From Compliance to Confidence

Schools are already doing important work to make trips safe, enriching, and well-organized. But even the most committed teams can run into trouble when one or two people end up carrying the entire weight of risk planning. That’s where a collaborative model helps—not by spreading responsibility thin, but by distributing it smartly. Everyone knows their role before the trip and in the event of a crisis. No scrambling, no guesswork. And no single person left holding the clipboard in a storm.

At ETI360, we use a structured version of the Collaborative Risk Framework, grounded in ISO 31031:2024, to help schools move from informal coordination to intentional systems. It’s not about more red tape. It’s about better tools, shared protocols, and a culture where safety isn’t siloed—it’s understood, supported, and shared.

Why a Framework Instead of Just a Policy?

Policies define the “what.” A good framework gives you the “how.”

Our Collaborative Risk Framework maps risk planning across five phases:

1. Context & Risk Profiling
   
2. Trip Design & Planning
   
3. Pre-Trip Briefing & Preparation
   
4. Trip Execution & Dynamic Risk Review
   
5. Post-Trip Evaluation & Improvement

This structure mirrors ISO 31031, but with workflows adapted to how real-world school trips operate. It enhances, rather than replaces, your existing systems. Before we dive into the phases, it’s worth understanding why this structure matters. These five stages offer a clear path for schools to proactively manage trip safety, rather than scrambling to react once something goes wrong. By organising planning around these consistent checkpoints, schools can make risk a shared, manageable process instead of an individual burden.

Quick Comparison: Old Way vs Collaborative Framework

Phase 1: Context & Risk Profiling

Every trip starts with understanding the context. Instead of relying on generic checklists, we help schools build risk profiles that reflect:

• Trip types (e.g. sports, cultural, academic)
  
• Past trip challenges and feedback
  
• Leader experience levels
  
• Seasonal/local risks and geopolitical trends

Tools Provided:

• Trip Risk Profile builder
  
• RAMS templates with editable criteria
  
• Provider screening checklist

This gives you a high-quality baseline that supports proportional, not performative, risk planning.

Phase 2: Trip Design & Planning

This phase translates trip goals into structured plans that meet duty-of-care expectations. It tackles key questions:

• Are accommodations and transport safe and age-appropriate?
  
• Are third-party providers properly insured and vetted?
  
• How will we handle a mid-trip emergency?
  

What ETI360 Offers:

• TripRisk360 Dashboard for real-time risk visibility
  
• Activity-specific RAMS libraries for common trip elements (e.g. hikes, snorkelling, free time)
  

Planning becomes more transparent and less dependent on individual memory or legacy processes.

Phase 3: Briefing & Preparation

Even the best plans need to be communicated clearly. We focus on making sure all parties—staff, students, and parents—are informed, aligned, and ready.

Included Support:

• Parent/guardian info packs and consent forms
  
• Trip leader duty schedules and on-call guides
  
• Local emergency contact sheets with health facilities
  
• Itinerary documents with embedded risk annotations
  

Preparation isn’t just paperwork. It’s a chance to create shared understanding and reduce anxiety across the board.

Phase 4: Trip Execution & Dynamic Risk Review

Trips are live events. Conditions change. Our framework equips leaders to adapt safely, not improvise under pressure.

Supports Available:

• Escalation flowcharts for weather, transport, and political risks
  
• Printed or digital day-plans with risk triggers highlighted
  
• Defined communication chains and backup leaders
  

When emergencies happen, the team doesn’t freeze or guess. Everyone knows what to do.

Phase 5: Post-Trip Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

Trips are one part logistics, one part learning. We support schools in capturing both:

Tools Include:

• Debrief templates for students, staff, and providers
  
• Risk control checklists
  
• Near-miss documentation and reflection prompts
  

Over time, your school builds a living knowledge base. New leaders don’t start from scratch. Lessons are retained, not lost.

What Do We Mean by “Collaborative”?

Collaboration isn’t just a tagline. In risk management, it’s the backbone of resilience.

In our framework, collaborative means structured participation by all stakeholders:

• No one person owns all the risk
  
• Each role has specific responsibilities before, during, and after the trip
  
• Decisions are shared, not deferred
  

This approach ensures that:

• Risk doesn’t fall through the cracks
  
• Staff aren’t left shouldering unrealistic expectations
  
• Crisis response is faster, calmer, and more effective
  

Stakeholder Roles at a Glance

ISO 31031 in Action

Callout Box: Translating Global Standards into School Reality

ISO 31031 outlines how to manage risk for youth and school trips across five stages—from understanding context to post-trip improvement. We’ve built our Collaborative Risk Framework directly on this structure, tailoring it for school workflows, team sizes, and compliance needs. The result? A standards-aligned approach you can actually use.

What It Does (and Doesn’t) Do

• Helps teams reduce gaps, guesswork, and stress
  
•  Aligns you with ISO 31031 expectations
  
• Improves preparedness and transparency across the board

It’s not:

• A binder that no one reads
  
•  A checklist-only approach
  
•  A system for assigning blame after an incident
  

Instead, it’s a smarter way to organise the work you’re already doing.

Want to implement a version of the Collaborative Risk Framework at your school?

ETI360 offers walkthroughs, onboarding, and ready-to-use tools that fit your current systems.