Terms and Conditions

Welcome to our website! Volunteer Society Nepal provides services to you subject to the following conditions. If you visit this website, you accept these conditions. Please read the terms and conditions carefully.

Acceptance of Terms

We would like to request you to verify and affirm that you agree to abide by the following Terms and Conditions in order to be an official member of the Volunteer Society Nepal. We reserve the right to update or amend these Terms and Conditions at any time and your continued use of the Website/Services following any changes shall be deemed to be your acceptance of such change. It is, therefore, your responsibility to check the Terms and Conditions regularly for any changes.

Travel

Volunteer Society Nepal does not arrange flights or make any travel arrangements to your destination. This is totally the responsibility of the volunteer. General advice concerning passport, visa, and health requirements is available in the VSN volunteers’ guide book which will be sent to you after confirmation of your booking. Where VSN makes suggestions and provides advice on travel documentation, this is indicative only. Volunteers are solely responsible for having the correct and necessary travel documents that they require for their travel.

Passport, visa, and health requirements are subject to change and you must check current requirements before departure. It is your responsibility to obtain all documents required for your trip, to ensure that these are in proper order and to take them with you. VSN will not be liable if you fail to do so and you will be responsible for meeting any additional cost incurred by reason of such failure.

It is the responsibility of the volunteer, not VSN to make sure that the relevant visas and/or permits are in place. Please check with the appropriate embassy or Consulate well before you travel.

The volunteer is responsible for carrying all necessary documents when traveling abroad, including but not limited to passport, visa, work permit (where necessary), etc. If you choose to obtain a visa ‘on arrival’ for those countries that allow this process, VSN is not liable in any respect if, for whatever reason, you are refused a visa and cannot enter the country and continue your travel plans.

VSN cannot accept responsibility if entry is denied to a country due to incorrect visa or passport documentation.

Insurance

VSN does not provide the volunteer with insurance of any kind. While insurance is not mandatory on all VSN programs, it is on some and this is mentioned in the volunteer requirements page for each program. However, while travel insurance is not mandatory on some VSN programs, it is strongly recommended. The volunteer is solely responsible for deciding the type, extent, and level of any insurance they require during the planned travel period and is responsible for organizing this insurance.

Immunizations

While VSN pre-departure packages include information on immunizations, each volunteer is responsible for checking and confirming the immunizations required for their specific type of travel. Where VSN makes suggestions and provides advice on immunizations, these are indicative only. Volunteers are solely responsible for having the correct and necessary immunizations that they require for their travel. We strongly recommend that volunteers visit their health professional eight weeks before traveling.

Reservation Fees

You will have to deposit euro 150 of total fees to secure volunteer’s placement. As soon as your reservation fee has been received by VSN, you will be provided with all the information and support you need to prepare for your upcoming volunteer program.

Remaining Fees

The payment of remaining fees to be made once you arrive at the VSN Nepal office and can be paid in Nepali rupees, American Dollars, Pounds Sterling, or Euros in cash.

Cancellations and Refund Policy

The VSN Volunteers reservation fee is refundable up to thirty days (30)  before the start of the volunteer’s placement. Refunds will be made less a processing fee of Euro €50, which covers transaction costs etc. If the volunteer changes the program start date, then the date considered for refund purposes will be the earliest of the dates planned, unless agreed otherwise with VSN. Refund requests must be received thirty days (30) prior to the program start date by email. Upon receipt of the request, the volunteer will be notified via email. If the volunteer does not receive confirmation within 48 hours they should assume that the request has not been received and contact VSN immediately. VSN Volunteers’ program fees are designed to be affordable. As a result, we are unable to offer a full refund policy beyond statutory requirements. Reservation fees may be refundable according to the rules set out in the following sections entitled ‘Reservation Fees’.

Once you arrive in Nepal and the remaining fees also are paid shall not be refunded in any case, however, 25% of the fees for the outstanding period may be refunded if the situation beyond your control occurs (such as death or serious illness of family member). Unless justified health and security reasons are presented, the changes in placement and accommodation shall not be accepted.

Change of Dates and Duration

Once registered and before they begin their placement, the volunteer may change the start date and program duration once, subject to availability, at no additional cost. Training and Orientation: An induction/orientation, short sight-seeing, basic Nepali language, and cultural orientation shall be arranged by VSN at the initial and relevant time before volunteering.

Placement:

VSN is committed to arranging your placement in a responsible and practical manner but in case of any unsolvable or medical problem, you are requested to contact VSN immediately. VSN tries to provide help and assist in the underlying matter.

Food:

You will be provided the same food as prepared for the rest of the family two times a day during your homestay. Host families are careful of about basic food hygiene; however, it is safe and wise to avoid raw food and green salads. The fees cover only food and accommodation for the period of your placement but you can buy additional food you like at your own expense.

Accommodation:

In most cases, you have to share room, bathroom and toilet facilities. Please be aware that the standard of hygiene in Nepal is much lower than in western countries.

Personal Risks

Volunteering often involves traveling to and working in parts of the world where there may be some personal risk. The volunteer acknowledges and accepts sole responsibility for any such risks of whatever nature that may occur during the term of this volunteering agreement.

Volunteering placements are often in areas where the standards of accommodation, transport, safety, hygiene, telecommunication facilities, level of infrastructure development and medical facilities are not the same as you are used to at home, or would find on a conventional holiday. VSN cannot accept any responsibility for accidents, injuries, loss of personnel effects, or death which you agree to fully assume. You understand that during the placement certain events may occur, including, but not limited to, accident or illness in remote places without medical facilities, political instability, and the forces of nature. You agree to assume all risks associated with the journey to the maximum extent permitted by law.

You acknowledge that volunteering requires a degree of flexibility, and understand that the itinerary, accommodation, and modes of transport are subject to change without prior notice due to local circumstances.

Code of Conduct:

• Volunteers shall seek to understand and respect Nepali tradition, religion, culture, and customs of local people while in Nepal as you will also get more respect by doing this.
• Dress modestly and behave in a culturally sensitive manner.
• Illegal or violent behavior shall result in immediate termination from the program.
• Volunteers shall not get involved in any kind of proselytizing, evangelizing, and political affairs apart from illegal activities.
• Volunteers are strictly prohibited to bring any book magazines, CDs, DVDs that are inappropriate for anyone in Nepal. The use of alcohol or tobacco and narcotic drugs is sternly prohibited.
• Always keep the address card, photocopy of the passport with you. Don’t pass your telephone number, email address to any stranger, and don’t rely on strangers.
• Do not walk alone after it gets dark. You should be at your host family at the stipulated by the family. Keep VSN informed of your plans about trips and weekends. Follow the rule provided by the host family.
• Volunteers shall not engage in sexual behaviors or any kind of physical contact between males and females during the stay in the host family.

Termination:

Violation of any of the terms mentioned above shall result in termination of this contract. Apart from this, volunteers shall have to leave the program on that very day without notice if a volunteer is believed to behave in threatening or unacceptable manner or program staff or the VSN staff or associate organizations deem so. In case the agreement is terminated due to any of the terms mentioned above volunteers shall not be entitled to any refund from VSN.