Safe Adventures Report | Imperial College Union

Please note: This blog post references the death of a student during a group activity.

Student-led clubs and societies are the heartbeat of the university experience and a big part of our student activity here at Imperial College Union.

Whether it’s scaling a rock face, practising a favourite team sport, or discovering a new hobby, these activities give students the chance to build skills, find community, and support their wellbeing.

Over the past year, Imperial College Union have been part of a collective of students’ unions working alongside Organised Fun, NUS Charity and Howden, to explore the current landscape of safety in student-led adventure activities, in response to the tragic death of Jack Lees who lost his life whilst taking part in a student group activity.

Together, the group has undertaken research to better understand how these activities are supported, where challenges exist, and how organisations can strengthen practice across the sector.

This work recognises that student activities are often delivered by passionate volunteers, supported by students’ unions, and in some cases also by university sports departments, academic departments, and alumni. It also highlights that, as these activities grow and evolve, there are opportunities to strengthen the culture, understanding, and support structures that help keep students safe.

The result of this work is the Safe Adventures Report, which sets out six guiding principles. These principles are designed to support organisations to improve practice while protecting what makes student activity so valuable: student leadership, exploration, and community.

Please take the time to read the report.

This report is not intended to create barriers or stop students from doing what they love. Instead, it is a proactive step to ensure that the "student-led" model remains sustainable and safe for everyone involved, and we are looking forward to working with the relevant clubs and societies on the following implementation phase.

In response to the launch of this report, we will be:

Offering meetings with all student leaders of clubs and societies mentioned in the report
Reviewing and updating policies and processes related to activity mentioned in the report
Reviewing and updating Knowledge Base articles related to activity mentioned in the report

If you have any questions about the Safe Adventures Report, please submit a ticket to the Activities Team.

If you have been affected by the contents of this article or the report, there is support for students and staff available.

Please ensure any accidents, incidents, or near misses experienced as part of club or society activity are reported via our reporting process.