UMI / Serve & Learn Application

The tuition includes all program costs, hotel accommodations, meals, excursions, and in-country transportation. It does not include airfare and all air travel-related fees, recommended and/or required vaccinations and/or prescriptions, recommended trip cancellation insurance, tourist visa, passport, and spending money. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for our refund policy. Recommended trip cancellation insurance may cover cancellation due to emergencies, serious illness, accident, or injury.
 
Please carefully read and complete all sections of the application. Spaces are filled strictly on a first-come-first-served basis. If the program becomes full, online payments will be refunded and mailed payments will not be processed and will be returned or destroyed. 

Program Session Choice

Student Information

 

 

Additional Contact Information

College and university students who are 18 years of age are not required to have parents/guardians listed. We send all communications to the adult students attending our programs and expect that those adult students are the ones keeping up with the information we send out regarding their enrollment. We will also copy additional contacts on emailed information if the enrolled student indicates we are to send information to them as well.

Additional Contact

Terms and Conditions

Definitions

We”, “us”, or “our” means Youth Futures International, Inc. (“YFI”)

“You” or “your” means the client.

Registration and Payment of Tuition and/or Fees

1. All tuition and fees are to be paid in US dollars.
2. Payment must be made as indicated at the time of submission of the YFI program application in order for an application to be processed and confirmed.
3. Installment payments of tuition and/or fees, if applicable, must be processed according to the schedule set by YFI in writing. Failure to keep current with payments may result in the cancellation of your enrollment without refund and YFI will not be responsible for any other penalties or costs incurred by you such as airfare cancellation, visa costs, etc. Payment extension requests may be made to YFI in writing. However, YFI maintains the right to accept or decline payment extension requests.
4. YFI will accept payment by personal check, money order, or cashier’s check made payable to “Youth Futures International”. Personal checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks must be drawn from a U.S. bank physically located in the U.S. (YFI cannot accept personal checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks from outside of the U.S.). Payment by personal check that is returned to YFI for insufficient funds or account closure will be assessed a $35 fee and must be resubmitted by money order or cashier’s check or paid with credit/debit card within 10 days, or enrollment will be cancelled without refund and YFI will not be responsible for any other penalties incurred or costs incurred by you such as airfare cancellation, visa costs, etc.
5. YFI will accept payment by major credit or debit card and are processed through YFI’s PayPal account. If using a debit card for payment, YFI is not responsible for any payment processed that incurs an overdraft fee on your bank account.
6. Program registration will not be confirmed until all completed forms and the correct payment is received in full and is successfully processed by YFI.
7. YFI will confirm your program enrollment and send all further information regarding your enrollment by email. YFI cannot be responsible for your spam filters or email account blocking emails from us. Please be sure your spam filters will allow mail from @youthfuturesinternational.org, @yfiexperience.org, @yfisports.org, and/or @experienceyfi.org.
8. Program availability is on a first come, first served basis. In the event the program of your choice is full, YFI will not process your payment and will notify you in writing. We will either destroy or return your method of payment per your request.
9. YFI maintains the right to increase program tuition and/or fees without notice. Tuition and/or fee increases will only apply to new enrollments and will not apply to those already accepted and enrolled for a program.

 

Accommodation, Meals, and Expenses

1. We provide your accommodation and meals for the duration of the YFI program, with the exception of periods of travel to and from the program’s location and any snacks in between meals you may wish to eat.
2. You will be participating in a YFI program without financial compensation and assuming all expenses outside of the expenses included with program tuition and/or fees such as, but not limited to, airfare, passport application fees, visa application fees, personal spending money, etc.
3. For security reasons you are not allowed to invite or allow any person who is not a YFI client to enter your accommodation, or any other aspect of the program, without the express consent of the YFI manager on duty.

 

Insurance

Taking part in a YFI program overseas carries with it a degree of risk and you must be protected by adequate health insurance for the duration of your trip. We are happy to offer advice on suitable policies on request, but it is your responsibility to ensure that you are appropriately covered. In particular, your normal health insurance or travel insurance policy should cover:

1. Emergency medical care and repatriation if necessary outside of your home country;
2. And claims, including for emergency medical treatment, arising from the time you are on placement in a hospital or other clinical setting outside of your home country.

