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Resources · Protection

Our safeguarding commitment

The safety and dignity of children, young people and vulnerable participants are priorities in every program we run, and in every partnership we enter.

What we commit to

Staff, volunteers, contractors and partners must follow the screening, supervision, conduct, consent, privacy and reporting requirements appropriate to their role. That applies to anyone acting on our behalf, including partner staff working on a joint activity.

Concerns may be reported through a clear process that reaches a designated safeguarding lead. Retaliation for a good-faith report is prohibited. Confidentiality is respected within legal and safety limits — which means we will tell you plainly if a concern has to be passed to a public authority.

In practice

How this works in a program

Screening

Roles involving children, youth, vulnerable participants, money, confidential records, driving, health support or unsupervised access may require identity verification, references, and police or vulnerable-sector screening, subject to local law.

Supervision and boundaries

Volunteers work within a defined role with named supervision. Role boundaries are part of the written confirmation each volunteer receives before starting.

Consent that can be withdrawn

Youth programs use age-appropriate consent. Declining photography, publicity or optional faith-based content never affects a young person’s access to a general program.

Information handling

Safeguarding and health information is held separately from promotional and general reporting systems. It does not travel into newsletters, social media or grant applications.

Operational reporting routes, risk thresholds and investigation procedures are deliberately not published. Publishing them would help the wrong people as much as the right ones.

Raising a concern about a child or vulnerable adult

The safeguarding route goes to a designated lead, not to a shared inbox. You do not need to be certain, and you do not need evidence — report the concern and let it be assessed.

If a person is at immediate risk of harm, contact your local emergency number first. This website is not monitored as an emergency service.