How To Implement Safeguarding
Preventing and reducing risk of harm for the Youth-Led Action Initiative
All individuals and organizations who implement the Youth-Led Action Initiative are strongly urged to ensure key safeguarding procedures have been followed and are in place. Organizations should follow their own internal safeguarding guidelines when implementing this work. Important steps for safeguarding include, but are not limited to:
Conducting a Risk and Mitigation Assessment
Risk assessment refers to the process of identifying what could cause harm and evaluating how serious the impact would be.
- Identify risks: What might happen that could cause harm?
- Analyze risks: How likely is it to happen?
- Evaluate risks: How severe would the consequences be if it happens?
Risk mitigation is about taking actions to reduce the chances of the risk happening or minimizing its impact.
- Prevention strategies: What can be done to stop it from happening?
- Response plans: If it happens, how will you handle it?
Risk and mitigation assessment(s) should be carried out ahead of all activities to ensure risks are identified and mitigations are in place to manage those risks appropriately. Particular consideration should be given to activities with young people who may be vulnerable due to their personal circumstances, or as a result of the topics being discussed (i.e., mental health, gender-based violence) or their circumstances (i.e, youth on the move, those living in a climate insecure environment).
Developing a Safeguarding Plan
A safeguarding plan is a detailed document that outlines the steps an organization or individual will take to ensure the safety and well-being of participants.
The plan focuses on preventing harm and responding appropriately if issues arise. Based on the information gathered as part of the assessment, develop a safeguarding plan and put in place activity-specific safeguards. For any training, note that the safeguards will be different depending on if the initial training is in-person or online. At a minimum, any safeguarding plan should include: the risk assessment/risk mitigation plan; definitions and explanations safeguarding procedures; name and contact information of Safeguarding Focal Point(s); and the reporting accountability flowchart.
Other Important Components of Safeguarding
Informed Consent/Assent
Ensure informed consent/assent processes take place with potential participants. Informed consent means that a person fully understands the risks, benefits, and details of an activity, treatment, or research and agrees to take part voluntarily. It ensures the person has enough information to make a free and informed choice. Key elements of informed consent are:
- Information: Clear explanation of what will happen, including risks and benefits.
- Understanding: The person must fully understand the information provided.
- Voluntariness: The person agrees without pressure or coercion.
- Capacity: The person must be able to make their own decision.
Informed assent applies when someone is not legally (i.e., under age of consent) or mentally able to give full consent but can still agree to participate. It ensures that the person understands what is happening and feels comfortable with it, even though their legal guardian gives formal consent.
Both processes ensure that individuals feel respected, are fully informed, and have control over their involvement.
Youth Safeguarding Handout
Develop and share in advance with young participants a youth safeguarding handout. These should include, at a minimum: definition(s) and explanation(s) of safeguarding procedures; name and contact information of Safeguarding Focal Point(s); and examples of when one might contact the Safeguarding Focal Point.
Code of Conduct
It may be useful to draft a Code of Conduct for participants (both youth and adults). This is a set of guidelines outlining the expected behaviors and responsibilities of individuals within a group or organization. You can find a sample below as a starting point to develop a Code of Conduct specific to the work you are doing.
Safeguarding Focal Point/s
As part of the above, it is essential to identify a Safeguarding Focal Point/s to attend the training and other activities. You can find a sample below of a Terms of Reference which reviews some of the key responsibilities and important knowledge/skills for a Safeguarding Focal Point.
Chaperone
For any in-person activities requiring travel, it may be necessary to have Chaperones for some participants. You can find a sample below of an outline of the key responsibilities of a Chaperone.