Stop, Look and Listen for National Safeguarding Day
Today the NCVYS are calling on all youth organisations to make a pledge for National Safeguarding Day!
It is a chance for organisations to Stop what they are doing, Look at their safeguarding practices and Listen to young people. By taking a #StopLookListen15 pledge organisations can show their commitment to improving their safeguarding policies and standards.
At the UK Safer Internet Centre we are pledging to raise awareness of the importance of online safeguarding amongst schools, youth organisations and wider. To help we have come up with 4 example pledges and have included resources to support schools and youth organisations to review their e-safety policies.
- We pledge to review our e-safety policies and procedures. It is good to reflect on your organisation’s provision to ensure that policies are regularly updated and that best practice procedures are in place. The South West Grid for Learning provide a free online tool, 360 degree safe, which allows schools to evaluate esafety provision and strategy. For other children’s settings try the free online tool from the UK Safer Internet Centre, Online Compass, which will help ensure that safeguarding extends to the online spaces that children, staff and volunteers occupy.
- We pledge to educate everyone in our organisation about e-safety. Online safety is a whole community issue. To educate staff why not use our e-safety INSET presentation in your school, organisation or child care setting.
- We pledge to encourage everyone in our organisation to review their online reputations.. Many teachers and professionals use social networking services (SNS), such as Facebook and Twitter, both personally and professionally. It’s important for the children’s workforceto take steps to protect their online reputation so as to keep themselves and the young people they work with safe. Our professional reputation page will provide you with all the information you need to do this.
- We pledge to listen to young people’s online experiences and educate them about having a safe and positive time online. Why not check out our resources page and hear the perspectives of hundreds of young people from Safer Internet Day.
To make your pledge visit: http://www.ncvys.org.uk/make-a-pledge
If you have a Safeguarding concern, remember you can always call the Professionals Online Safety Helpline on 0844 381 4772.