full Health advice. In the meantime you could check out the sites on our 'links' page for independent, up to date, professional health advice.
Sportventurer is unable to advise on which Malaria tablets to take and recommends that advice is sought from you local G.P concerning this matter. Our website links page will connect you to sites with professional up-to-day advice on all immunisations, anti-malarial drugs and healthy travel abroad.
Once you have joined mad you will be sent a pre-departure pack that includes information on the relevant injections to be taken.
What pre-departure orientation and/or training is given?
We send out two pre-departure packs prior to departure. The first will be dispatched just as soon as we have received your 'join' form, a £175 deposit and have allocated you a place.
This contains information on how to raise the cost of your SV placement through sponsorship, further information concerning the community projects, vaccination requirements and other health issues, the adventure dossier that is relevant to your personalised itinerary including a kit list and all necessary travel information.
Four weeks before you depart we will send you details and information relevant to your initial arrival at the overseas airport in pre-departure 2.
In addition we will invite you to a pre-departure meeting and orientation day that will give you the opportunity to meet the SV team to discuss the expedition.
Your on-placement SV crew for group projects or in-country co-ordinator for placements.
Questions about the debriefing arrangements
What contact will the organisation have with me on my return?
On your return Sportventurer will send you a debriefing questionnaire asking you to assess your placement. In addition we organise reunions to bring together all past Sportventurers, see 'Sportventurers United'.
Will I be encouraged to contact other returned participants?
Through these reunions Sportventurers tend to stay in contact for years after their trips.
Will my experience be used in briefings for future participants?
We take the feedback given through debrief questionnaires very seriously. We are always aiming to improve the job that we do and the best way to do this is through listening to the advice given by people who have spent their time on expeditions with us.
Are there opportunities to work for Sportventurer in the future?
Yes. Sportventurer regards on-site experience as being of paramount importance for future employment. Therefore its current staff have all spent time as Sportventurers. There is always an opportunity to utilise the experiences and knowledge you gained in furthering the organisation whether in the field, at university, at fundraising events or in the office.
Questions about safety procedures and in-placement support
Who is responsible for me at the programme location?
For placements the in-country co-ordinator who is on call 24 hrs a day. For group projects your on-project SV crew are present 24 hrs a day.
What in-placement emergency procedures are there?
Sportventurer has a crisis management procedure in place for all eventualities. The SV rep has a good system for communication with SV HQ.
Who do I turn to if I have a problem about my work or about the placement itself whilst on my programme?
Your on-placement SV crew are there to listen to any problems or questions you might have.
Sportventurer will send you a visa application form with advice for its completion and the address to where it has to be sent.
An ISIC card is necessary for all students in order to obtain student discounted rates for entry into national parks and tax discount in some restaurants and bars. ISIC cards can be obtained at a cost of £6 at all STA outlets.
Would any old sports equipment and books taken out be beneficial for the local community?
Sportventurer does take out sporting equipment and books, however any further equipment would be greatly appreciated and just adds to the benefit that you can bring.
What is the truck like and what equipment does it carry on the Adventures?
On your safari you will have two crew who have been selected for their professional skills as well as their experience, love and knowledge of Africa. All vehicles have tape deck stereos fitted for passengers' use. Coach seats are used with a forward and inward configaration. The tarps can be rolled up for all round viewing. Vehicles also have cooking awnings for wet weather or shade. Each truck has a medical Kit supplied by Nomad Pharmacy specialists for overland companies.
Most of the time is spent camping in tents, either dome or ridged with a fly and ground sheet. Facilities can vary considerably from one campsite to the next. All the cooking and catering equipment is provided from a built-in kitchen, with cool boxes or refrigerators, plus tables and campstools.
In South America the shorter adventures uses a combination of coaches, trains, planes and reed canoes to travel around. Trucks are used on the longer adventures (over 21 days).
Are the people on the adventure the same as those who are on the project with me?
Not always. We advise people of which adventures the group are most likely to be going on. For the summer special combos you will be with your group for both project and adventure.
Do I get picked up at the airport?
We pick you up from the airport on the start date of the project or if you arrive one day early. If you want to arrive earlier than that then we can arrange a transfer for you. Late arrivals can be picked up, but this will involve a surcharge.
Team Ferrari, with its attention to detail, thorough training and excellent communication; give their man in the driving seat the best chance of winning the race. The Sportventurer team provides logistical and physical support, as well as a friendly welcome overseas. We act as the link between you and grass-roots sports success worldwide.
