Scope
This procedure applies to all shared sleeping and changing accommodation arranged by Quest Africa for participants during programmes, including base camps, lodges and any third-party accommodation booked on Quest’s behalf.
General Approach
Quest Africa runs single-sex dormitory and shared accommodation as standard. Room and dorm assignments are made by programme leadership prior to or at the start of each programme, based on:
- The legal sex recorded on the participant’s identification or registration documents at the time of enrollment.
- Information provided by parents or guardians during the application and registration process.
- Any relevant medical, safeguarding or welfare information shared with Quest Africa in advance.
Accommodation assignments are made before a programme begins and are not changed mid-programme except where section 5 (Individual Circumstances) applies, or where a safeguarding concern requires an immediate change.
Decision-Making Authority
All accommodation assignments and any exceptions to standard arrangements are decided by the Programme Lead and approved by Quest Africa Management. No single facilitator or staff member may independently change a participant’s accommodation arrangement once the programme has started, except in an emergency, in which case the change must be reported to programme leadership as soon as possible.
Individual Circumstances
Where a parent, guardian or participant raises a specific accommodation request or concern in advance, for example relating to a medical condition, disability, religious requirement or any other welfare consideration, this should be submitted in writing during the application process.
Such requests will be reviewed by the Programme Lead and approved by Quest Africa Management, on a case-by-case basis. Quest Africa will assess what arrangements are practical given the accommodation available at each programme location, and will communicate the outcome to the parent or guardian before the programme begins. Quest Africa cannot guarantee that every request can be accommodated, particularly where shared facilities are limited, but will make a reasonable effort to address genuine welfare concerns.
Privacy
Information used to make accommodation decisions is treated as confidential and is shared only with staff who need it to plan and run the programme safely. Decisions and any exceptions made under section 5 are not discussed with other participants.
Review
This procedure will be reviewed annually alongside the Diversity & Inclusion Policy and Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy, or sooner if an incident or change in circumstances requires it.