World Summit | Welcome 2019 Participants!

This page contains key information on the GSL World Summit you will be attending in August 2019 at Wellington College, UK.

The Experience

What’s included:

  • Full board (see information below) and accommodation at Wellington College between Monday 5th – Friday 16th August 2019;
  • A sightseeing trip to London on Saturday 10th August 2019;
  • A cultural trip to Oxford University;
  • Outdoor adventure day at Horseshoe Lake;
  • Formal gala dinner celebration;
  • Daily timetable of interactive workshops, inspiring guest speakers, experiential team tasks, personalised coaching outdoor activities, and evening entertainment;
  • Access to the facilities and amenities at Wellington College;
  • A full staff team with a range of academic and professional coaching background;
  • All materials produced for students on GSL (e.g. handbook, etc.)
  • A GSL t-shirt**If you would like to pre-order a GSL jumper (hoody) for £20 please let us know before coming to Wellington College. You will also be able to buy them on programme for £30 (limited size and stock)

What’s not included:

  • Travel to and from the programme (see Welcome and Departure Package below)
  • Accommodation on Sunday night August 4th and dinner (see Welcome and Departure Package below)
  • Travel Insurance, please ensure you are covered for travel insurance
  • Any personal expenses (e.g. souvenirs)

Welcome and Departure Package

  • Meet and greet at London Heathrow Airport on Sunday 4th August (the day before the GSL World Summit begins)
  • Transport to Wellington College
  • Dinner and accommodation at Wellington College on Sunday 4th August
  • Breakfast on Monday 5th August
  • Transport to London Heathrow Airport on the last day of GSL World Summit (16th August)

£200 (for individuals)

£150 for Groups (above 5)

If you haven’t yet booked your Welcome & Departure package, there is still time to do so. It will take the hassle out of planning your accommodation and food after your arrival. All you need to do is arrive at Heathrow airport and we’ll take care of the rest!

What to bring to the residential

Essential clothes to bring

Please wear casual, comfortable, appropriate clothing, bearing in mind that we will be doing some physical activity:

  • Casual clothes for 12 days (e.g. t-shirts, jeans, etc.)
  • Formal/Smart wear for a Gala Dinner on Thursday 15th August (in previous years participants have worn suits/dresses or traditional dress from their country)
  • Sports clothing for free time and outdoor activities
  • Sport or comfortable shoes
  • Warm clothes for the evening and colder days
  • Pyjamas/nightwear
  • Underwear/socks
  • Waterproof jacket – there will be outdoor activity!
  • Suitable swimming gear – there is an on-site swimming pool (optional)
    You will have day of outdoor activities at a Lake.  So you MUST bring swimwear that is suitable for water based activities, maybe bring an old t-shirt you can wear as well if its sunny and we are not wearing wetsuits
  • Alternative pair of sturdy shoes for water activities (trainers that can get wet or sandals (not flip flops)
  • Bring a re-usable water bottle if you have one (you will receive a GSL bottle if you forget yours)
  • Please bring plug adapters. We will NOT have these on site so please bring your own to fit UK plugs (see photo)
  • Toiletries (soap, shampoo, toothbrush, deodorant)
  • A large towel
  • A plastic bag for dirty clothes
  • A padlock (if you wish to lock up any valuables)

Please note that these are only suggestions. We will be posting any additional specific information on this page and will keep it updated!

Optional

A musical instrument (if you play one)
Your special talent
An object you can’t live without (which can be easily packed)

What NOT to bring:

  • Unnecessary valuables. There are no locks on the bedroom doors. Valuables are brought at your own risk.
  • Alcohol, drugs, weapons or any other illegal or dangerous weapons are forbidden on the programme

If you are unsure of something you wish to bring please contact us on social.leaders@future-foundations.co.uk

 

Get your Hoodie before you come to the uk

Pre-order a GSL jumper (hoodie) for only £20 today and collect it at Wellington College during the GSL World Summit 2019.

GET MY GSL HOODIE

Travel Arrangements

  • We will contact you and or your lead teachers directly to confirm your travel details

  • If you have purchased our Welcome and Departure Package you will be welcomed at the airport by clearly identified members of GSL staff

  • We will confirm pick-up times, contact numbers, and other relevant information only after flights for all participants are booked.

Planning your own travel arrangements?

Please ensure you arrive at Wellington College by 9 am on Monday 5th August.

We suggest to book your departure flights on Friday August 16th after 5PM (if possible) to ensure everyone can be present for the closing plenary.

