Resources Overview

Step 1: Budgeting and Risk Assessment Overview

The Off-campus Activity Risk Assessment Form (PDF) is used to determine the level of risk for the proposed off-campus experience to prepare for single, compounding and cascading risk scenarios.

• Please ensure inclusive elements of this risk plan are included.
• If Risk Assessment is Red, please contact the Risk Committee

Before planning an off-campus activity, formal approval must be granted to the RRU program faculty using RRU's travel information: Business Travel

For any activity or trip that requires students to pay a fee, please send this form to students to complete then send to student accounts to invoice: Field Exploration Commitment Form (PDF)

Step 2: Planning and Task List

The Student Correspondence and Orientation documents are a guideline to proposing and actioning Single-Day and Multi-Day Off-Campus Trips and Activities, both Domestic and International. The Guidelines are adapted for each type of Off-Campus Experience.

Before planning any Off-Campus travel, please follow RRU's travel policy and procedures, and review the resources found on this site for Accessibility and Belonging.

• Single-Day Off-Campus Trip or Activity (XLSX)
• Multi-Day Off-Campus Trip Domestic (XLSX)
• Multi-Day Off-Campus Trip International (XLSX)

Additional resources for RRU's Experiential Learning can also be found in the Experiential Learning Hub.

Step 3: Planning Accessibility Considerations

Detailed information on creating accessible and inclusive activities can be found in the Accessibility and Belonging - Full Overview and Checklist section. A summary is presented here:

General Principles

• Plan with inclusion in mind from the beginning.
• Communicate clearly, consistently, and accessibly.
• Provide multiple ways for students to participate.
• Normalize accommodations for all students.
• Respect privacy and student autonomy.

Recommendations for creating inclusive activities for students with disabilities

Plan for accessibility from the start

• Inclusion should be embedded into the initial planning phase, not considered as an afterthought or reactive process.
• All activities should be evaluated for physical accessibility, including transportation, lodging, and site access.
• Program leaders should identify any potential sensory, cognitive, or mental health barriers in the activity and plan mitigations in advance.

Consider Both Visible and Invisible Disabilities

• Visible disabilities may require accommodations such as accessible seating, mobility support, or ASL interpretation.
• Invisible disabilities (e.g., ADHD, PTSD, chronic illnesses, or learning disabilities) often require more flexible approaches such as quiet spaces, extending time to complete tasks, or alternate formats for participation.

General best practices for on-the-spot inclusivity

• Pause and check in: Quietly ask if the student needs support or a break. Avoid assuming or drawing public attention.
• Offer options: Provide multiple ways to engage (listen, write, draw, photograph, assist).
• Be flexible: Allow for breaks, pacing adjustments, and task substitutions.
• Stay calm and supportive: Non-judgmental, affirming responses create safety and trust.
• Know when to step back: If a student requests privacy or space, respect their autonomy while ensuring they're safe.

Use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.

• Applying UDL principles ensures the activity is designed to meet diverse needs from the outset.
• This includes offering materials in multiple formats (e.g., written, visual, audio), providing multiple means of participation, and ensuring a clear and predictable structure.

Foster a culture of disclosure without pressure

• Create an environment where students feel safe and supported in disclosing disabilities or accommodation needs.
• Provide anonymous or confidential ways for students to communicate their needs (e.g., surveys or private intake forms).

Navigating accommodation requirements

1. Collaborate early with Accessibility Services and determine how specific needs can be met outside the traditional classroom setting.
2. Clarify roles and responsibilities
• Ensure that staff and faculty leading the activity understand what they are responsible for and what accommodations they are expected to implement.
• Include a clear process for addressing unexpected accommodation needs that may arise during the activity.
3. Respect Confidentiality
• Only share details of accommodations on a need-to-know basis with appropriate personnel (e.g., activity leaders, medical staff).
4. Prepare for emergencies with accessibility in mind
• Emergency protocols must include considerations for students who may need assistance evacuating or who rely on medication, communication devices, or support animals.

Step 4: Student Correspondence and Orientations

Providing timely and detailed correspondence is a requirement for all forms of off-campus activity.

