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Code of conduct

All staff and volunteers associated with the EF High School Exchange Year program must commit to lawful and professional conduct at all times and adhere to all EF HSEY policies and procedures, including but not limited to:

EF HSEY has a zero-tolerance policy for any type of inappropriate behaviors, sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, emotional maltreatment or harassment toward our students or other minors. All EF HSEY staff should immediately report any suspected child abuse and/or neglect concerns to the appropriate authorities.

Adult to Youth Interaction

It is the responsibility of adults to set and respect appropriate boundaries with youth. By acknowledging the existence of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and grooming behaviors, we can actively identify situations that could foster an abusive situation on our program and take immediate steps to promote student safety.

Healthy Communication

EF HSEY’s Communications Policy defines healthy communication practices with minors as it relates to adult/youth cell phone communication, email expectations, and group messages. It is inappropriate for an adult to:

  • Comment on a child/student’s body or appearance inappropriately

  • Excessively text or message a child/student

  • Discuss sex, sexual experiences, or sexual relationships

  • Discuss intimacies of their marriage or adult relationships

  • Discuss sexually provocative jokes

  • Threaten a child/student to keep secrets from a trusted adult or EF

  • Request or threaten a child/student to keep communication or secrets from a trusted adult or EF

  • Isolate a child/student from forming healthy relationships with your peers

  • Communicate with a child/student in any way that makes them feel uncomfortable

Healthy Boundaries

It is important to always maintain healthy physical boundaries with students/children. Examples of appropriate physical contact include high fives, fist bumps and side hugs. It is inappropriate for an adult to:

  • Insist on hugging, kissing, wrestling, or massaging a child/student

  • Touch a child/student sexually in any way or in any personal areas

  • Walk in on a child/student unannounced in the bathroom or bedroom

  • Show a child/student pornography or other images containing nudity, or leave these images out in the open

  • Film or photograph a child/student inappropriately or without their consent

  • Display any sort of nudity or invite a child/student to display any sort of nudity

  • Provide drugs or alcohol to a child/student

  • Give gifts that are exclusive, excessive, or to be kept private

  • Physically interact with a child/student in any way that makes them feel uncomfortable

It is additionally expected and required that EF HSEY staff, contractors, and volunteers:

  • Shall not abuse students or use corporal punishment of any kind. This includes physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, mental abuse or neglect. Any type of abuse will not be tolerated and is cause for immediate dismissal.

  • Shall respect a child/student’s right not to be touched in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable.

  • Use only appropriate forms of physical contact, such as pats on the back or shoulder, side hugs, handshakes and high fives.

  • Refrain from hugging, touching of personal areas, massages, or patting on the buttocks

  • Shall respect a child/student’s right to say “no” regarding their body, safety, or comfort.

  • Profanity, inappropriate jokes, sharing of intimate details of one’s personal life and any kind of harassment are prohibited.

  • Report any suspicion of child abuse to EF HSEY and/or the proper authorities.

  • Follow EF High School Exchange Year’s Comprehensive Child Protection Policy.

Any violation of this Code of Conduct may result in dismissal/termination and/or separation from the program.