 

Visas and Passports

1. We provide help and advice on obtaining the relevant visa for your participation in a YFI program, but the cost for obtaining the visa is yours. The issuing of these and their associated costs is at the discretion of the relevant authority and is beyond our control. Requirements and costs may change without notice or a visa may be refused. We cannot accept responsibility for the consequences of this.
2. As there are different types of visas, it is your responsibility to get the exact type of visa we state is required for you to obtain. Applying for the wrong type of visa will require you to apply again for the correct type of visa, with the potential of having to pay again for the application fee.
3. It is your responsibility to follow the visa application instructions exactly. Failure to provide all information required or to follow directions exactly, may result in your visa application being denied or delayed.
4. You must be in possession of, or obtain, a valid passport prior to applying for a visa. Generally speaking, passports must be valid no less than 180 days after your date of arrival in the country of the YFI program.
5. You are responsible for ensuring that your passport, visa, and any other travel documents are valid for the duration of the YFI program.
6. Please note that visas issued for YFI programs generally do not allow you to undertake any kind of paid work overseas. Taking on paid work without the proper permissions may be a serious offense for which you may be prosecuted.

 

Amendments, Cancellations, and Early Departure by the Client

1. Amendments or cancellations must be submitted to us in writing, either by mail, email, or fax, to our office. Our staff can provide help and advice on amendments and cancellations, but a verbal agreement will not represent a change to your contract with us.
2. Our charge for an amendment is normally $50 plus any costs incurred to us. If the total cost is estimated to exceed $100, we will provide you with a quotation before proceeding.
3. A significant part of the fee paid by you will be spent or committed to budgets prior to the start date of your program, and we are therefore unable to offer a full refund if you choose to cancel. In the event of a cancellation by you, we will refund part of the fee after deducting a cancellation charge depending on how far in advance of your program start date we receive your written notice to cancel as follows:
   3.a. Notice of more than 90 days received by our office: $1,000 charge
   3.b. Notice of between 45 and 90 days received by our office: 50% total program fee
   3.c. Notice of less than 45 days received by our office: Full fee (no refund)
4. The above terms apply to the original program and program dates enrolled for. If you postpone, cancellation charges will apply as if the original departure date was still operative. Exceptions are entirely at our discretion and must be agreed in writing at the time when the postponement is made.
5. Amendments after your program has started are entirely at our discretion.
6. If you depart or withdraw from the program early, at your own will for any reason, the will of YFI for Code of Conduct and/or rule infractions, due to illness or injury, or for any other reason, you will be responsible for any additional costs involved. There will be no refund of any fees paid.
7. If you voluntarily remove yourself from participation in any part of a program without formally departing or withdrawing from the program for any reason, if you are suspended from participation by YFI due to Code of Conduct and/or rule infractions, or if you are determined to be too ill or injured to participate by YFI and/or professional medical personnel, there will be no refund of any fees paid.

 

Amendments and Cancellations by Youth Futures International, Inc.

1. The nature of our programs is such that details of your program (such as accommodations type and schedule) may differ from those originally given to you. We will do our best to minimize such changes, and to inform you promptly if changes do arise.
2. In very rare circumstances, we may need to cancel a program due to low enrollment. In such case, we will inform you not less than 45 days before your program start date and refund all fees you have paid to us. This will be the full extent of our liability and we will not accept responsibility for other costs you may incur, such as flight ticket penalties.
3. If cancellation occurs due to circumstances beyond our control, including, but not limited to, security threats, terrorist activity, political instability, or natural disasters, we will not be liable to refund any fees paid to us. We will, however, do our best to offer a similar program in a different destination and/or change of dates. You will be responsible for any costs incurred in changing to this destination and/or change of dates, including changes to flights.

 

Complaints

We are here to help you, and our staff at our office and at our program locations will do their very best to provide the highest level of service. However, a formal procedure for complaints is set out below:

1. We are providing you with an opportunity to have a unique educational and amazing experience in one of our programs, and as such you need to show a high level of independence, initiative, and maturity, especially in dealing with problems as they arise. If you have any problem that you find difficult to deal with, or which you feel should be our responsibility to resolve, you should follow this procedure: Talk to the YFI Executive Program Director responsible for your program. This is the person with the greatest ability to solve problems, and he or she will do their best to help you. If you are unhappy with the immediate response, or you feel the time taken to resolve the problem is too great, you should present your complaint to the YFI Executive Program Director in writing. If you are still unhappy with the response to your complaint, you should put it in writing to our main office either by mail, email, or fax as soon as possible. In the event of a claim for compensation, details of the claim must be received by us in writing no more than 30 days after the end date of your program.
2. The above procedure exists to enable us to identify and deal with problems and complaints as quickly and efficiently as possible. Failure to follow this procedure may compromise our ability to help you. We will not be responsible for problems or complaints not brought to our attention above.

