Responsible Tourism

Responsible Tourism

THE COUNCIL FOR LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM (CLOTC)

Living with the Lions Sports Travel is pleased to announce that is has shown itself to be at the top of the class for educational visits, by being awarded a Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge.

Awarded by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (CLOtC), the LOtC Quality Badge combines for the first time learning and safety into one easily recognisable badge for all organisations providing learning outside the classroom experiences.

The LOtC Quality Badge is designed to make it easier for teachers to identify providers of quality educational visits. Organisations will display the LOtC Quality Badge as a signal to schools that their venue has met required standards, so teachers do not need to carry out their own risk or quality assessments.

By Obtaining LOtC Quality Badge you can be confident in the quality of the educational provision and risk management procedures. The Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel have endorsed the award and ask that their Local Authority members advise teachers to look for the LOtC Quality Badge when planning educational visits.

Why Learning Outside of the Classroom?

Research shows that children learn best through real life experiences. Taking learning beyond the classroom walls makes learning more memorable and helps children who don’t thrive in a traditional classroom environment to achieve.

99% of teachers say that students are more animated and engaged when learning outside the classroom (Opinion matters survey on behalf of TUI Education Division, 2010)

LOtC is known to contribute significantly to raising standards & improving pupils’ personal, social & emotional development. It also contributes to the quality and depth of learning (OFSTED, Learning Outside the Classroom, How far should you go?, 2008).

Why book with someone with the LOtC Quality Badge?

The LOtC Quality Badge is a national benchmark that accredits providers of learning outside the classroom offering good quality educational experiences and managing risk effectively.

The LOtC Quality Badge is recognised across all sectors offering LOtC experiences including overseas expeditions, adventurous activities, heritage, arts and farming and countryside so teachers only need to look for one badge when taking children out and about.

The LOtC Quality Badge provides assurance to teachers and parents regarding safety and the quality of learning.

COMMUNITY SPORTS TOURS – RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

We at LWTL are keen to encourage Responsible Tourism – Tourism that aims to make a positive impact on the economic, environmental, social & cultural features of the destinations visited.

With this in mind, we are currently developing Community Sports Tours – tours that are designed to embrace & support the unique characteristics of the countries and cultures visited on your sports tour.
We wish to maximise your touring experience, whilst supporting the local communities visited and propose a few ways to do so.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

During your sports tour, perhaps you might like to support the local community by leading sports coaching clinics with those less fortunate than yourselves. Or, you might like to introduce your favourite sports to children who may not have had the equipment or opportunity to learn previously. We can assist you with arranging these experiences.

In addition to your sporting requests, we can help you interact with local communities in other ways.

Examples include:

• Meet the descendants of the indigenous people of Dominica, the Kalinagos, or the San (bushman) of South Africa. Learn about their culture and their history.
• Support community projects at orphanages in South Africa, Sri Lanka or India. This could be projects that expand over a few days or longer and include activities such as teaching children how to use computers, or painting and gardening projects, for example.
• Tree planting activities in Australia to help offset your carbon footprint.
• Music, dance and language workshops.

These projects can be for a couple of hours, a full day or even incorporate overnight stays.
We are keen to encourage and assist you with your support offered to the local communities visited. If you wish to give something back to the communities visited whilst on your sports tour, please feel free to contact us as we will be more than happy to help.

SPOTLIGHT ON THE UK

Community Sports Tourism isn’t just about overseas communities it’s also about our own community here in the UK. LWTL we are getting involved with several projects and encourage our schools to do the same.

When taking your sports team on tour within the UK, why not look to support local communities as part of your touring experience. There are many ways in which you can do this. Why not support a sporting charity such as Cricket for Change (cricketforchange.org.uk ), a charity that uses cricket to change the lives of disadvantaged young people.

Or, perhaps support sporting teams that cater for children with special needs – for example Witney Wolves SEN Tag Rugby(witneywolvesrugby.co.uk). The Wolves, part of Witney RFC, are a special needs tag rugby team for boys and girls aged 7 and upwards. The team has a range of disabilities from downs syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and mild learning difficulties. Witney Wolves cater for all needs and abilities to provide the children with opportunities to grow in confidence, develop social skills, get fit and make friends.

Why not help raise funds to purchase kit for their new members or help them buy a sports wheel chair for the team.

We at LWTL are also currently seeking tree planting projects to support within the UK to help combat climate change and further information on this will follow in due course.

SPOTLIGHT ON SOUTH AFRICA.

Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa
Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) is a non-profit organization registered in South Africa which operates the world’s first and only tourism Fair Trade label.

FTTSA makes sure that the benefits of tourism go to everyone involved and the money generated is fed back into the local community through fair wages, working conditions and fair distribution of benefits. It also ensures that human rights, culture and environment are always respected.

LWTL Sports Tours & Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa.
Fairtrade – THE COUNCIL FOR LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

Fair Trade in Tourism SA (FTTSA) is a non-profit organisation initiative that certifies tourism businesses for operating according to the principles of ‘fair trade’. FTTSA awards a special Trademark or label to qualifying businesses as a way of signifying their commitment to these principles (fair share, democracy, respect, reliability, transparency, sustainability) and related criteria, including fair wages and working conditions, fair purchasing, fair operations, equitable distribution of benefits and respect for human rights, culture and environment. By electing to stay at or use the services of a FTTSA certified establishment, tourists can be assured that their travel benefits local communities and economies, and that the business is operated ethically and in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.