Leading and supporting a safe and successful ICO adventure takes lots of upfront planning as well as fulfilling many tasks after the trip. Generally the easiest part of leading a trip is the trip itself! The Reno Inspiring Connections Outdoors Trip Planning Checklist is your easy to use guide for organizing and carrying out the trip.

In our Outdoor Leadership Trainings, we go through a trip planning exercise where volunteers learn how to plan a trip, but we don’t spend time on the tasks after a trip. Generally these tasks are led by the Trip Leader, but there are parts which are often shared by the Agency Lead, Assistant Trip Leaders, ICO volunteers, and also the participants themselves.  Trip Leaders can make the post-trip to-do’s easier by having a basic understanding of these tasks before the trip even starts.

Post-trip tasks break down into three areas:

• Pictures and Writings that capture the trip and it’s impacts.
• Trip reporting for compliance, liability, insurance, and financial purposes.
• Cleaning and returning clothing and equipment

All of these tasks are outlined in items 21-28 in the ICO Trip Planning Checklist. Here is a detailed explanation of all post-trip tasks: 

PICTURES, VIDEOS, AND WRITINGS:

Pictures speak a thousand words!  Pictures and videos are used by ICO for fundraising, recruiting volunteers, and for attracting partner organizations. Writings and comments by participants and partner organization representatives are also powerful tools for describing impacts.

• Pictures and Videos: Several of our Trip Leaders set up a Google Photos file with permissions which allow all participants on the trip to contribute their photos and videos. Consider asking a participant to take short videos of others talking about their experiences on the trip. (Favorite part, telling a story, funniest or scariest moment, etc.) The ICO waiver includes the right of ICO to use and post images and videos on line – check the waivers for each participant to see if anyone has opted out – If they have opted out, you can remove any of their pictures from Google Photos.  Include a link to your Google Photos file in your Trip Report. If you need help setting up a Google Photos, contact D’Lisa Crane, Reno ICO Social Media Coordinator.
   

  

  

• Writings: The words from ICO participants are magical… It is powerful to read the student impressions.  Here is one from a high school student who was on a Donner Train Tunnels hike in November, 2023:

"Though it’s not what I’m used to, it was a really fun experience. Being able to hike with everyone, learn about history, see all the graffiti, have a meal and even some hot cocoa was amazing. I would definitely do it again!"

Some trip leaders or school/community group leaders have provided a form for the students to write their impressions on the bus back home. The Dean’s Future Scholars program sends out a Google Form to students who can respond using their phones with their writing - some even complete their survey/writing on the bus ride back to University of Nevada, Reno. Washoe Innovations High School Teacher/Trip Leader Tyler Post, has the students write a paragraph in class after the trip.  All of those methods work! These writings can be included as attachments to the Trip Report.

TRIP REPORTING FORMS: 

After completing the following forms, Trip Leaders should place them in the Trip Folder in the Reno ICO Google Drive. Alternatively, Trip Leaders can email all these documents can be to Rob Schamberg, and he will put them into the folder.

• ICO Trip Feedback Form for Schools and Agencies:  The Trip Leader should provide this form to the leader from the school group or community group. When completed, it should be returned to the ICO Trip Leader. This form helps ICO to learn and improve. Also, the demographic information for participants is essential for our annual reporting and fundraising (including at the national Sierra Club level.)
   
• ICO Trip Report Form:  After receiving the Trip Feedback form the ICO Trip Leader fills out the Trip Report and places it in the Trip Folder in the Reno ICO Google Drive, including the completed Trip Feedback Form, pictures, videos, and participant writings.
   
• Online Incident Report (If needed): If there was an injury, emergency, abuse or harassment on the trip, call Program Safety at: 1-888-688-4647 or submit an online Incident Report.
   
• Child Abuse Reporting (if needed):  If a trip leader becomes aware of suspected child abuse which may have taken place on the trip or elsewhere, the Trip Leader needs to report this to the correct authority as learned in the ICO Child Abuse Reporting and Prevention course. If you have any questions, please contact Rob Schamberg or Tracey Pomeroy.
   
• Participant Lists and ICO Waivers: Trip Leaders should place all Participant lists, liability waivers, medical lists and incident report forms (to hold at least 7 years) in the Google Docs Trip Folder (Find your trip folder here or attach to an email to Rob and he will put them in the folder.)
   
• Reimbursement Form:  If you need to be reimbursed for trip costs, please fill out the form and send it in with receipts to Reno ICO Treasurer Suzy Bank-Schamberg. Please note that reimbursements will not be issued until we receive the completed Trip Feedback Form and the ICO Trip Report Form

CLEANING AND RETURNING CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT: 

We are very proud of the vast array of clothing and equipment that we have acquired  to make trips safe and motivating for all. So let’s keep this stuff clean and new! Of utmost importance is that all gear must be returned clean and dry.  Please ensure that all gear is 100% dry before placing it back in the equipment storeroom. 

• Cleaning Clothing: If gear is muddy, dirty or smelly, please wash before returning. Remember that socks and base layers are intended to be given to participants for them to keep for the future! All pile and insulated jackets are machine washable. Goretex rain shells and rain pants should be cleaned with a damp cloth – no soap. All mud and dirt should be cleaned off of the inside and outside of boots using a damp cloth.
• Sleeping Bags: If these are dirty or smelly, they can be machine washed  cold or warm but not hot, and then machine dried. If they are not dirty or smelly, please put them in a warm drier for 20 minutes to kill any germs.
• Tents, ground cloths and backpacks:  Please be sure that they are cleaned of mud or loose dirt. If they were packed away wet, please hang them out as soon as possible when you return home. Please do not return any wet gear.
• Kitchen and eating/drinking gear: Please make sure that these have been washed out, rinsed well to avoid soapy residue and returned dry… just the way they were when you picked them up.
• Missing or Damaged Gear: please let Equipment Coordinator, John Arsenault, know of any missing or damaged gear when you return it. Please place damaged gear on the damaged gear shelf in the Gear Storage Room. This will allow John to coordinate repairs or buy replacements.

  

  

Contact Reno ICO Equipment Coordinator John Arsenault to schedule a time to return the equipment. This could also be scheduled at the time that you arranged to pick up the gear. Please give yourself enough time to clean and dry the clothing and equipment before returning.

Well documented trips and careful use of gear are a huge part of sustaining Reno Inspiring Connections Outdoors into the future. Thanks for your diligence!