Please describe your organization’s approach to onsite orientation for students and faculty

• Upon arrival all groups are given a thorough health and safety orientation that covers tips on staying safe as well as full information on what to do in an emergency, how to visit a doctor, how to use the local transportation system, etc. We provide a separate cultural orientation that covers cultural differences, culture shock, and a mix of theory and practice so that students can gain the skills, knowledge and awareness necessary for a successful study abroad program. Even prior to arrival in Barcelona, students receive pre-departure orientation that incorporates written information, videos and presentations.
• Program leaders will receive the same information as students (Full trip itinerary, access to the Online Student Guide, a map of the city, a metro map, an emergency contact card, housing information) as well as any information they need to know more about logistics and get in touch with staff. Program leaders must have an operational phone so the staff can reach them in case of need. If they don’t have one, Barcelona SAE can provide a cell phone with a local Spanish phone number.

Please describe your organization’s approach to managing student conduct and discipline issues

• Prior to the departure, all students sign a document where they accept to comply with the program rules and agree to follow local laws. In case of infringement the program will always inform the home university and depending on the gravity of the incident they will decide the penalty to apply. We work on a “soccer system” of two warnings (yellow cards) that lead to a red card that could mean expulsion from the program depending on the severity of the issue. The rules of the program – the housing rules, the code of conduct, etc. – are made explicit to the students and different points before arrival and upon arrival.

Staffing

How does your organization determine the appropriate participant/staff ratio for a given program or program activity?

• Barcelona SAE has a very high ratio of staff to students since our philosophy is to give the personalized attention to students onsite that would would like to have if we were participants. Our ratio ranges from 1 staff to 8 students during certain times of year to 1 staff to 15 students during other times of year. The average throughout the year is 1 staff to 11 students. During activities within the city, it can range from 1 staff member for 1 student (if we are doing a coffee check-in) to 1 staff member to 20 if we are doing a tour of a neighborhood. Whenever we have an excursion outside of the city, we always have 2 staff members present in case something were to happen to one of them.

What protocols does your organization have in place to ensure sufficient staff coverage/support in case of emergencies?

• Due to our high staff to student ratio, we have several staff to share the duties of the rotating 24-hour emergency phone. We have a protocol in place that if the emergency phone is busy or can’t be answered for some reason, it automatically gets forwarded to the back-up staff member. The staff have constant training in place for emergencies as well as exhaustive written protocols in place.

What are your staffing protocols for student advising, support, and counseling?

• During onsite orientation we give students all the tools necessary to stay safe and know how to move around Barcelona in the logistical orientation and during the cultural orientation some tips to understand Spanish culture.
• Barcelona SAE works with a clinic available 24/7 with walk in services for students and an International Department with English speaking staff. Also we have an English-speaking psychologist that is on call for emergencies and has 10+ years of experience working with study abroad students and programs. All students receive a wallet-sized emergency card with all necessary information in case of an emergency.
• We do something unique which is breaking up into Mentor groups. Each staff member has a group of 8-16 students for the term who acts as the mentor for that group and meets with them at the beginning to go over goals for the term, takes them out to a cultural dinner in the middle to see their status and then again at the end to provide some closure. These meetings are in addition to our weekly activities or excursions and workshops throughout the term.

Housing

How does your organization vet new housing options?

• The Housing department continuously recruits new host families and shared apartments. We assess if the potential housing options follow our standards and values. When it comes to the host families, we first make sure they fulfill the program requirements (space, furniture, meals/cleaning standards, reasons for hosting international students, etc). If they do, we visit them to confirm the household is suitable for our participants and to have a one-on-one interview. During and after the participants’ stay, we perform evaluations, in order to improve the homestay experience.
• For the shared apartments, we typically work with housing agencies that work with international students so they are aware of their main needs. After they do a first selection, we organise a visit to the apartments to make sure these are suitable for our participants, in terms of location, space/furniture, as well as if it complies with the safety measures and government regulations.

How often and in what capacity is program-approved housing visited and inspected to assess whether appropriate safety standards are met?