Complete Travel Details Form

What’s ahead?

ACTION

DETAILS

TIME FRAME

Meet the teamYou will get a chance to see your coaches introductory videos to learn about the incredible staff who will make the GSL World Summit an unforgettable experience!May
Travel InformationWe will email you more information so you and your parents/guardians know exactly what to expect come August.May/June
Participant login informationYou will receive instructions to log into the participant space where you will meet the participants from all over the world who will be part of this journey.June
Pre-programme preparationYou will be required to complete some fun exercises to give other participants more information about what makes you YOU!June/July
Engage and Collaborate!You will get the opportunity to book a slot with other GSL participants as well as chat to one of our staff members using our online platform. We will be answering questions on the programme, and make sure you are ready for your GSL experience at Wellington College!June/July
Global Goals CompetitonWe are excited to invite you to participate in the GSL Global Goals competition focused on the United Nations Global Goals for sustainable development,After the programme
Global Goals Competition

A Day in the Life OF a GSL Participant

We asked our previous GSL participants 4 questions to sum up their experience at the GSL World Summit. Click below to read what they had to say:
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Can you reflect how you felt at the start of the program versus the end?

At the start of the program I was really nervous about meeting new people and if I had to get up and speak in front of everyone. I didn’t have a lot of confidence in myself  and I thought I wouldn’t be able to really connect with all these amazing people from all over the world because I felt like my confidence was so low compared to everyone else in the program. However at the end of the program I was so glad that all those feelings I had at the start were almost non-existent. At the end of the program I could feel a significant difference in my confidence and I was more open to speaking in front of people without feel so self-conscious all the time, and I was more aware about other issues in the world. The atmosphere throughout was always amazing everyone was so friendly and all the coaches made everyone feel so welcome. At the end of the program I loved how I had made so many friends from so many different parts of the world, I now have so many different friendships with people in different countries, I still keep in touch with them and I plan on treasuring those friendships for many years to come.

Could you briefly describe a typical day at World Summit?

Firstly we would all meet in our common room for registration and then head down to an amazing breakfast were we’d sit and chat to each other. Then we would have a morning plenary every morning and each morning the plenary would have a different theme for example two themes we got were: authenticity and mindfulness. Then we would usually split up into our teams that we were put in at the start of the summit. Here we would be in classrooms and we would talk about different worldwide issues, what we would like to change, we did a lot of team building exercises and we discussed a lot about the different sustainable development goals. Then would go for our lunch in the dinning hall which was always pretty good. The afternoons were also usually spent in our teams and then later in we’d go into the dining hall for dinner. In the evenings we would normally do different activities or have free time were we could all come together and do fun activities like different sports, play music and just talk with different people and have a good time. Then we would head back into our boarding houses and we’d chill out there sometimes with hot cocoa and biscuits until it was time for lights out.

What would you say to friend who is considering attending the GSL world summit?

I would tell them about how amazing the experience was. All the people are so incredibly friendly and welcoming from the start. I’d tell them about the amazing opportunity you have to make amazing friends from all over the world and form friendships that will last for years and years to come. You have a lot of opportunities to speak in public and develop that skill. You get to get involved with a lot of different and interesting discussions about different world issues and what you would like to see change in the world. You get to do really fun team building activities with amazing people. Overall it is an amazing and unforgettable experience and you should definitely consider going because you’ll have memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.

I’m sure you had a moment or memory that stood out to you during the programme. Please describe it?

One evening we had a GSL talent show; it was such a fun night with great people. Each team had to perform a skit that they had prepared based on a sustainable development goal they were given, a place the skit had to be set in and a theme. Also people could display an individual talent they had. Also the coaches did a skit as well which was so fun to watch. Siting in the audience and taking in part in this with amazing friends was what made this such a fun experience. There was an amazing atmosphere, everyone was supporting each other and having fun. Some of things performed were really funny and really fun to participate in. Overall this stood out to me because all of us came together and had such an enjoyable night- I didn’t want the night to end!

Can you reflect how you felt at the start of the program versus the end?

At the beginning, I was quite nervous as I was not confident with myself. I was new to the UK and my English was not as good as it is now, and personally felt like I could not express how much I wanted to help my community and my school. This is because my school was greatly affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy during that year and I could see that something had to be done to help the younger pupils. On the first day, I realised that I was not the only one who was feeling that they had to start something to help their communities; each of us had different reasons, some were concerned about the wellbeing of women in India others about the education of refugees. It was the best feeling, seeing that I was not the only one who wanted to make some change and that I wanted to put some action in board. The coaches were reassuring, giving us all their knowledge about how we had to plan our projects and how to deliver them in the most successful way. I would say that after the first, I felt that I was part of a big family who cared about general issues even though all of us came from all the corners in the world.

