LOVVOL works with a number of schools, organisations and summer camps in China and Mongolia (the “Host”) to provide a fulfilling experience for both UK/European/USA/Canadian/Australian university students and Chinese/Mongolian children with respect to international exchange and language learning through workshops and classes (the “Programme”).

The document below provides Terms and Conditions to students who decide to apply for these education / cultural exchange opportunities through LOVVOL (our “Ambassadors”) to attend the Programme arranged and managed by the Host in either China or Mongolia.

LOVVOL provides the Programme placement to the Ambassador for free.

Terms and Conditions 

LOVVOL requires all Ambassadors to purchase insurance cover for your outward and return journeys and throughout your Programme.

Your insurance cover should include medical and emergency travel expenses, luggage and personal effects, money, personal accident, personal liability, cancellation and curtailment, rescue and assistance, legal expenses, hijack and travel delay.

You, the Ambassador, are required to purchase arrange travel at your own expense to and from a nominated destination at the start and beginning of the Programme.

We advise you to consult your GP or health centre for up-to-date information about vaccinations. Since we are not medical experts, our advice on vaccinations and other medical matters can only be informal.

Hours and Flexibility

1. You, the Ambassador, are expected to show reasonable flexibility in arranging your hours of work, within the limitations set out in 2 below.
2. When you join a LOVVOL Programme you may be expected to work the normal school or office hours of the country you have chosen, or according to a given schedule, although exact working hours will vary between specific countries, Programme and even individual schedules. Your hours will typically be spread over a five day working week, and should not normally exceed 8 hours a day. You should never be required to work for more than a maximum of six days a week on average.

Accommodations and Food

3. The Host is responsible for providing you accommodation and food for the period of your Programme.
4. Host staff have to obtain permission from and register you with local Police and immigration authorities to enable you to stay in local accommodation during your Programme. It is a condition of their permission that you should not invite guests (either local or foreign) to stay overnight at your accommodation without prior approval from the relevant authority. Failure to adhere to this condition will be a disciplinary matter and will be dealt with according to ‘Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures’ below.

Insurance

5. Ambassadors will be required to obtain their own travel and medical insurance, including medical and emergency travel expenses, luggage and personal effects, money, personal accident, personal liability, cancellation and curtailment, rescue and assistance, legal expenses, hijack and travel delay as a condition of attending the Programme.

Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures

6. We will be flexible, helpful and friendly – in particular, the Host or a LOVVOL representative will try to help you with your work if you’re trying hard, but still getting into difficulties. Nevertheless, formal complaints procedures (by you) and disciplinary procedures (by us) are necessary, and these are laid out in 7 to 9, below.
7. If you have a complaint about the procedures leading up to your departure, call the Director’s office on +44 (0)20 8432 3457 in UK office hours and we will deal with it as quickly as possible, whether it be about our central administration or about any of our staff;

When you are on your Programme, please bear in mind that you need to show a high level of independence and initiative in dealing with problems yourself as they arise. If you have a problem or complaint to do with your work, please discuss the matter first with your Host supervisor at the Programme. If it is not resolved in this way or if it is to do with your accommodation, please discuss the matter with the appointed LOVVOL representative;

Any complaint made or problem known to a member of LOVVOL staff or the Host staff will be recorded. Individual situations are then discussed and resolved appropriately;

Finally, if you still feel dissatisfied when you are on your Programme, you can contact our Director’s office on +44 (0)20 8432 3457.

8. Every reasonable effort will be made to resolve any disciplinary matter before it becomes serious. However, we reserve the right to take appropriate action in the event of behaviour which would reasonably be expected to give offence to the Host, pupils, Programme managers, colleagues, or other stakeholders. This includes behaviour such as serious rowdiness or drunkenness, failure to turn up to classes or workshops, or leaving classes or workshops without any adequate reason, or in the event of an unreasonable inability, from whatever cause, to do the work expected.
9. A disciplinary problem would be brought to your attention in writing or, if you were not contactable, delivered to your accommodation address. If the problem still stood after five working days (or shorter period if urgent), a further letter would be sent saying that, if the matter was not resolved to our satisfaction within a further five working days (or shorter period if urgent), you would no longer be able to continue on the Programme. The Host would have no further responsibility for your food, accommodations, and has the right to withdraw your visa. It would be at the discretion of LOVVOL to suspend you from your work during any disciplinary process. You are under the authority of LOVVOL and the Host throughout the period of the Programme.

