Who is paying for all those travels?

This was the question we have got as one of the comments to post from Leny Doelman’s travel in South America.

This is very interesting question indeed, which deserves more than just a comment.

Here are the answers from Leny Doelman about this specific case and Brett Grant, explaining the ISGF World Committee policy about ISGF WCom members reimbursement.

Leny Doelman, Central Branch coordinator, member of ISGF World Committee:

“As you may know I am in the situation as Central Branch coordinator that I do not work anymore and my husband is now in the same position because of early retirement.

We like to explore the world before we get too old. We like to go to places that are not worldwide known and visited by all tourists. Moreover we arrange most of the travels on our own and without any help of a travel agency. We never book hotels as we want to travel as flexible as possible and stay in small family hotels.

On our list this year was Chile and Argentina so we thought it was a perfect combination to combine our visit with the 23rd Interamerican Scout Conference in Quito, Ecuador. As we wanted to see the north of Chile and Argentina, a visit to Fellowship members was appropriate. We were totally independent as we drove a rented car ourselves, so our visits to Fellowship members was very easy.

The landscapes and nature of both countries was so beautiful and totally different of the things we have seen in other countries. We drove more than 6.000 kilometers in 21 days.

In Ecuador I attended the Interamerican Scout Conference and my five minutes speech and the Scout & Guide Spirit Flame presentation touched the participants. I also had a phone call with the only member in Rio Bamba, Ecuador (many kilometres south of Quito) and he was very honoured to receive a call from me. I visited him some years ago and after the Conference we hired a car and went sightseeing in the north of Quito. My husband did not take part in the Conference but was roaming around in Quito and enjoyed the historical town on his own.

The only cost for ISGF is the cost of my flight ticket to Quito both ways and the hotel occupancy for one person together with the registration costs. These costs were already taken into the budget for 2007.”

Brett D Grant, Finance Team, member of ISGF World Committee:

“There are several levels of reimbursement for the WCom representing the ISGF:

• Level 1 being the ISGF WCom meetings, WOSM and WAGGGS World and Regional Conferences are reimbursed in full. Except incidentals.
• Level 2 ISGF World Conference and select meetings are reimbursed to 75% of the cost. Except incidentals (taxi, buses, trains etc.).
• Level 3 Extra Regional and International visits/ meetings on ISGF business are not reimbursed.

This year, allowing for it being a special year, the WCom out of pocket expenses are estimated to be around 23,000 Euros. A normal year we would estimate 12,000 Euros . This would include the personal expenses such as phone calls, postage, printing, gifts, travel and accommodation.

An estimate can also be put on the loss of income for the WCom members who are still employed and are the sole income for their families, but we feel this is a private matter. We will say that it can entail being away from families and work for 2 -3 weeks a year.

There has been WCom members who have donated the cost of attending some of the events out of their own pocket even though being entitled to reimbursement.”