How to Engage Chaperones on Your Student Group Tour
Serving as a group leader for a student group travel experience is a very rewarding position, but one that comes with many duties and responsibilities. How effectively you are able to manage these tasks has a major impact on the success of your student group travel adventure. In addition to leaning on your Education Program Specialist for assistance, recruiting and engaging staff chaperones is another key way to make the most of your experience.
Top tips for Engaging Student Group Travel Chaperones:
1. Recruiting Students – Having a wide variety of chaperones means you have access to a wider audience of students to recruit for your student group tour. Tap into the connections that your chaperones have made with students in various classes and grades to expand your reach. Different students connect with different teachers and coaches, so a range of active chaperones can be the key to encourage students to enroll in your educational travel program.
2. Delegation of Duties – There are a number of tasks to be completed before, during, and after your student group travel tour. To help ease the burden on you as group leader, delegate some of these duties to your chaperones. Recruit chaperones to complete tasks, such as rooming lists, meal orders, and room checks at the hotel, in addition to writing ‘thank you’ notes to trip sponsors and families following your student group travel experience. This will not only lighten your workload, but also give your chaperones a sense of ownership in the trip and encourage them to participate again in future student group travel opportunities.
3. Plan Activities – The days are busy during student group travel tours, but take time to plan a team-building activity at the end of each day to bring the group together. Often your chaperones will have skills or ideas that complement your leadership, and allowing them to plan these additional activities can enhance the overall student group travel experience. Plus, as the group leader, you could use this time to reflect on the day and prepare for the next day’s activities.
Student group travel is a life-changing experience for your students, so choosing chaperones that are reliable and dependable, as well as those that are willing to get involved, will truly enhance your students’ experience. Giving your chaperones tasks to complete will give them ownership of the tour, encourage them to participate in the future, and foster a culture of student travel at your school.
