The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services recently put a call out for all children and youth organisations to make 29 February a ‘National Safeguarding Day’.
The campaign
This campaign has been coined ‘The Stop Look Listen Campaign’ and encourages organisations to stop what they are doing, look at their safeguarding practices, listen to young people and take action.
This national initiative aims to inspire and encourage children and youth organisations to show commitment to improving their safeguarding policies and standards.
Sam Marks, Chair of the National Safeguarding Forum said:
“It has been a great year for NCVYS in developing our safeguarding network and I am looking forward to another year where youth organisations come together and support each other in regards to the responsibilities and practical approaches to safeguarding.
“The Stop Look Listen Campaign is a great way for us to consolidate this, by putting some time aside and really thinking about simple and effective ways that we can reaffirm our commitments to safeguarding.”
Listening to children
The campaign is as much about organisations reflecting and assessing the effectiveness of the service that they provide for children, as it is about encouraging workers to listen to what these children have to say. Sam added:
“By sharing this with others, we can remind ourselves that we are not alone, while not forgetting that young people are active participants in the work that we do. So take some time not only to stop and look at what you and your organisation is doing, but also listen to what young people say and how they think you can make the organisation safer for them.”
The final weekday of February was chosen to focus on safeguarding as it means that every four years there’s an opportunity to take this extra day in the calendar to take a “step forward” with safeguarding practice.
The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services was established in 1936 and now boasts over 175 national, regional and local networks working with and for young people.
To find out more, search NCVYS National Safeguarding.
Article sourced from the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services website: http://www.ncvys.org.uk/stop-look-and-listen-national-safeguarding-day