Hi! I am Kelly Ryan, one of the International Program Coordinators on the Quest team at United Planet. I had the honor of representing United Planet at the ICYE Regional Training Workshop for Trainers in Quito, Ecuador this April 2024. 

International Partnership

During this training, we had representatives from many different countries in the Americas and our main facilitator was running the training from the ICYE International Office in Berlin, Germany. We were being trained on the new ICYE “Safer Together” policy addressing sexual violence in international volunteering.  

United Planet is a small nonprofit with a dedicated team that works to coordinate volunteer travel across 40+ countries. We are able to accomplish this work through strategic and trusted partnerships that ensure the safety of our volunteers. We are proud to be part of an international community that continually strives to educate our participants, ourselves, and the communities we work with. This workshop trained each of us to replicate what we learned in our teams, with our partners, and with our volunteers that we send abroad and receive.

Comprehensive Training

I was so impressed with my colleagues during this training. To see their enthusiasm for strengthening the program and for sharing best practices and lessons learned. We met from 8 am until 5 pm for five days straight. First, we ensured our mutual understanding of the policy including the terms and fundamental principles. Then we discussed the policy’s main point, which is to prevent violence through empowerment, education, and sensitivity training. We finalized the training with best practices in the case of any reports of sexual harassment or violence. All of us worked together to understand the different cultures and laws of our respective countries that would influence best practices and how to coordinate with local and international partners to ensure safety and accountability. 

Embracing the Local Culture

Aside from the daily training, we partook in cultural activities around Quito. We visited PACCARI to try the famous Ecuadorian chocolatier. We took a walking tour of the Historic Center to learn about the history of Quito and Ecuador. We also got to try the local fruits and cuisine. My favorites were taxo which is like sour pomegranate and the menestra which is Ecuadorian lentils. We also went to the hot springs in Papallacta. Everyone in Ecuador was a terrific host. The Uber service in Quito made transport really safe and affordable. I was impressed by the country’s emphasis on social development even with the socio-economic and socio-political challenges that they face.

I am proud to be part of a Federation of partners that work continuously to improve the comprehensive quality of our cultural exchange program. A Quest through United Planet is not a vacation or tourism. You are participating in an educational, cultural exchange program that is designed to ensure your safety and cultural immersion in a new country. You may not see us all during your day-to-day activities on the ground but just know that there are a lot of people working behind the scenes on prevention and emergency preparedness.