Sometimes volunteers want the opportunity to travel abroad to carry out training. Properly structured this can be commendably if it leads to sustainable projects but is not without risk.

We recently learned of a group of volunteers who were subject to extortion whilst on such a trip. We recommend that, for your own safety, great caution is taken in planning or implementing any similar trips and that appropriate due diligence is carried out by, for example, making enquiry of an Embassy, High Commission or local charity group.

We strongly recommend that anyone wanting to be involved in such activities first engages with the local International Life Saving Federation Member (see https://www.ilsf.org/about/members) from whom advice can be obtained.