One of the more difficult aspects of world travel can be witnessing children at risk – begging at crossroads, selling postcards, shining shoes, or performing traditional dance shows in bars or orphanages to raise funds from tourists.  At Journeys Within we believe that a tour company not only has a responsibility to its guests, but also a responsibility to the countries in which we live and work.  In the spirit of building a positive environment for children, Andrea attended the first ChildSafe meeting held in Siem Reap and we have been working to incorporate their principles into our tours ever since.

On Friday, our Journeys Within team in Siem Reap took the next step in helping to protect children in the local community by completing ChildSafe Child Protection Training.  In this training session, specifically designed for tour operators, the entire JW Cambodia team,  including office staff, tour guides and drivers, were trained how to respond to situations that may be dangerous for children. This training incorporated advice about interacting with children, how to avoid scams, how to make sure tourist contributions have a long-lasting positive impact, and of course how to enjoy beautiful Southeast Asia while protecting children along the way.

ChildSafe has created 7 Tips to help travelers understand what can be harmful to local children, alongside proactive ways they can help. All Journeys Within guests will now receive a copy of the ChildSafe Traveler Tips when they arrive in Southeast Asia, along with any other localized information to help keep children safe. You can learn more about ChildSafe and how to be a ChildSafe Traveler at http://thinkchildsafe.org/.

… Read more »