Safeguarding Policy

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Safeguarding Policy Statement

We, Project Access International, envision a world where passion and potential define a young person‘s future. To this end, we are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all young people who access our service; and we are dedicated to ensuring our safeguarding practices reflect best practice and government guidance, and comply with legal and Charity Commission requirements, both in the UK and abroad.

Project Access International is not a formal education institution, but rather an organisation providing educational services with the help of unaccredited volunteers.

What is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Safeguards are defined by the NSPCC as “measures that an organisation should put in place to help reduce the risk of children, young people and adults being harmed.” As PA’s mentoring and outreach programmes are aimed at both children and adults, some of whom might be considered vulnerable, contextual safeguarding is also a priority for PA. We recognise the vital role we play in our mentees’ educational journey, and therefore make sure that children and young people that use our service are safe in all the spaces where they spend their time.

Policy Scope

The following policy applies to anyone involved with Project Access, regardless of where they are in the world. This includes but is not limited to the board of trustees, staff members, volunteers, and interns, whether in the UK or overseas. Because of differing laws across jurisdictions, specific overseas guidance concerning local laws and safeguarding requirements is in the Appendix; these sections supplement, but not do not replace, the safeguarding policies and procedures here. This policy should also be read in conjunction with our Best Practice documents.

We believe that:

Children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind. We also believe that to thrive, young people need the following from adults around them:

  • Vigilance: to have adults notice when things are troubling them;

  • Understanding and action: to understand what is happening; to be heard and understood; and to have that understanding acted upon;

  • Stability: to be able to develop an on-going stable relationship of trust with those helping them;

  • Respect: to be treated with the expectation that they are competent rather than not;

  • Information and engagement: to be informed about and involved in procedures, decisions, concerns and plans;

  • Explanation: to be informed of the outcome of assessments and decisions and reasons when their views have not met with a positive response;

  • Support: to be provided with support in their own right as well as a member of their family;

  • Advocacy: to be provided with advocacy to assist them in putting forward their views.

We will achieve that by:

• Appointing a Designated Safeguarding Lead.

• Adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and codes of conduct.

• Developing and implementing an effective online safety policy and related procedures.

• Providing effective management for volunteers through support and training so that all volunteers know about and follow our policies, procedures, and behaviour codes confidently and competently.

• Recording, storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance.

• Sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children, young people, vulnerable adults and their parents / guardians / carers via our website.

• Making sure that children, young people, vulnerable adults and their know where to go for help if they have a concern.

• Using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know and involving stakeholders appropriately.

• Using our procedures to manage any allegations against tutors and team members appropriately.

• Building a safeguarding culture where volunteers, children, young people, vulnerable adults, and their parents / guardians / carers, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.

NB: Children and Young People

Most UK law and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are exclusively concerned with under-18s; however, this safeguarding policy is intended to protect young persons throughout their time with PA. Therefore, references to “child/ren” and “mentee/s” in this document refer to any young person that access PA’s services as a mentee.

Contact Details

Project Access International:

Name: Melika Tahvili

Email: support@projectaccess.org

Project Access Country Teams:

Name: see names of country team contacts in addendums in the Appendix of the policy

Email: support@projectaccess.org

NSPCC Helpline
Phone: +44 808 800 5000