It is essential to have an understanding of safeguarding basics – what safeguarding means, and how this works in organisations. The following resources are useful for all people acting on behalf of your organisation to ensure that you all have a shared understanding and are clear about expectations.
Our Top Three Recommendations
- Kaya’s Safeguarding Essentials: an interactive online course that we recommend anyone working in the humanitarian and development sectors complete.
- Open University’s Introduction to Safeguarding in the International Aid Sector: an online course over 6 weeks – work at your own pace, but gain more depth from engaging with others from the sector.
- RSH E-Learning: Safeguarding Matters: split into very short ‘bite size’ modules to complete in your own time, this is a really flexible introduction to safegaurding.
Videos
The following short videos (mostly between 2-5 mins long) may be useful to introduce the notion of safeguarding to your team, to start discussions or training sessions. Check first to ensure which are relevant to your own needs.
- What is Safeguarding?: Scotland’s International Development Alliance explain their own definition of safeguarding.
- The Principles & Dimensions of Safeguarding: Scotland’s International Development Alliance explain their infographic, illustratating the elements which underpin safegaurding.
- Child Safeguarding – Everyone’s responsibility: by Save the Children, this brief concept note explains what they mean by child safegaurding with animated graphics to support.
- Safeguarding Summit 2018: Are You Listening: this film by DFID features powerful audio quotes from victims and survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse.
- Child Safeguarding Do’s and Don’ts: the Chief of Child Protection for UNICEF Sudan explains some of their principle approaches to safeguarding.
- To Serve with Pride – Zero Tolerance for Sexual Abuse and Exploitation:This UN film was produced by the Executive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs and Peace and Security (ECHA/ECPS) United Nations (UN) and Nongovernmental Organisation (NGO) Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
- No Excuse for Abuse: Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Humanitarian Action: videos by Interaction explaining PSEA, available in several languages.
- Child Safeguarding in Emergencies: Save the Children’s Humanitarian Capacity Building team explain the specific nature of child safegaurding in emergency situations. Available in several languages.
Resources
- The Safeguarding Journey: An Introduction to Safeguarding: a PowerPoint by the Safeguarding Support & Resource Hub (RSH), which provides an overview, including Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Sexual Harassment (SEAH). Available in several languages.
- Safeguarding report-handling mechanism: case studies: Although specifically developed by Bond for training on report-handling, these case studies are very useful for training on all aspects of safeguarding where you want to introduce examples of different incidents, and how they may be responded to.
- Safeguarding definitions and reporting mechanisms for UK NGOs: this list of definitions from Bond was developed to help develop reporting mechanisms, but is useful in any safeguarding training/introduction.
Training
Ongoing training and awareness raising on safeguarding is essential across all levels in your organisation. This is a foundation to creating a safe organisation.
The following training providers offer a range of face-to-face and online training, ranging from webinars to self-paced courses, from beginners to experts. We’ve selected some of our top recommendations for you. For tailored training go to Safeguarding Specialists
Humanitarian Leadership Academy’s global online platform, Kaya:
- Safeguarding Essentials: an interactive online course aimed at anyone working in the humanitarian and development sectors. Up to 2.5 hrs, at your own pace. This course is free and a certificate is provided for completion of the coursework and a short assessment. This is a good course to either recommend or require that all staff, trustees and those acting on behalf of the organisation complete. Available in several languages.
- Safeguarding: a short (one hour) online course created by Save the Children UK and World Vision which is designed to improve your safeguarding knowledge, and help to prevent harm coming to those we seek to serve. Available in English and Arabic.
- Safeguarding VR – this is an innovative training experience which uses virtual reality (VR) and is accessible on mobile phones and VR devices. It was developed by the Humanitarian Leadership Academy in collaboration with BODYSWAPS®, an immersive learning platform, alongside leading safeguarding professionals/experts from across the sector. The VR experience takes about 20 minutes to complete and is free.
Safeguarding Resources & Support Hub:
- RSH E-Learning: Safeguarding Matters: a series of five scenario-focussed training modules aimed at non-safeguarding specialists in civil society organisations. 30 minutes per module, available in several languages. Free.
Open University on FutureLearn online learning platform:
- Introduction to Safeguarding in the International Aid Sector: a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC 1) – this online course is aimed at those working in the humanitarian and development sector. 3 hrs per week for 6 weeks, at your own pace but interact with others. Free.
- Implementing Safeguarding in the International Aid Sector: (MOOC 2) As above.
- Leadership in Safeguarding in the International Aid Sector (MOOC 3) As above. Likely to launch in May 2022
- KCS offer a wide range of child safeguarding specific online courses & events aimed at the international community, to suit a range of time zones. Some free & open to all, others for members only/paid.
- Course Materials for Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: This was developed by Interaction to provide NGOs with simple to use training modules which focus on PSEA basics, Reporting Systems, and Community Based Complaints, and can be adaptable to different locations and audiences (i.e. use with staff, senior management, community members). Includes full session plans, handouts & facilitators guide.
Scotland’s International Development Alliance: with our approach aimed particularly for Scottish and small-medium organisations, training topics have included:
- Safeguarding for Trustees
- Developing & Reviewing Safeguarding Policies
- Training for Safeguarding Leads/ Focal Points
- Leadership and Safeguarding Culture
- Introduction to Managing Safeguarding Investigations