Could you briefly describe a typical day at World Summit?

I remember that every day early in the morning we used to have sessions of Yoga or Football. I remember that me and my friends used to go the Yoga sessions because it was a way to start the day with a lot more motivation and happiness. After, we used to have sessions which helped us understand what was leadership and the different types of leadership that we could use. Later in the evening, we had some free time in which we could play games together or watch films. It was the best summer of my life and I would love to be part of it one more time.

What would you say to friend who is considering attending the GSL world summit?

I would say that the programme allows us, young people to form a network around the world as well as making friendships for a lifetime. It helps us to get out of our comfort zone by recognising global issues and coming up with social action projects.

I’m sure you had a moment or memory that stood out to you during the programme. Please describe it?

One of the many memories I have of GSL was when I decided to step out and tell everyone my personal experience of being an immigrant. This was an emotional moment that I had as I never had the chance to tell everyone my own personal experience throughout my life as an immigrant. I remember that after this, so many of my new friends understood a bit better the life of an immigrant and that made me feel great because I saw some changes in their view of an ‘immigrant’. This was clearly a highlight of my journey in GSL because I was a quite shy person, which never had the courage to step out and speak in public without being terrified of people’s reaction. It made me so confident that I started being more active in public discussions and enjoying debate competitions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Participant

  • No, we advise you bring your own.  However, we do have spares just in case!
  • No unfortunately they are not, please bring your own.
  • Students are not allowed to leave site on their own and are expected to stay onsite at all times, other than when attended an escorted excursion offsite.
  • All our venues are smoke free. However, we have negotiated for there to be a designated smoking area away from the main buildings.  You will be shown this area if you let us know you smoke.
  • If you smoke inside, this is against the Code of Conduct and is a fire risk. Should this happen, you would be given a warning, if you repeat this then you will be sent home from programme (any new flights would have to be paid for by your parents and no programme fees would be returned).
  • Unfortunately there is no laundry service. However, we do have access to a washing machine for emergencies.
  • In each boarding house which offers single-sex accommodation (boys and girls will be in separate houses at Wellington College), there are shared bathroom facilities with cubicles for bathrooms.
  • Showers are in pods so you always have privacy.
  • We are not able to insure personal belongings brought onto the programme.  For this reason, we do not recommend that you bring any expensive pieces of equipment or unnecessary valuables with you (e.g. jewellery, iPads and/or other expensive electronic equipment). Participants do so at their own risk and Future Foundations will not be held liable in the event that any item or money goes missing.
  • Future Foundations is looking forward to the opportunity of working with all young people who take part in the GSL programme. We will have one member of staff to every 12 young people on the programme so that we will offer a safe and motivating space for you to make the most of the support and mentoring throughout GSL.
  • Team coaches are experienced and trained facilitators specialised in personal development for adults and young people through key life stages. Biographies will be uploaded on the website.  There is also a Pastoral Team and an Operations Team to make sure you have a great time!
  • Usually, you will have a room that you share with one other person, or you might have a single room. We will let you know which room you are in when you arrive, but do let us know if you wish to share with someone specifically!
  • The programme is inclusive of all meals, but you may want to bring money for snacks, or for gifts.  There will be the opportunity to buy gifts on the excursion days. We do not advise bringing a lot of cash!
  • We ask for dietary information on the Participant registration form, so please let us know.
  • If you have food preferences, please let us know.
  • All meals are provided on-site at the programme, and it may be food you are not used to. All you need to do is let us know if you are unhappy with food options and we can try and help.
  • Please let us know in the Medical Form of any conditions and the medication that you take.
  • If your parents are happy for you to self-medicate, and you are used to managing your illness, we ask that your parents confirm this on the Medical Form.
  • We are also able to keep hold of medicines in a safe and secure place.
  • We would need to have signed letter from your parents to give permission. This must detail the person you will meet, their relationship to you and details of where they will meet.
  • A member of staff will not accompany you.
  • If this is on a day of programme, you cannot make up the time lost.
  • If they are to travel alone to meet this person, we would not cover this cost, and we would put in a procedure to ensure you arrive safely. However, the letter must state that permission is given of the child to travel alone and travel arrangements must be made by the parents.
  • If the meeting is in a place we are visiting on an excursion, staff would facilitate the meeting. However, the child must the return at the appointed time to return by coach, or the above is true if they will return at a different time.
  • All bed linen, pillows and duvets are provided. Linen is changed once a week when rooms are also cleaned.
  • No, there is no safe on-site. If you bring a padlock there are lockable cupboards in your room.
  • Please note, bedroom doors cannot be locked for safety reasons.
  • There is no test! This programme is about your learning and development. Bring your spirit, your thinking hat and be prepared to challenge yourself with participants from all over the world in making a difference.
  • Please speak to the Course Director about this and let them know why. We will typically not move students to be with friends on programme, as the aim is for students to be in a mixed group of peers and to make new friends for life.
  • We will usually go by coach to different locations after breakfast and return before dinner.
  • On arrival, we will typically do a walking tour, some excursions will include entrance into a local attraction. You will also get some ‘free time’ to go shopping or explore.  You will be told to always be in groups of 3 and given an emergency phone number, and a meeting point.
  • If you get lost, we will try and contact you on your phones. A member of staff will always wait for you, and we would never leave anyone behind!
  • It is common for people to feel homesick, even if they are used to being away from home.
  • You can call home and we would ask that your parents let us know if their child is feeling home sick.
  • We will keep you busy, and buddy you up with another student to make sure you feel supported.
  • The House Parent will check on you, and support you like a second parent to the best of their abilities.
  • We will supply all specialist equipment. You can also refer to the list of items under ‘Kit List’ on this page of things you should bring, but any questions just get in touch!
  • Wellington College provide a variety of healthy meals, dietary meals such as coeliac, gluten and dairy free. We may not be able to provide Halal options. Please make sure you provide your food preferences in the Parent/guardian form.
  • The programme will be held at Wellington College in Berkshire, which is an amazing boarding school with incredible grounds and historic background. Google it!
  • You will be staying in the Wellington College boarding houses for the duration of the programme. Boys and girls will stay in separate, single-sex accommodation. Pastoral staff will be on duty at night times to help you if needed.
  • The closest hospital is to Wellington College is Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading which is a 30 minute car journey from the college.
  • Yes you will receive a certificate from Future Foundations at the end of programme
  • After the programme, you will be challenged to start your own social action projects with the skills they have developed during the GSL programme.  You will be invited to join our Global Goals Competition programme that is a movement of students around the world undertaking social action under the GSL banner.  More information can be found on our website:  www.globalsocialleaders.co./ggcompetition
  • You will also be invited to gain a Certificate in Applied Leadership – you will receive more information about this on the programme
  • Yes. Upon your arrival at Heathrow Airport you will be given the chance to buy a sim card for your mobile phone. Please note it is important to notify the team you meet at the airport if you wish you buy a sim card as they will not be available at Wellington College.