 

Your Responsibility

1. You agree to keep confidential all sensitive information witnessed or presented to you during your program.
2. You agree to provide all information YFI requests regarding your enrollment in one of its programs within the deadlines stated by YFI.
3. You agree to submit signed copies of all required forms YFI sends to you once your enrollment is processed. Failure to return the forms by mail, email, and/or fax, within the time required will result in our termination of your enrollment without refund. These forms include, but may not be limited to, the following: Liability Release, Code of Conduct, Terms and Conditions, Media Release, Health Form, and Emergency Contact.
4. You agree to be bound by the rules, regulations, and/or policies of, but not limited to, facilities, localities, transportation, and places of accommodation, encountered during the program.
5. We reserve the right to take appropriate action in the event of behavior which would reasonably be expected to offend other participants, YFI personnel, hosts, visitors, members of the general public, or others. This includes, but is not limited to, behavior such as serious rowdiness, failure to remain with your assigned group and group leader, or leaving the program to venture out on your own.
6. A problem that we consider serious will be brought to your attention in person. If the problem persists, we will contact parents or guardians if you are a minor, or if a legal adult, we will meet again in person with a demand for immediate resolution of the problem in order to avoid suspension from the program. If no resolution is found to our satisfaction, you will be dismissed from the program. If you are a minor, a parent or guardian, or a legal adult designated by your parent or guardian in writing to our office, will be required to pick you up from the program’s location within 24 hours. If you are a legal adult, you may stay in your program country beyond your dismissal, but we would have no further responsibility for your food, accommodation, or travel arrangements.
7. Please note that your enrollment in a YFI program is accepted on the understanding that you participate in the program at your own risk. It is not possible for us to be responsible for the actions or omissions of those involved in your program over whom we have no direct control, such as employees of airlines, local transport, and others. In addition, we are not responsible for loss or expense due to, but not limited to, war, riots, strikes, terrorist activities, natural disasters, or bankruptcies.
8. Please note that we reserve the right to decline or accept any person into a YFI program, or to require any participant to withdraw at any time, when such action is determined by the appropriate YFI staff representative to be in the best interest of the health, safety, and general welfare of the program or of the individual participant. In such a case, we accept no responsibility for any airline cancellation penalty incurred by the purchase of a non-refundable ticket or any other cost that you may incur.

 

Governing Law 

These Terms and Conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts applicable to agreements made and to be entirely performed within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Code of Conduct

Guiding Principles

1. To ensure that the rights of all participants are protected while attending a Youth Futures International, Inc. (“YFI”) program or event.
2. To establish the safest and best possible educational and experiential environment for all participants.
3. To ensure that breaches of the Code of Conduct are treated in a fair and consistent manner.

 
Expectations

1. Participants are expected to adhere to the highest standards of good citizenship, honesty, and integrity in their participation and personal conduct.
2. Participants are expected to show courtesy and respect to their fellow participants, for YFI event or program personnel, and for members of the public.
3. Participants are expected to show respect for and take reasonable care of YFI property, event or program host property, private property, and public property.
4. Participants are expected to maintain and secure their own belongings and respect the belongings of their fellow participants. They shall not borrow, use, or disturb items belonging to other participants and/or YFI personnel without clear prior permission. Participants are also expected to respect the personal property of members of the public and visitors. YFI is NOT responsible or liable for lost, stolen, or damaged belongings of its program participants.
5. Participants shall abide by all local, state, and national laws that apply to a YFI event or program.
6. For YFI programs that involve overnight stays, participants agree to reside only in rooms assigned to them. Participants are not to enter the assigned rooms of other participants without the consent of YFI personnel. Co-habitation of opposite genders in assigned rooms is strictly prohibited.
7. Participants are expected to complete to the best of their ability all aspects of the YFI event or program in which they are participating.
8. Participants are expected to provide all information to YFI that is pertinent to their participation in the YFI event or program for which they are enrolled that is requested by YFI personnel prior to the event or program. This information must be provided in a timely fashion and within the deadlines set by YFI personnel. Participants agree that failure to comply may result in the suspension or termination of their participation in the YFI event or program without refund of any kind.
9. Participants are expected remain with assigned YFI personnel and/or in assigned areas at all times.
10. Participants are expected to make YFI personnel aware of any difficulties they have regarding their ability to participate, accommodations, health, safety, or finances.
11. Participants are expected to know and follow all expectations and prohibited behaviors listed in this Code of Conduct as well as the rules presented by YFI personnel prior to and during the event or program.

