+ Why should I go?
+ What happens on the programmes?
+ Who can apply?
+ Are there any age restrictions?
+ Where do I stay and what do I eat?
+ What about training and support?
- Orientation
- Follow up
- Responsibility
- Promotion
+ What should I take with me?
+ Who will be on my team?
+ What about security?
+ How much will it cost?
+ What is the Tearfund Fee and why do we have one?
+ What do you get for the cost of the fee?
+ Why are deposits non-refundable?
What happens on the programmes?
The programmes all support the work of Tearfund partners and you will be working with them as part of a team. Some teams focus on physical work such as maintenance, building, making water tanks or digging. Others concentrate on more relational tasks with children, young people or adults in a variety of projects, such as helping children with disabilities, holiday clubs and teaching English. All programmes support development projects that carry on after you’ve gone home.
Whatever you do, there’ll be lots of time to develop relationships with local people and get involved in the regular meetings of local Christians. You’ll also do a series of Bible studies and discussions on poverty issues.
The work you’ll do will be very useful, but you’ll probably get more out of the programme than your hosts will! Your visit will leave local people encouraged to carry on the work long after you have gone. But more important than what you leave behind is the change that will happen in your life. Living in a different culture will change your values, understanding and feelings about poverty, what you do with your life and how you want to change the world. The rest of your life starts here.
Who can apply?
Committed evangelical Christians who currently live in the UK or Ireland and are involved in a church which can provide a reference for you. We’re looking for people who are flexible, will contribute to the team, are growing in their relationship with God and are part of a local Christian group that can support them in prayer.
Tearfund does not discriminate against applicants on the grounds of sex, colour, race, ethnic background or disability. However, you do need to be fit and well. We welcome applications from those with disabilities that will not significantly hinder their mobility or ability to care for themselves in the UK or developing world.
Are there any age restrictions?
To go on a Transform trip independently, you must be over 18. There is no upper age limit on who can go on a trip, although a small premium may be payable by those over 75 (to cover any increase in insurance costs). Yourselves group trips can include participants under the age of 18 - this is at the Transform team's discretion. Please contact the office for more information.
Where do I stay and what do I eat?
Accommodation and food varies from team to team. But we can guarantee that you will have a mattress under you and a roof over you! You may be sleeping in a church, house, school, or simple guesthouse. Two-week teams tend to live in a guesthouse with running water. Food will usually be a mixture of local food and English food. It is hard to predict what you will encounter so you need to expect the unexpected. Our most common complaint from teams is that they are treated too well!
What about training and support?
Preparation Pack: Three months before going overseas or at your orientation all participants are given a preparation pack. The pack contains medical advice and all the forms needed to obtain medical clearance, information about immunisations, flight and visa information, a kit list and specific country information. It also includes a checklist of everything you will need to do before your trip and when you need to do it by. The pack also contains all the information we think you’ll need to know to prepare you for your trip, including: in-depth medical and travel advice, travel insurance information, cultural guidelines, fundraising ideas and advice about involving your local church.
Orientation: You must attend an orientation course. This will be the first time you meet your team. The course will prepare you to visit a new culture, and help you and your team get to know each other. There are also sessions on culture, staying healthy, safety and security, information about where you are going, as well as plenty of time to focus on God. We work in partnership with Interhealth, a medical charity for those travelling and working overseas. We take health and safety very seriously and comply with the Global Connections Code of Best Practice in providing you with adequate insurance cover, 24-hour support whilst overseas and the appropriate equipment.
Follow up: On your return to the UK you will be offered a debrief for your team. This is an excellent opportunity to renew friendships, to review what you’ve experienced, and to thank God for all that he has done and to ensure that it continues to impact your life.
Responsibility: The teams are led by people who are often known to Tearfund, have travelled overseas before and have had previous leadership experience. All team leaders are given full Tearfund training.
Promotion: If you want to promote your trip with the media, contact Tearfund's media team and consider using our press release template.
What should I take with me?
You will be sent a preparation pack either three months before you go overseas or at your orientation and this will tell you everything you need to take with you and also all you need to do before you go. We will also send you a Take Me With You pack the week before you leave.
Who will be on my team?
Teams are open to anyone over the age of 18. The exact make up of the team in terms of ages could be quite varied but we do run trips for all ages between 18 and 75.
What about security?
We take a number of steps to ensure the safety and security of our teams whilst overseas. We consult our regional desk officers based in Teddington, the overseas Tearfund partner that the team is visiting and the latest Foreign Office travel advice, before making decisions about whether a team can travel. We will cancel a trip if we are not happy with the security situation. Team leaders are all briefed on our emergency procedures and are able to contact us 24 hours a day. We carry out a risk assessment before the teams go overseas and all team leaders are required to carry out another risk assessment when they arrive, to be emailed back to us in the office. All team members receive a safety and security briefing at their orientation.
How much will it cost?
The teams vary in price from year to year. The cost includes the following: orientation, debrief event, in-country travel, accommodation and food, insurance (only for your overseas work), Tearfund Fee and a medical package.
It does not cover injections, travel to and from the orientation and reunion event, or any day-trips/gifts bought whilst in country.
Your trip cost does not include flights, visas (if visa required) or injections. You will however receive good advice and support about organising these aspects.
When we first meet you at an interview day or at an orientation we will give you some ideas about fundraising. For specific team costs please call the Transform Team on 020 8943 7777 OR see the relevant details about the specific trip on the website.
Please note that all costs are subject to change; this is due to the variable nature of overseas travel expenses.
What is the Tearfund Fee and why do we have one?
Tearfund does not subsidise Transform trips, to ensure that none of the charitable giving we receive is diverted from benefiting our partners and the poor people we serve. This means that everyone travelling with Transform is required to pay a Tearfund fee as part of the costs of their trip.
The fee is therefore charged so that Tearfund does not subsidise trips, this includes staff costs. For a full and detailed explanation of what is included in the Tearfund fee see the next answer below.
What do you get for the cost of the fee?*
- Your applications are processed and all subsequent payments and paperwork related to your trip
- A trip preparation manual for each participant and additional resources and helpful paperwork
- 24 hr access to ACE Rescue as part of the insurance package when overseas on your trip.
- Access to the Transform Emergency phone when overseas.
- Access to the transform teams knowledge and expertise on matters relating to your trip including advice on flights, visas and other related trip matters.
- CRB Clearance
- Leaders training/briefing for your trip/team where appropriate.
- Access to Tearfund and Transform’s support and expertise in areas such as health, safety, security, country and project information, development work, and wider church networks
* Please note that this package is set and if you decide not to utilise it to the full i.e. use your own insurance we still have to cost the fee at the advertised level.
Why are deposits non-refundable?
Deposits are non-refundable because your application and subsequent placement on a team cause us to incur costs. We believe that these costs should be covered by you the applicant, rather than Tearfund.
When you apply you are required to send in a non-refundable deposit of £50. The deposit covers the administrative costs of processing your application, interviewing and/or assigning you to a team.
After we have confirmed your place and selected you, we will ask you to send in a further deposit. This is for administrative, preparatory, in-country and other costs that have to be paid in advance and again, this is non-refundable.
If you feel there are extenuating circumstances causing you to withdraw, you are required to put them in writing and we will consider the appropriate course of action with you.
If at the time of applying the dates and location of the trip have not been advertised we will refund your deposit if you subsequently decide not to travel due to the destination or dates of travel.