For Single-Day Activities and One-Day Trips, detailed information is communicated through your program office, formal orientations or correspondence are not required as part of Royal Roads University's duty of care.

For Multi-Day Domestic or Multi-Day International Trips, an informed orientation for students prior to any travel is mandatory and part of RRU's duty of care. Orientations can be conducted either face-to-face or online. Please see the links below for correspondence guidelines and an orientation example:

Correspondence Guidelines:

• Correspondence 1 (DOCX)
• Correspondence 2 (DOCX)
• Correspondence 3 (DOCX)
• Correspondence 4 (DOCX)

Orientation Example (PPTX)

International Students participating in an International Activity: Please discuss any international learning opportunities, such as Internships, Study Abroad or International Field Trips, with Immigration Advising. International academic experiences may impact international students' ability to stay and work in Canada after graduation.

Program staff and faculty should encourage students to investigate visa requirements for their country of citizenship in the destination country's government websites.

Step 5: Managing Travel Information

In the Managing Travel Information Section, you will find an overview of information detailed in the Planning Sections below tailored to the trip or activity:

1. Single-Day Off-Campus Activity or One-Day Off-Campus Trip:
   1. Student, Faculty and Staff travel Information Management
   2. Emergency Communication
2. Multi-Day Trip (Within Canada)
   1. Student, Faculty and Staff travel Information Management
   2. Emergency Communication
3. Multi-Day International Trip (Outside of Canada)
   1. Student, Faculty and Staff travel Information Management
   2. Emergency Communication

Step 6: Student and Staff Document Overview

Off-campus activities provide meaningful and robust learning opportunities. Experiential learning opportunities also go beyond expected classroom work and regular academic activities and, therefore, come with increased inherent risk.

In the event of an injury or accident, the court would consider if the associated risks of activities were accurately represented in Waivers (PDF) and Informed Consent (PDF) forms and if safety was considered in student information forms and planning and reporting documents.

To ensure a safe and equitable environment, documents must be signed prior to arrival at your destination and:

• Customized to the specific activity or risk.
• Waivers/Informed Consent forms should be provided in advance and reviewed with participants prior to signing.
• Transparent of external partners or groups organizing, hosting or sponsoring the activity.
• Transparent in obvious or foreseeable risks associated with the activity and provide a description of the risks.
• Signed in the presence of a witness; parental or guardian consent must be obtained for participants under 18.
• Must be held for seven years after the end of the event or activity for which the form was signed.

To ensure RRU is mitigating possible risks, it is essential to understand RRU's risk management documents and processes, and which forms are used for the different off-campus activities.

What is the difference between Waivers and Informed Consent?

*A Waiver (PDF) is used for extra-curricular activities that are not academically assessed. They should not be used for curricular or co-curricular activities.

*Use an Informed Consent form (PDF) for all compulsory or academically assessed activities or with participants under the age of eighteen.

In the Student and Staff Document Overview Section in each of the Planning Sections below, you will find templates for the appropriate forms for your selected Off-Campus Trip or Activity.

1. Potential Relevant Forms (tailored to the Off-Campus Trip or Activity within the Planning Section for that Trip or Activity):
• Waiver or Informed Consent Forms
• Emergency Contact and Student Medical Information Forms
• Photo Consent
• Assessment of Emergency and Medical Emergency Communication Plan
2. Group Leaders must be knowledgeable and/or in possession of the following for each Off-Campus Trip or Activity:
• Group Emergency Plan
• Risk Assessment
• The RRU EL Risk Management Handbook
• *For Multi-Day Domestic or International Trips, the Team Lead Handbook

Step 7: Emergency Protocols and Responses

In the Emergency Protocols and Responses Planning Section in each of the Planning Sections below, you will find information tailored to the appropriate Off-Campus Activity or Trip.

This will include information on:

• Emergency Protocols and Responses
• Incident Reporting
• *For Off-Campus Multi-Day International Trips, information on ISOS (International ISOS). This is an international support service that assists with travel-related risk management and emergency response. ISOS will facilitate emergency medical support, emergency financial resources, communicate relevant travel warnings and provide emergency assistance in the case of evacuations.