• The Housing department is in constant contact with host families and housing agencies. We visit the homestay when recruiting them, although the host families must notify us about maintenance works, behaviour issues, cleaning schedules, if the participant feels unwell, etc. Even the bedrooms are the participants’ private space in a homestay, the host family does a weekly cleaning so they can keep the cleanliness standards (including changing bedsheets and towels) and also have the chance to assess the state of the room and to carry out improvements/maintenance works if needed. When it comes to the apartments, after having recruited them, we visit them when checking out the participants, as well and for check ins. During the semester, we may visit some apartments to check the state of it, and the biweekly cleaning visit helps for this too. Occasionally, we have site visitors who want to see the housing options we offer our participants, so we sometimes show them apartments and homestays (after notifying those living in there).
• In these visits we can double check the safety measures and quality standards are met, and we also ask the agencies to confirm this when signing new contracts and updating the apartments photos and description.
• The Student Services Coordinator visits all apartments and homestays in order to select them. We are in constant contact with homestay families (at least once a month for payments, but usually more). We visit apartments ourselves once or twice a semester but we also have “eyes and ears” on the apartments every other week because the cleaning services go in there and will report any incidences. Although it’s not the law in Spain, almost 100% of the apartments we work with are equipped with smoke detectors (one per room and one in the living room), gas detector in the kitchen (if it works with gas), a CO2 gas detector, a fire extinguisher and a fireproof blanket in the kitchen.

How does your organization determine the appropriate safety standards for a given location?

• Barcelona SAE focuses exclusively on the city of Barcelona and we are in close contact with the US consulate here to make sure that Barcelona maintains its safe standing. Whenever we do excursions outside of the city, we are aware of any safety issues by following the local news, OSAC newsletters, etc.

What policies does your organization have in place regarding fire safety and structural integrity of buildings used in program-sponsored or arranged housing?

• We and our providers base our fire safety and structural integrity regulations on those deemed by the local government. In terms of the need for fire extinguishers, fire blankets, smoke alarms, etc., we base our needs off of what local laws require. We sign a contract with both host families and housing agencies.

When/if homestays are used, what types of criteria are used to select host families, and how does the organization ensure consistent application of those criteria?

• It is important that the family shares Barcelona SAE values and understands that this experience is more than an apartment-sharing situation. In order to ensure this, we will only work with a host family that has passed our initial checklist* and then we visit their house and have a one-on-one interview. We select host families that live within the metropolitan area of Barcelona and we make sure that they live in well-connected areas in terms of public transportation (with less than 60 minutes commute to the school, but an average of 30 minutes).
• Also Barcelona SAE runs a mid-term survey inviting every student who is staying with host families to rate they housing option, to ensure they are having a good experience. Most of our host families have been with us for years.
• checklist include: location, their reasons for hosting international students, years of experience hosting students, size of the room/storage, age of family members, if host family can prepare special meals (ie. gluten free, vegetarian, etc), if they have pets, what do they do for living (if they are out all day, or at home). We need different homestay profiles to match with different participants profiles, some of them may need more support from a host family, some others, more independence.

How are homestay hosts provided with training in program policies and health and safety protocols?

• Homestay families receive the Barcelona SAE handbook with information and training that we have put together based on our own experience and benchmarks from NAFSA and Forum. We include housing rules for homestays and students, “quality commitment guidelines” for both to follow, “good practices” tips that include a brief explanation of the culture shock, agreement details, cancellation policies, and of course relevant phone numbers in case of emergency and well as health and safety and risk management protocols. In our emergency response protocols, we have set the steps to follow when communicating with the host families and what they need to do to ensure the participants safety.

Activities and Excursions

How does your organization evaluate the safety of components such as:

-Transportation (public or private)

-Specific destinations and/or activities included in the excursions

-Venues

• We have been working with the same private bus company for the last 6 years and have thoroughly vetted their reputation and accident record. We use them an average of 40 times a year so we have developed a strong relationship of trust.
• Public transportation in Barcelona is very safe, efficient and used regularly by millions of people every week. We follow local warnings if there were ever to be an issue with taking the public transportation and would immediately alert the students through: email, facebook, text message, phone calls or any other means necessary.
• For all of our excursions and activities, we evaluate the safety through keeping up to date with local issues or problems. We have a thorough list of medical and emergency contact information for every destination we head to.
• For our excursion to Morocco, we have been sending students through Morocco Exchange for the last 6 years which is a program several of our staff have personally attended as well. Morocco Exchange has a top-notch risk management plan that is based off of the Peace Corps plan for placements in Morocco.

