It is the policy of Compassion International to protect children in our programs from abuse by instituting reasonable guidelines and procedures to direct the interactions of Compassion International staff, partners, supporters and other visitors with Compassion beneficiaries. In accordance with our Commitment to Child Protection, Compassion requires a Background Check for all adult visitors (legal age in your province) who are meeting any beneficiary of a ministry program. Compassion’s background checks are valid for 1 year. If you travel on another Custom Visit or Exposure Trip during this time frame, you will not need to complete another one. This includes arrangements to meet any Compassion child or visit a child development centre or Survival program.
Each adult visitor will be responsible for paying the fee as well as submitting the information to our third-party vendor, MyBackCheck. Instructions for the background check will be provided upon registration for a trip, and completion is required before joining an Exposure Trip.
Accommodations are based on double occupancy. If you prefer single accommodations, you may pay a single supplement fee, which is listed on the trip registration page. If you are travelling alone and wish to share accommodations, we will assign a roommate of the same gender. If there is someone you would like to room with, please let us know when registering.
Since registration takes place significantly in advance to your departure date, you will receive many electronic communications and a trip kit (which contains your Trip Handbook, luggage ribbon and nametag) to help you prepare for your trip. Final trip details, such as itinerary, are emailed a few weeks before departure.
In the event that you need to cancel your trip, please refer to our cancellation policy below:
- All deposits are non-refundable
- 50 percent of the trip cost will be required for cancellations 59-31 days prior to the Exposure Trip
- 100 percent of the trip cost will be required for cancellations 30-0 days prior to the Exposure Trip
A passport is required for all travel outside of Canada. If your trip requires a visa for Canadian citizens, you will receive instructions as to how (and when) to obtain this document. Note, that if you are not a Canadian citizen, it will be your responsibility to obtain the correct travel documents. Each traveller is responsible for the cost and schedule of obtaining the correct travel documents.
Yes. We offer Custom Visits as an alternative to an arranged trip. For a Custom Visit, the traveler is responsible for all of their own travel arrangements and a Compassion Field Experience Specialist will help arrange for a day when you can meet your child, accompanied by a local Compassion Host.
We are unable to give medical advice, so it is important to consult with your physician, local health department or Travel Clinic for information on required and recommended immunizations for the country where you will be travelling.
We stay at hotels that are situated in safe locations and are geared to larger groups. When in larger cities, these hotels will often have restaurants on the premises and often include amenities such as pools, internet and laundry service.
Yes. Travellers have the option to use frequent flyer miles or points to reduce the overall trip cost. If you want to travel Land Only, please contact us for Compassion’s Land Only Agreement. If you choose to travel Land Only, you will be responsible for arranging and paying for your transportation to/from the hotel/airport if your flight doesn’t align with the group’s itinerary.
On your trip, we will dine on the local fare. Since buffets are typical, you will often have the ability to choose a more familiar meal. As much as possible, we will accommodate any special diet requests you have (e.g. vegetarian and vegan), but we ask that you please discuss your requests with us when registering for an Exposure Trip and also with your trip leader when you meet in your destination country.
A $250 non-refundable deposit is due at the time of registration via credit card or cheque. Upon completing registration, you will receive an email that includes payment deadlines, which can also be found on the trip page. Final payment for your trip will be due approximately six to eight weeks prior to departure.
Upon registration, you will be asked to disclose general health information so we are prepared to accommodate your needs. If you mark a health condition on our medical checklist, a Physician Release Form will be required. If you have a disability, it may be best to contact us to discuss your disability and limitations prior to registration. Many of our traveler have disabilities and are able to travel, but it is important that we fully know and understand your needs so we can advise and plan accordingly. We may require you to bring along someone who can assist you.
Travelling internationally can be daunting when packing for yourself, let alone bringing gifts for your Compassion child, their family and Compassion centres! Please see our trip preparations page to help guide you when packing your own personal items, as well as items for your child and the children you will be seeing at the Compassion centres.
We’ve selected highly skilled staff to lead all of our Exposure Trips. All leaders have an outstanding track record working for Compassion Canada, are CPR/First Aid Certified, and have gone through extensive training in the field alongside our local staff. Each trip will have at least two trained trip leaders and, depending on the size, may include additional staff.
The trip price includes the costs associated with a visit for one Compassion child. If you wish to visit additional children, they can be included for an additional cost.
Yes! The trip price includes one child visit. If you wish to visit additional children, they can be included for an additional cost.
Absolutely! You are welcome to bring gifts for your Compassion child and their family. Please view our list of gift suggestions to help you choose the perfect gifts for this occasion.
We set aside 6-7 hours to spend with the child you sponsor. Typically, we will meet the children in a park that is centrally located in the country. We will transport your child, a guardian and a program staff member from their Compassion child development centre to that location. Each sponsor will have a translator for the day so you and your Compassion child can enjoy communicating together.
If the child is travelling with a parent/guardian, they must be 10 years or older. Standard pricing will apply to any minor travelling with us.
Our trip members include families, couples, friends and solo travellers from all over Canada. Sponsors range in age from 10 to 90. It’s always a diverse group.
No, Exposure Trips are open to the public, and anyone can attend. We have to warn you that you will probably want to sponsor a child with us before your trip is over!
We plan trips to all of the 25 countries where we work. See our upcoming trips to find out where we’re headed next!