 

Prohibited Behaviors

1. Any behavior that could expose others to a high likelihood of injury or endangerment is prohibited. This includes horseplay, excessively aggressive athletic competition, dares or challenges, etc.
2. Stealing, damaging, or failing to care for YFI property, other participants’ property, event or program host property, public property, and YFI staff or volunteer personal property.
3. Continual disruption of the program or event.
4. Refusal to follow behavior guidelines.
5. Using profanity, obscene, derogatory, and abusive language or displaying clothing or other personal items with offensive content.
6. Taking part in or facilitating discrimination of any kind, including, but not limited to, discrimination based on gender, race, national origin, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, handicap, or intelligence.
7. Bullying, hazing, acts of aggression, violence, or harassment. Harassment consists of conduct of any type (including, but not limited to, cyber, written, verbal, graphic, or physical conduct) which has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with another individual’s participation.
8. Participants shall not engage in any form of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment includes sexual conduct or conduct with sexual overtones.
9. Participants shall not use, possess, or distribute alcohol, tobacco products (including electronic devices), illicit drugs, or misuse or abuse of any legally obtained product, such as glues, over-the-counter medications, or prescribed medications.
10. Possession of weapons – any object that may cause harm to another person or place another person in fear of his/her/their safety, may be considered a weapon.
11. Participants shall not invite strangers or others not enrolled, including known friends and/or family members, into the YFI event or program without the consent of YFI personnel.
12. Participants should not provide strangers or members of the public personal contact information or financial information such as bank details or credit/debit card information (other than to a secure vendor or bank).

 

Steps Taken for Failure to Follow These Behavior Guidelines

1. YFI personnel will redirect the participant to a more appropriate behavior.
2. The participant will be reminded of the behavior guidelines and rules.
3. If the behavior persists, YFI personnel will discuss the problem with a parent/guardian if the participant is a high school student and/or under the age of 18 years of age. If a college student, participation may be suspended for a duration determined by YFI personnel.
4. YFI personnel will document behavioral situations. The written documents will include what the behavior problem is, what provoked the problem, and the corrective action taken.
5. If issues persist to the point where a second phone call to a parent/guardian is required, it may be determined that dismissal may be found necessary. If a college student has been suspended once and behavior continues to be problematic, dismissal may be found necessary.
6. Behaviors or rule infractions that: endanger the safety of the participant, other participants, YFI personnel, and/or members of the general public; involve the purchase, distribution, or consumption of alcohol and/or illicit drugs; involve the misuse of legally obtained products or medications; involve bullying, hazing, aggression, or harassment of any kind; involve the possession or use of weapons or expression of intent to use weapons; and/or any other infraction deemed serious enough by YFI personnel will be grounds for immediate dismissal from the event or program.

 
Failure to comply with the Code of Conduct may result in the participant’s removal from the YFI event or program and/or additional fees or expenses. There will be no refunds given for participants who are removed from the program due to violations of the Code of Conduct.

Photo, Video, and Audio Consent and Release Form

I (“Participant”) authorize Youth Futures International, Inc. (“YFI”), acting through its agents, employees, or representatives, to take photographs, video recordings, and/or audio recordings of me, including my name, my image, my likeness, my performance, and/or my voice (“Recordings”). I also grant YFI an unlimited right to reproduce, use, exhibit, display, perform, broadcast, create derivative works from, and distribute the Recordings in any manner or media now existing or hereafter developed, in perpetuity, throughout the world.

I agree that the Recordings may be used by YFI, including its assigns and transferees, for any purpose, including but not limited to, marketing, advertising, publicity, or other promotional purposes. I agree that YFI will have final editorial authority over the use of the Recordings, and I waive any right to inspect or approve of any future use of the Recordings. I acknowledge that I am not expecting to receive compensation for participating in the Recordings or for any future use of the Recordings.

I release and fully discharge YFI, and its employees, agents, and representatives, from any and all claims, demands, rights, promises, damages, and liabilities arising from or related to my participation in the Recordings or YFI's future use of the Recordings, including but not limited to any claims for invasion of privacy, approriation of likeness, or defamation.

Location of Recordings: YFI's UMI/Serve & Learn Program in Ghana, including travel to Ghana from the United States and travel from Ghana to the United States.

Date(s) of Recordings: {programDateMaster} per the program Participant enrolled in. 