What factors are considered when determining the type of transportation to be used for a program activity?

• Local transport is organized as requested by the university. We can provide transfers from the airport to student housing, busses for daytrips and company visits, metro passes (there are a variety of options based on the length of stay of the group), taxis, etc.
• We make suggestions based on the itinerary, the distance, and the cultural objectives (i.e. we want students to use public transportation when possible to travel like locals do).

What protocols are used to vet/determine the safety of all types of transportation (public, private, chartered, trains, buses, vans, cars, etc.)?

• We use transportation that complies with local safety regulations. The bus company that we use for airport transfers and activities is Autocars Dura. According to their website all buses are equipped with seat belts, ABS, ASR and rollover protection. Also all coaches adhere strictly to the latest legislation on MOTs, travel insurance, Spanish Royal Legislative Decree no. 443/2001 on safety conditions for buses transporting children and school kids, legislation on driving time and rest periods for drivers. Royal Decree no. 561/2006. For more information please visit their website: https://autocarsdura.com/en/safety.html

How does the organization ensure that participants receive appropriate information prior to program activities regarding emergency protocols for excursions/activities away from the main program site?

• We offer a pre-departure orientation and also another session upon arrival covering tips on staying safe as well as full information on what to do in an emergency, how to visit a doctor, how to use the local transportation system, etc. in Barcelona so this covers their day-to-day as well as our activities that take place in Barcelona.
• For activities that take place away from Barcelona, all students receive by email, and then again in paper, the emergency and medical procedures for the specific locations we are going to. Additionally, as always, the students are asked to memorize our emergency phone number (and they have it on their emergency card, in the handouts, on the onsite guide etc…)

How does the organization ensure that up to date information regarding excursion itineraries is collected and kept accessible?

• The Barcelona SAE Activities Coordinator creates an online calendar with detailed information about the student’s activities (with meeting points, interesting info, sign up link, etc.). Also several reminders are sent to the students through email, social networks and the weekly cultural agenda. We have found this to be the absolute best way to keep students up to date on information.

What types of protocols does your organization maintain regarding staffing on excursions (ratio of staff to students, emergency backup, etc.)?

• During activities in Barcelona (such as a walking tour or cooking class) we have 1 staff member for every 20-25 students. Also we have a 24h emergency phone that is always covered by one of our staff members.
• For overnight excursions outside of Barcelona we always have 2 staff members guiding students and we would have 1 staff member per 20 students. For day trips outside of Barcelona, depending on the size of the group and the distance from Barcelona, we may have 1 staff member leading and then local guides that we have been working with for years as a second “chaperone” if it’s a group of fewer than 20 students. For more than 20 students, we will almost always have 2 staff members.

Communication Protocols

How does your organization disseminate local health and safety information to participants during orientation and throughout the program?

• Participants receive a pre-departure and onsite orientation that covers health and safety. Also the students receive a the link of the online student guide(designed through Google sites and developed by Barcelona SAE) to find all information necessary. If there is an emergency, we contact students through our onsite Facebook group, email, text message and phone calls. If the student lives in a host family, in an emergency we would also contact them to ensure the student’s safety.

What mechanisms does your organization utilize to collect, store, and access health information for students/faculty on site, as allowed by local regulations and in accordance with your organization’s policies?

• We limit student information gathered to the minimum necessary and is shared only with full time staff on the ground who are in charge. We store information in our shared server (between the US and Spanish offices) such as students’ housing information, medical assessment, passport number, date of birth, insurance information, etc. We are currently moving most students’ information to a secure online CRM.
• We comply with Spanish data protection laws as dictated to us through our 3^rd party compliance consultant regarding La Ley de Protección de datos (LOPD) (Protection of Data Laws).
• Some student information is also contained within Google Docs and only shared with “need-to-know” staff. Wherever possible, these documents are all password protected.
• We do not give this data to any outside contractors or third parties aside from when necessary such as with our insurance provider (CISI), hotels, internship placements, and any business visits that require name and passport number. Students sign a waiver through our Terms and Conditions to give approval for this.

What are your organization’s protocols for communicating health issues, including suspected but not confirmed issues such as mental health crisis or substance abuse, to the home campus?

