They say mothers have ‘eyes in the back of their heads’. The same must be true of Team and Alum Leaders, and good Youthlinc mentors and participants. To help us all develop these very useful ‘eyes’, Youthlinc has instituted the Safety Minute to be used as often as needed (several times a day) on all international service trips.

The basic concept is that Team and Alum Leaders, and anyone in charge of any activity, should pause with the participants for a moment, and together assess out loud any dangers or accidents or health issues that could arise in the course of the activity. If a ‘Safety Moment’ is used often, many potential hazards can be avoided. It is impossible to mention every time or every occasion or every consideration that should be taken account of in a Safety Moment. The most important part of a Safety Moment is to look around, and engage as many individuals as possible in the thought process of ‘what could go wrong’.

For example, upon arriving at an airport departure gate, the Team Leader could:

When boarding the vehicles in-country to go to the work site, a Leader or a mentor or participant could be assigned to review:

Before starting Opening (or Closing) ceremonies, or a Carnival (Fun Fair), someone could be assigned to review:

Before beginning a construction activity, everyone should stop and assess potential hazards each day:

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