Project team

For this award, we are looking for existing projects in Commonwealth countries that were part of the Global Goals 2018-2019 competition.

 In your application form please specify what has changed and your reasons for the change.

 There is always potential for expanding and involving other organisations. Please let us know when you collaborate with a new organisation.

  • Ghana
  • India
  • Kenya
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Nigeria
  • United Kingdom
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Cyprus
  • Netherlands
  • Pakistan
  • Singapore
  • Sri Lanka

Teachers

We understand there are circumstances that prevent projects from fulfilling their journey. Please write to us on social.leaders@future-foundations.co.uk and let us know if your team decides not to continue with their project and we will pick up the conversation with them and keeping you (the teacher) in loop.

VISA Guidance

Unaccompanied Minors –a child traveling without an adult

Each Airline has a different policy on ‘Unaccompanied Minors’.

A ‘Minor’ is typically a young person under the age of 16.  Most Airlines will allow a young person aged between 12 and 16 to fly alone.  Others may stipulate that they must use their escort services which will be charged.

If the child has an escort, this means that they will be met at the Registration Desk and looked after until they are met by a Future Foundations Representative in the UK (and the same for the return journey).

If the child is allowed to travel to the UK without an adult (someone over the age of 18) by the airline, they will be treated as an ‘unaccompanied minor’ or a ‘UM’.