 

Liability Release, Waiver, Discharge and Covenant Not to Sue

Activity: Youth Futures International's UMI/Serve & Learn Program in Ghana

This is a legally binding Release, Waiver, Discharge and Covenant Not to Sue (collectively, “Release”), made voluntarily by me, the undersigned Releasor, on my own behalf, and on behalf of my heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives and assigns (hereinafter collectively, “Releasor,”  “participant”, “I”, or “me”, which terms shall also include Releasor’s parents or guardian, if Releasor is under 18 years of age) to Youth Futures International, Inc. (“YFI”), located at 6 University Drive, Suite 206-181, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01002, USA.
 
As the undersigned Releasor, I fully recognize that there are dangers and risks to which I may be exposed by participating in the program, trip or other activity described below (the “Activity”). As the undersigned Releasor, I understand that YFI does not require me to participate in this Activity, but I want to do so despite the possible dangers and risks and despite this Release. With informed consent, and for valuable consideration received, including assistance provided by YFI, as the undersigned Releasor, I agree to assume and take on myself all of the risks and responsibilities in any way arising from or associated with this Activity, and I release YFI and all of its affiliates, board of directors, officers, directors, principals, trustees, legal representatives, members, owners, employees, volunteers, agents, administrators, assigns, and contractors (collectively “Releasees”), from any and all claims, demands, suits, judgments, damages, actions and liabilities of every name and nature whatsoever, whenever occurring, whether known or unknown, contingent or fixed, at law or in equity, that I may suffer at any time arising from or in connection with the Activity, including, but not limited to, any injury or harm to me, my death, or damage to, or loss or theft of, my property (collectively “Liabilities”), unless caused by the reckless endangerment or willful misconduct of Releasees, and I agree to defend, indemnify, and save Releasees harmless from and against any and all Liabilities.
 
As the undersigned Releasor, I agree that in the event that any damage to equipment or facilities occurs as a result of my willful actions, neglect, or recklessness, I acknowledge and agree to be held liable for any and all costs associated with any actions of neglect or recklessness.
 
As the undersigned Releasor, I agree that in the event I should require medical care or treatment, I am financially responsible for any costs incurred as a result of such treatment. I am aware and understand that I should carry my own health insurance.
 
As the undersigned Releasor, I agree in the event that any provision contained within this Release shall be deemed to be severable or invalid, or if any term, condition, phrase, or portion of this agreement shall be determined to be unlawful or otherwise unenforceable, the remainder of this agreement shall remain in full force and effect, so long as the clause severed does not affect the intent of the parties. If a court should find that any provision of this agreement to be invalid or unenforceable, but that by limiting said provision it would become valid and enforceable, then said provision shall be deemed to be written, construed, and enforced as so limited.
 
As the undersigned Releasor, I recognize that this Release means I am giving up, among other things, all rights to sue Releasees for injuries, damages or losses I may incur. I also understand that this Release binds my heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives and assigns, as well as myself.
 
I agree that this Release shall be governed for all purposes by Massachusetts law, without regard to such law on choice of law. 

THIS IS A RELEASE OF YOUR RIGHTS, READ CAREFULLY AND UNDERSTAND BEFORE SIGNING.

Payment Options

Tuition must be paid in full forty-five (45) days before the start date of the program. As such, payment of tuition by installment may be altered by YFI in amount of payments, frequency of payments, and/or number of payments to meet this requirement. Any tuition not paid in full forty-five (45) days before the start date of the program will be canceled and all previous payments will be forfeited (not refunded).

All payments by credit or debit card are processed through YFI's PayPal account and statements will reflect such payments with the identifier "YOUTHFUTURE" or "YOUTHFUTUREINTL". YFI will email request for payment from its PayPal account for installment payments. Those emails will provide a link to make those payments.

If paying by check, money order, or cashier's check, payment must be received within 7 days of receipt of application. Payment should be made payable to "Youth Futures International" and sent to: Youth Futures International, 6 University Drive Suite 206-181, Amherst, MA 01002. Please note that we can only accept check, money order, or cashier's checks from banks and accounts located physically in the United States of America. There is a $35 fee for all checks returned due to insufficient funds or account closure and replacement payment must be made in the form of cashier's check or money order.  Enrollments will be canceled if valid payment is not submitted within 10 business days.

Tuition Summary

Tuition Tier: {autoTuitionTier}

Program Cost: ${programTuition}

Deposit Required Today: ${deposit}