‘Learning safely together’ Pact

We will shortly be meeting up for a conventional training course once again.
Naturally, we want to do this in a safe and healthy manner.

It is therefore important that everyone who is present during our courses makes an effort and feels responsible for guaranteeing social distancing and hygiene so that we can learn effectively in the most comfortable conditions possible.

For this reason, we have drawn up a ‘Learning safely together’ pact, geared to the guidelines of the National Safety Council, Sciensano (research and guidance centre for Belgian public health) and the standards in our sector (Federgon).

With this ‘Learning safely together’ pact we are striving, with your cooperation, to organise our training courses in a safe and responsible manner. This applies to both conventional sessions at an external course location and courses that are organised in-house at our customers.

It is important that you read the following safety and hygiene instructions beforehand. Because taking part in the course means saying ‘yes’ to complying with them.

These instructions may, of course, evolve if the official guidelines alter. You will find the most recent version on this page.

Do you have specific symptoms or do you feel ill? In that case, stay at home. Inform our customer service as quickly as possible at contact@ncoi.be. This applies to our trainers, customers, reception and other staff at the course location.
The symptoms vary from mild to severe respiratory complaints with fever, a cough and breathing difficulties.
Other symptoms may include severe and sudden tiredness, loss of taste and/or smell, diarrhoea, skin rash.
Some people are considered to be “at risk”; they are more vulnerable and likely to develop serious symptoms. These are mainly people aged over 65 years and those suffering from serious chronic illnesses.
Anyone belonging to the risk group should discuss with their attending physician whether or not they can take part in or work on the course.
Those who fall ill during the course should go home and be tested by their attending physician. If the test is positive, everyone who has been in contact with this person will be traced (contact tracing). Those contacted in turn follow the guidelines given by their GP.
Final responsibility as to whether to attend or take part in a training course lies with the individual. If there is uncertainty about the risk or the symptoms, consult your general practitioner first. Any medical (in)capacity can only be assessed by a qualified person; the decision as to the training (organisation) itself remains the responsibility of the person concerned.
In the event of a positive corona test during or shortly after the training, you are free to contact us and inform us. However, we will only act at official request to pass on the necessary contact information (first name, last name, telephone no.) to the competent authority, and may not play any active role in contact tracing or the process of communication to other participants and instructors. You will find more information on our privacy policy here: ncoi.be/privacy

The trainer or receptionist will register your presence so that a list does not have to be passed round. Is a signature required? If so, you should preferably use your own pen.
The trainer gives clear instructions at the start of the course about social distancing and hygiene during the course. These will be repeated during the day. Your documentation folder also contains a handy quick reference card bearing these instructions.
The participants are asked to keep an eye on one another and to help one another remember the agreed rules of behaviour.
First and foremost, all those participating in the course should use their common sense and expressly bear responsibility themselves for complying with the instructions, this pact and the general measures imposed by the government.
In the exceptional event that a participant repeatedly fails to comply with the safety and hygiene instructions, the trainer will ask this person to leave the course and the training location in the interests of the other participants.
The trainer is not, however, responsible for enforcing compliance with the measures laid down in this pact. Each participant in the training course is responsible for his or her own behaviour and actions.

We ask you, as a participant, to enter the classroom no earlier than 10 minutes before the start of the course and not to remain in the classroom for any longer than is necessary after the course.
We provide sufficient disinfecting hand gel, paper hand towels and cleaning materials to clean the equipment in the classroom. Wash or disinfect your hands when you enter and be sure to do this regularly.
Wearing a face covering is the new normal and is recommended by the federal government in most public situations, and therefore at the course location, as well:
- Keep your face covering in place when entering and leaving the course location, when entering and leaving the classroom and when registering your presence.
Unless more stringent guidelines are requested by the training location, wearing a face mask during the course is recommended but not mandatory:
- for the participant: when following the lesson from their own chair, at their own table.
- for the trainer: while actually teaching when the social distance rule of 1.5 m can be observed.
Wear a face covering that provides sufficient protection for yourself and others and wear it as required over your nose and mouth.
The basic rules of not shaking hands, coughing or sneezing into your elbow and using paper tissues that you throw away immediately also apply during the training course.
If the above arrangements are reinforced by extra obligations or advice under local or regional/provincial rules, we expect everyone to follow these rules in the training context, as well.

The locations that we work with apply a safety protocol that stipulates a distance of 1.5 meters.
We monitor the group sizes in line with the possibilities of our course locations, so that everyone can maintain a distance of 1.5 meters from others at all times.
We arrange tables and chairs safely in the classroom. Where feasible, this will involve individual tables placed as close to the walls as possible, with as much free passageway as possible.
As a participant, you choose your preferred table and chair upon entering. This will be your place throughout the day.
Training course materials such as pens, notebooks, course material or books are laid out ready in each place when the course begins. You have your own equipment throughout the course, which does not have to be shared with the other participants.
We ensure that it is possible to maintain a distance of 1.5 m when moving around the room and in the working methods that we use.
The trainer remains at a distance of 1.5 meters from the participants at all times. Literally ‘looking over someone’s shoulder’ is not possible. The trainer will use a socially distance alternative for this or adapt the teaching approach so that exercises can also be organised safely.
The classroom door should preferably remain open. If this is not possible, because of noise for example, then the trainer only should open or close the door.
The breaks and lunch times are scheduled on the day itself, depending on the number of other people present at the course location. We keep to this schedule so that we come into contact with any other visitors as little as possible.

We have made comprehensive arrangements with our course locations in order to guarantee that:

a distance of 1.5 meters can be observed at all times throughout the day, both in the classroom and in the public areas and bathroom facilities;
the routes to be followed in the location and the guidelines for the use of the accommodation are clearly displayed;
there is a protocol for the use of the toilets and the bathroom facilities are thoroughly cleaned very regularly, with particular emphasis on hand contact points;
the building and the rooms are well ventilated, preferably where possible by means of open windows and doors or an approved alternative that complies with the regulations;
stringent safety and hygiene rules are in place for the use (hand contact points) of coffee and tea facilities, lunch arrangements and other catering-related wishes;
There is a protocol for serving lunch safely and with respect for social distancing. These are the most frequently applied formulas for:
- the catering:
  - an individually wrapped lunch packet
  - table service with sufficient space between the seats and tables
- the area where lunch is served:
  - in the classroom itself
  - in the restaurant at the training location with an appropriate and sufficiently distanced layout
the staff at the location (reception, catering assistants, etc.) are aware of the guidelines and take additional measures such as wearing face coverings, washing their hands thoroughly and frequently and where necessary wearing gloves. We also ask them to make sure that (all) visitors to the location comply with these rules.

‘Learning safely together’ Pact

Learning safely in the 1.5 meter society

When do you stay at home?

Which guidelines apply during the course?

What else can you do to protect your own health and that of others?

What guarantees do we give in the classroom?

What is the role of the course location?

Contact point