Brosna COVID-19 Youth Activities Guidelines

24 May 2021

 

Brosna Educational Centres CLG (“Brosna”) is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for leaders, volunteers and all those who participate in our activities. Brosna will implement all health and safety practices in accordance with Government guidelines and comply with the DCYA’s Guidance for Youth Work Organisations[1] in order to minimise the risk to activity participants, volunteers and youth leaders.

It should be noted that all guidance is subject to evolving public health advice. Consequently, Brosna’s COVID-19 response plan will be frequently reviewed and, when necessary, adapted to comply with the most recent guidance issued by the Government and other statutory bodies.

All Brosna activities will follow the latest Government advice relating to the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, it should be noted that Government guidelines will change in response to the evolving nationwide situation. Brosna wishes to assure activity participants and their parents/guardians[2] that, if it becomes necessary to cancel an activity in order to comply with the most recent advice of the relevant authorities, a full refund of any fees paid will be made.

Youth Activities

Currently, Brosna is not running any activities which involve indoor gatherings. As a consequence, all activities will take place outdoors and will be subject to restrictions on the number of participants as well as require that participants follow the recommended public health protocols. 

STRUCTURED SMALL GROUP ACTIVITIES

As of 26th April 2021, Brosna will run structured small group activities which:

  • Operate groups of no more than 15 participants where activities take place outdoors only.

  • Operate multiple groups only if sufficient space and strict public health protocols are in place.

  • Ensure that there is no mixing between groups i.e. there will be staggered start-times, no sharing of facilities and no congregating at entries/exits etc.

OVERNIGHT CAMPS

As of 26th April 2021, Brosna will run overnight camps which:

  • Involve no more than 15 participants and only take place outdoors

  • Operate multiple groups only if sufficient space and strict public health protocols are in place and can be adhered to

  • Are subject to the condition that tents are only shared by participants coming from the same household

 

COVID-19 Guidelines for Youth Activities

GENERAL GUIDANCE

  • Group activities will be limited to the maximum numbers permitted under the current COVID-19 guidelines

  • Brosna will appoint a COVID-19 Safety Officer for each activity

  • Brosna will provide information to all participants on COVID-19 symptoms. All participants will be advised not to attend activities if they have any COVID-19 symptoms or if they are feeling unwell

  • Brosna will provide information to participants on at-risk groups

  • Brosna will ensure that appropriate PPE is available on-site for all activities

  • Brosna will advise participants of activities not to travel together to a Brosna centre/activity, unless they come from the same household

  • Advised all participants/residents in advance of the procedures that are to be followed if they feel unwell or display any COVID-19 symptoms if in attendance at any Brosna centre/activity

  • Advised all participants and residents on the procedures they must follow when returning to a Brosna activity or centres following a covid-19 diagnosis

  • Participants who use public transport to attend a Brosna activity should wear a face mask when travelling as required by public health guidelines

VULNERABLE PERSONS

  • Vulnerable persons i.e. those who are considered to be at higher risk because of underlying medical conditions, should consult with the activity organisers before participating in an activity

  • In general, Brosna advises that such persons should not expose themselves to any additional risks associated with taking part in group activities. However, other factors will be taken into consideration e.g. if the participant has already been vaccinated etc.

  • If the participant is a minor, their parent will be consulted with before arriving at a final decision

 

Before an Activity

Organisers

Brosna activity organisers will:

  • Identify a designated isolation area

  • Ensure that a process for maintaining contact logs is in place

  • Ensure that washrooms and communal areas are cleaned for the duration of the activity and maintain a log to confirm that it is done

  • Advise participants not to share equipment, such as pens etc.

  • Set up sanitation stations at appropriate locations

  • Put in place appropriate COVID-19 signage to remind participants of the importance of good hygiene and social distancing requirements

  • Ensure regular cleaning of frequently touched surfaces

  • Ensure that communal equipment is sanitised both before and after use

Participants

Before all activities participants must:

  • Familiarise themselves with Brosna’s COVID-19 Guidelines before attending the activity

  • Complete Brosna’s COVID-19 Health Questionnaire and give it to the activity organisers before, but not later than their arrival, at the activity

  • If the participant is a minor, their parent(s) must provide written consent for their child to participate in the activity

  • Notify activity organisers if they have any underlying medical conditions which would make them more vulnerable. In this case, the participant should seek medical advice and be able to provide guidance from a certified medical practitioner that participation due does represent undue risk

  • Notify activity organisers if they are any of their household show COVID-19 symptoms or have been diagnosed with COVID-19

  • Ensure they have appropriate clothing for outdoor activities (e.g. warm clothes, water bottle, masks etc.) and that these items are clearly labelled

  • Familiarise themselves with the necessary information about social/physical distancing and other measures: e.g. wearing mask at all times, hand sanitation, etc.

In addition:

  • Participants (whether parent or minor) who have any COVID-19 symptoms must not attend Brosna activities

  • There will be a designated drop off/collection area for parents with vehicles to drop off and pick up their child. A volunteer organiser will be available to collect the COVID-19 Health questionnaire on arrival.


During an Activity

Brosna will implement the necessary measures to prevent and/or minimise the spread of COVID-19. The measures that must be complied with include:

Awareness

All youth activity leaders and volunteers are required to be familiar with, and enforce, Brosna’s COVID-19 guidelines during the course of the activity

Masks

Participants should wear a mask all times during the activity. He/she can remove the mask only when drinking/eating or in sleeping accommodation with members of his/her own household

Physical Distancing

A physical distance of 1 metre should be maintained between participants (including leaders and volunteers) at all times. There should be no hand-shaking or other forms of physical contact with other participants

Hand hygiene

Hand sanitisers that will be provided at all entrances to activity venues and at other locations in the venue. Participants should:

  • Use these facilities in accordance with guidance given by activity organisers

  • Wash their hands on arriving at, and leaving, the activity venue

  • Wash their hands before the start and end of each task

  • Avoid sharing physical objects with other participants

  • Cover their mouth and nose with bent elbow or handkerchief/tissue when coughing or sneezing

  • Put used tissues into a closed bin and wash their hands

Cleaning

  • All activity spaces will be washed down with appropriate disinfectants at the start and end of each activity

  • Regular cleaning of frequently touched surfaces will be asked of participants systematically throughout the duration of the activity

Indoor facilities

There will be no access to indoor facilities with the exception of bathroom and/or showering facilities


In case of COVID-19 symptoms

If an activity participant feels unwell while attending a Brosna activity, the following procedures will apply:

  • The participant should advise the activity COVID-19 Safety Officer as soon as possible

  • The participant will be escorted to the isolation area by the COVID-19 Safety Officer while maintaining physical distancing

In the case of a minor:

  • Their parent will be contacted as soon as possible and will be requested to bring their child home and call their GP

  • The COVID-19 Safety Officer will wear full PPE and remain with the minor until their parent arrives

 

[1] The DCYA’s “Guidance for Youth Work Organisations - Informed by the Government’s Resilience & Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19” can be found here.

[2] In the interests of readability, “parent” will henceforward be used to mean “parent” or “guardian” and “child” will be used to mean “child” or “ward” in the remainder of this document