Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Gap Year & Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop (GYITSA)?

The GYITSA workshop is designed to help candidates prepare appropriately for their travels and gain knowledge based on fact rather then hearsay, in order to make informed judgements both prior to and during their travels.

Our personal safety techniques are based on our proven track record in delivery of conflict management and resolution and physical intervention training to corporate clients. We teach the skills required to avoid conflict before it arises and where aggression and violence occur, our break-away and disengagement techniques allow candidates to learn some of the basic low-impact skills to free and remove themselves from situations, without the need for force or strength to be used.

Our travel information is based on our instructor’s years of experience in independent travel. They have travelled all over the globe and experienced both the upsides and occasional downsides to travel. While they have scaled the highest mountains and crossed the widest plains, they have also succumbed to scams and unwittingly been in situations where they have needed all their conflict management skills to reach a safe resolution. But throughout they have learned and perfected the knowledge required and are passionate about passing this on to candidates attending the workshop.

Information as varied as what to pack and how to avoid malaria is vital in ensuring you have a safe and enjoyable trip. With ongoing research carried out on a regular basis, we are ideally placed to provide up-to-date destination advice to help you make the right decisions first time.

Who should attend this workshop?

GYITSA is a workshop for anyone or any group preparing to take on travel to any part of the world for any length of time.

It will suit anyone of any age and as travel is a great leveller people from all backgrounds are welcome.

GYITSA is also a useful workshop for any individuals contemplating travel but who are concerned about it, lack confidence, or simply do not know how and where to start planning, where to travel to and their options once they arrive.

What does the workshop cover?

Day 1
Conflict management & resolution including; Dynamic risk & threat assessment – communication skills – avoiding conflict - managing conflict - human responses – self awareness - signalling non-aggression - conflict resolution – defusing high risk conflict – empathy - reporting incidents – providing and receiving support

Personal safety skills including; - warm-up – non-verbal communication - balance – stance – movement – blocks – defensive walls – wrist, clothing, neck and strangle break-away techniques – combination techniques.

Day 2
Destination Advice – Transport Options - Travel Health – Travel Equipment – Accommodation – Documentation - Visas – Insurance – Cash / Credit Cards – Cultural Awareness – Safe Travel – Budgets – Ethical and Responsible Travel - Returning Home - Our Experiences and Highlights

What is the outcome of the workshop?

On completion candidates will be able to return to their travel planning with a sense of direction and the essential information to pack what they will need for their trip and leave behind (and not buy) all those items that weigh your bag down and lighten your wallet. The information they receive on subjects such as travel health and personal safety will allow them to travel with a greater sense of confidence and not have the ongoing worry at the back of their mind of the risks they might face every day.

The basic understanding of cultural awareness gained will give candidates a better understanding of their destination. It will help them avoid culture shock and know what to expect when they arrive and how they should behave to make the most of their experiences.

On successfully completing the GYITSA workshop, candidates will receive an individually numbered certificate of completion from Beyond The Blue.

How long does the workshop take and how is the course assessed?

The workshop runs over two days but can be a tailored to the specific needs of a particular group and where a training needs analysis shows existing experience is sufficient, it may be reduced in length.

There is no examination or test and candidates are awarded the certificate for successfully completing the workshop, providing they take a full part throughout all sessions and satisfy the instructor of their comprehension of the subject matter and competence in all of the personal safety techniques.

Who accredits the course?

The workshop is accredited by Beyond The Blue.

Why choose Beyond The Blue as your training provider?

Beyond The Blue employ only specialist instructors to run their workshops. All our instructors have experience in relevant fields and train with the objective not just of helping you complete the workshop, but of providing you with the skills and knowledge to make the most of your travel and to travel more safely.

Workshops are tailored to meet the specific needs of that group, allowing us to put the information into more specific context for candidates.

The experience of our instructors brings the subject they are teaching to life. Our training is based on a variety of training methods and comprises of open learning, classroom based learning, scenario based learning, group work and interactive discussion and so meets the preferred learning styles of all candidates.

Our success is measured in the success of those people we train, so we are focussed on providing excellence in customer service both pre and post training.

Additional information

Preparation for travel should start well before the trip itself. Vaccinations and visa applications can often take time to organise and we recommend those wishing to make the most of the GYITSA workshop complete it at least 8 - 10 weeks prior to their intended departure date, although candidates will still benefit substantially by taking the workshop at any time prior to travel.

We ask all candidates to fill out a Candidate Pre-Booking Form before they attend our workshop. This form asks you for your previous experiences and information about your planned trip. This allows us to prepare for the workshop in advance and make it more relevant to those attending.

To get the best possible start to safe travel Book Your Place Now on our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness Workshop.

For details of Workshop / Course Dates and Fees please visit the How to Book section of this website, call us on 0845 602 55 95 or Contact Us.

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