The parent or guardian will need to provide some or all of the following to the airline:

  • their written consent for travel to the UK;
  • their full contact details;
  • evidence that suitable living arrangements have been made for the stay in the UK;
  • the name and date of birth of the intended carer (a Future Foundations Representative);
  • address where they will be living;
  • authority from parent(s) or legal guardian allowing Future Foundations to care for you during your stay in the UK; and
  • A letter from Future Foundations to include details of the programme.
  • To come to the UK for study, you will need to check if you must have a Visa to enter the country.
  • They best way to check if you need a visa, and what visa type you need is to use this online tool on the UK Visas and Immigration website: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
  • You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK. UKVI say that you should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks, however some may take longer.
  • Please check this guide to find out how long getting a visa might take in the country you’re applying from the following website: guide processing times
  • If a participant is unable to obtain a visa for the programme and has to cancel their place, the participant must provide a copy of the visa refusal letter to enter the UK. Where this has been provided only then will a refund be made of fees paid, minus the non-refundable deposit.
  • It is the participants responsibility to ensure that they apply for the correct visa, within an appropriate amount of time for it to be granted, and that they are responsible for providing the additional information required for the visa, such as bank statement
  • Please ensure that you seek advice and check online for the type of visa you need to apply for, the documents required and the time they take to process.  The following is an indication and not a comprehensive guide, with information taken from the UKVI website.

Welfare

  • As part of the welcome package, students will be met at the airport on arrival
  • Students will be grouped together and put into a taxi with a driver who has been DBS checked and is from a recognised taxi company
  • On arrival, they may wait for students arriving on a later flight. The staff will stay with them at all times
  • On departure students will be grouped together by departure times and will be taken to the airport by taxi
  • A member of staff will help them to check in and will see they go through security.
  • We will ensure that students have plenty of time to get to their flight, for international flights this is recommended to be 3 hours before the flight time to ensure they get through security as at major UK airports this can take some time.
  • We always ensure that there is a high number of trained staff on site to manage first aid.
  • We always get student’s medical details and we will ensure that medications are taken if they have a medical condition.
  • All our centres are located near to local Doctor services for minor concerns, as well as being near hospitals.
  • We will always let the parents know if we have had to take their child to see a doctor or to hospital.
  • We have risk assessment for all the activities and excursions
  • All staff have had training and are aware of how to ensure students are safe
  • All of our residential accommodation is accessed by a key code which is held only by staff, and not students
  • This ensures that no one is able to access the accommodation except at appropriate times
  • We have Pastoral staff who are in the accommodation to ensure a point of contact during the night
  • We have an emergency number which students can call 24 hours a day
  • College Security patrols Wellington College during the day and night
  • All staff and students wear lanyards at all times to ensure that visitors are easily recognisable
  • Students are not allowed to leave the programme venue on their own. Wellington College is  away from the town centre which discourages students to walk off college grounds
  • Students will have a curfew to be in the accommodation
  • We run a full Fire Drill on the first day to ensure that all students know how to get to safety in the case of a fire
  • The staff to student ratio is 1:10 while on site and at night
  • On excursions the ratio is 1:15 which includes any teachers who come with their own group of students
  • Night time supervision consists of staff being placed around the student accommodation (with own bathroom facilities) to ensure they can assist in the event of a fire or a student needs help in the night
  • On excursions, students will be allowed free time, where they must always be in groups of 3. They will be given the emergency phone number and a meeting point.  A member of staff will always be at this meeting point during free time

WS Teacher

  • Please discuss this with the Course Director. We would like you to feel involved in the programme, but appreciate you also need some free time.  Please let us know your plans.
  • We would be able to advise on travel, but cannot provide this for you if you leave site.
  • Yes please do! We would love you to be involved in what your students are learning and be part of this journey.  There are teacher sessions which are separate to your students sessions, so during these sessions you will not be able to attend the student sessions.
  • We ask for dietary information and food preferences on the teacher registration form, so please let us know.
  • All meals are provided on-site at the programme, and it may be food you are not used to. All you need to do is let us know if you are unhappy with food options and we can try and help.

can i?

  • Please speak with the Course Directors about your concerns.
  • We do regular observation of staff, and have a formal process if our staff are not reaching the standards we expect.
  • Please do not approach the member of staff directly with your concerns.
  • If they need to see a doctor this can be arranged. We would ask you to attend to help with any translation.  A member of staff will also go with you, and we will provide transport.
  • The closest hospital is Wellington College – Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading which is a 30 minute car journey from the college
  • We will be happy to advise on places to see and things to do.
  • We will provide an area where you can relax on site. There is also a lovely café ‘The V&A’ where you can enjoy a coffee.
  • We have a limited number of rooms with private bathrooms. If these are not available, then you will have a shared bathroom with other staff.  These are all cubicles and not open area showers.

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