• First of all the staff would talk to the student in order to provide support and assure the safety of the student. Also would provide the student with a list of English-speaking psychologists, and the possibility to go to the clinic. As for communication with the home campus, we follow the instructions of our university partners. Some want to know everything immediately and others prefer not to know unless there is a full-blown incident. We encourage the universities to have a clear and frank discussion with us about their objectives. Our main goal is the safety and well-being of the student and after that is making sure the university’s wishes for communication are being met.

Health Crisis Protocols

What training and support is provided to staff and faculty within the organization regarding awareness of and response to suspected mental health problems and substance abuse?.

• We have internal protocols and training for emergency response and “what to do if” scenarios and in dealing with complicated emergencies such as emotional, psychological and critical. We do regular trainings with the staff study case based before the beginning of each semester. Also the staff completed a first aid and CPR certificate and had a training with a psychologist who trained us on “working with students at high risk of psychological problems (anxiety, depression, suicide risk, etc…) That training was turned into a written training that all subsequent staff receive.
• That said, we are not mental health professionals, so we maintain a network of English-speaking psychologists and therapists who we can call on for support for these issues.

How does your organization establish and maintain contact with appropriate physical and mental health providers?

• We use CISI insurance for students on our programs and have a local hospital with 24h English translation services that accepts this insurance and will not collect any money from students for their visits.
• We have an English-speaking psychologist that is on call for emergencies and has 10+ years of experience working with study abroad students and programs. We have also a list of other English-speaking specialists in case the first one is not available.

How does your organization assess health care providers to which you refer students/faculty?

• The program has worked for years with CISI insurance but all insurances are welcomed. We work with the Clínica Sagrada Familia that several of the Barcelona study abroad programs work with as well. They have been working with CISI for years, and are familiar with CISI coverage.

How is contact information for these providers maintained and disseminated to students? What information is provided to students/faculty about accessing health resources independently?

• During the pre-departure and the onsite orientation the program provides their contact information. The students receive a wallet-sized card with emergency information such as Barcelona SAE’s 24-hour emergency phone, the “911” of Spain and phone numbers and contact information of health-care providers. This information is always available as well on our online student guide.

Emergency Management Planning

What protocols does your organization have for maintaining and updating crisis management plans for specific emergencies such as evacuation, natural disaster, political crisis, etc.?

• We regularly attend NAFSA and Forum conferences to stay up to date on the latest health and safety and risk management updates. We also work closely with our insurance provider, CISI, on plans for evacuation, political crises or natural disasters. With any new update from the field, we update our plans.
• We also stay in close contact with the US consulate in Barcelona so they know us, we know them and they are always aware of our students onsite.

What training does your staff undergo relating to crisis response and crisis management?

• We hold ongoing health and safety and Risk Management trainings throughout the year in-house and through NAFSA or Forum workshops. We also work with other study abroad providers in Barcelona to compare plans and make sure everyone is up to date.

What systems does your organization use to access emergency information for program participants?

• As said before, we store information in our shared server (between the US and Spanish offices) such as students’ housing information, medical assessment, passport number, date of birth, insurance information, etc. We are currently moving most students’ information to our own secure online data storage CRM.

How and how often are crisis management plans reviewed, tested, and updated?

• The crisis management plans are reviewed at least once per year, but usually more because after attending a workshop or conference, new information comes to light and updated plans can take place.

What protocols does your organization maintain for reporting safety incidents to the home campus?

• When we are working with a university faculty-led program, we work side-by-side with the faculty director and have a communication plan in place so that everyone knows whether it is the responsibility of the university director to report back to the home campus or the responsibility of Barcelona SAE. For example, with one group that was here for 10 weeks, Barcelona SAE sent an email every Friday back to the home campus with updates from onsite. Other universities want all of the communication to be routed through the faculty director. Either way is fine with us as long as everyone knows the protocol.
• With some partners we maintain a shared Google Spreadsheet where we keep detailed information about all incidents and can share this in real time with the university.

What local response organizations/entities does your organization liaise with?

• Our main contact is with the US consulate but we also maintain contact with the Barcelona police force.

What protocols does your organization maintain for regular assessment of buildings, facilities, equipment, fire precautions, structural integrity, and security precautions?

• We follow the local laws which state that, for example, once per year, all office buildings should be reviewed to make sure the fire extinguishers work, there are still fire blankets where they should be, that fire exits are not blocked etc…We do regular check-ins at apartments and homestays as well to assess these requirements.