Amendments, Cancellations and Curtailment

10. Amendments or cancellations prior to departure may be notified to the UK office by telephone but they must be confirmed in writing. The date of the telephone call will only apply if we receive written confirmation within two working days.
11. Extensions to stay on your Programme or attend another Programme can be discussed, but LOVVOL provide no guarantee that this can be accommodated.
12. Amendments, once your Programme has started, are at the discretion of LOVVOL. As a guide only, 14 days’ notice is normally the minimum required.
13. If you curtail your Programme for any reason other than for a breach by us of our obligations, we cannot be responsible for any additional costs involved, including the cost of repatriation, amendments to travel arrangements, or the cost accommodation.

Responsibility and Other Matters

14. Please note that your booking is accepted on the understanding that you come on the Programme at your own risk. It is not possible for us to be responsible for the actions or omissions of those involved in your Programme over whom we have no direct control, such as the Host, employees of the Host, airlines, transport undertakings and others. Equally we are not responsible for loss or expense during your time on the Programme, including losses or expense caused by to war, riots, strikes, terrorist activities, natural disasters, or bankruptcies (or similar) of third parties. LOVVOL is not liable for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or other irregularity which may be caused by defect of a Third Party, or any vehicle or other equipment, or the negligence or default of any company or person engaged in carrying out or performing any of the services involved, other than our own LOVVOL staff.
15. Some courses, treks and other activities may be provided by independent third parties. You should note that LOVVOL may arrange bookings for these courses, treks and other activities on your behalf but LOVVOL are not appointed agents or representatives of these third parties and cannot accept liability for them or their activities.
16. Please note that we give you all reasonable guidance to obtain visas when they are needed. However, these are arrangements between individuals and a state and are not under our control, and LOVVOL is not an authorised Visa advisor or agent. Should you have any concerns we can refer you to an authorised Visa agent
17. Please note that our Ambassadors are issued with visas, where applicable, and are registered, where applicable, in their chosen country on the basis that their work is purely voluntary/or based on cultural exchange. Doing paid work while on a Host Programme is illegal; if the relevant authorities find you have organised paid work they may take action against you, and this would also be a disciplinary matter to be dealt with as provided in paragraphs 7-9 above.
18. Please note that your Host is not responsible for arrangements outside your working hours (2, above), other than as stipulated in 3 above. LOVVOL and the Host has no responsibility beyond your Programme period. Baggage and personal effects are the sole responsibility of the owners at all time.
19. Please note that all services and accommodation are subject to the laws of the country in which they are provided. Ambassadors should be aware that accommodation in a host country may not be to the same standard they would expect in their home nation. LOVVOL reserves the right to request the Host make changes in the agreed itinerary whenever, in their sole judgment, conditions warrant, or if they deem it necessary for the comfort, convenience, or safety of the Ambassador. LOVVOL also reserves the right to withdraw without penalty any Project announced.
20. Without in any way limiting our entitlement under paragraph 19, above, in the event that LOVVOL is advised by the Foreign and Commonwealth office that you should not travel to, or should not remain in, the destination where you have been placed, then we will instead provide the nearest possible equivalent Programme in the nearest possible equivalent destination. LOVVOL is not responsible for reimbursing travel costs or other expenses in the event that the Foreign and Commonwealth office change their travel guidance to an area that involves a Programme. Ambassadors should ensure their travel insurance covers their costs under such an eventuality.
21. Please note that LOVVOL reserves the right to decline to accept any person as an Ambassador, or to require any participant to withdraw at any time, when such action is determined by the appropriate LOVVOL or Host staff representative to be in the best interests of the health, safety, and general welfare of the Programme or of the individual participant. In such a case, LOVVOL or the Host accepts no responsibility for any airline cancellation penalty incurred by the purchase of a non-refundable ticket or any other cost that you may incur.
22. Dates, schedules, Programme details and cost are given in good faith, based on information available and in force at the time they are given and are subject to change and revision in the event of a change of circumstances. In the event that LOVVOL is unable to provide a suitable Programme of the type requested, we will instead offer an alternative Programme if available.
23. Proper Law and Jurisdiction – The proper law of the contract between us is English Law. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute which may arise out of or in connection with the contract.
24. Oxbridge Futures Ltd, Trading as LOVVOL will share the information submitted on the application form with its partners, branches and subsidiaries around the world in accordance with its Data Protection policy. This information is not used for marketing or solicitation purposes, and it is never rented, sold, given or traded to other companies. 31 January 2016

31 January 2016