Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding is how we help everyone at Jane Jarvis Coaching stay safe both online and offline. We follow the same offline and online, but recognise that some types of harm can happen only, or mostly, online.

This policy sets out our commitment to safeguarding and the different types of online harms, our expectations, and how we help our members, volunteers and activities stay safe online.

This policy applies to Jane Jarvis Coaching staff whether permanent, fixed term or contracted. It covers all Jane Jarvis Coaching activities at any level which take place online. These include:

• Any activities that take place over internet Jane Jarvis Coaching provides.
• Any Jane Jarvis Coaching activities that take place on non-Jane Jarvis Coaching affiliated digital platforms, like Facebook or Zoom, or devices, like mobile phones or computers.

It also applies to everyone who uses our websites, digital platforms and social media. It applies in the UK and for British Overseas Territories.

Definitions

• Adult member – anyone over 18 years old for whom a subscription is paid.
• Adult volunteer – anyone aged over 18 who gives their time to Girlguiding without being paid, in a registered volunteer role. This includes volunteers working directly with members and volunteers with no direct contact.
• Digital platforms – includes social media, websites, apps and online software.
• Girlguiding – the Guide Association and all local units, districts, divisions, counties, countries and regions.
• Member – includes young members and adult members.
• Social media – any digital communications that allows you to communicate with more than one person at a time, like Facebook, X, Whatsapp or Instagram. Email can be considered to be social media, for example a group email chain.
• Social media channels – includes both our official and volunteer social media channels, like a Facebook page.
• Staff – anyone employed by The Guide Association whether permanent, fixed term or contracted.
• Young member – anyone who’s a Rainbow, Brownie, Guide or Ranger. Or a volunteer aged under 18 in any role, for example a young leader.

Policy statement

Jane Jarvis Coaching’s commitment to digital safeguarding

We’re committed to safeguarding everyone at Jane Jarvis Coaching. This includes people who use our digital services and social media channels.

We follow the same safeguarding principles for Jane Jarvis Coaching’s activities offline and online.

We recognise and respond to digital safeguarding concerns including but not limited to:

• Online abuse – including online bullying, online harassment, cyberstalking, and discrimination and abuse on the grounds of protected characteristics.
• Online exploitation – including sexual exploitation and online grooming.
• Online harms – including, the promotion of self-harm, suicide and eating disorders, and the sharing of illegal and inappropriate imagery.
• Specialist areas – including radicalisation.
• Other harms including disinformation and misinformation, hoaxes, hacking, oversharing of personal information, impersonation and harmful online challenges.

We don’t have to be certain about a concern, so if you think someone is at risk of any of these harms, and if in doubt, it will be reported.

Expectations

Jane Jarvis Coaching expects all adult members and staff to:

• Always report a safeguarding concern, offline or online, even if you aren’t sure.
• Respond to online incidents in the same way as other safeguarding incidents. This could be something that happens at an online meeting, or a member raising an issue at an online meeting.
• Follow the  safeguarding policy.
• Recognise the types of online harms and the risks they have.
• Make every effort to ensure children and young members understand why and how to stay safe online.
• Make sure you have the correct permissions in place before taking and using photographs or recording.
• Never contact a child or young member under 14 without permission from their parent or carer. This applies even if they contacted you first, unless it’s an emergency.
• Follow Jane Jarvis Coaching’s code of conduct online as you would offline.
• Make sure you set up and use social media accounts responsibly.
• Make sure you do everything possible to stop access to illegal or inappropriate content on any Jane Jarvis Coaching platform.

How Jane Jarvis Coaching helps  members, staff and activities stay safe online

• Operate a safe practice throughout everything we do
• We make sure our projects, activities, programmes and campaigns support all of our members, any volunteers and staff to stay safe online.
• We aim to incorporate best practice in digital safeguarding in everything we do.
• We help our staff to support members in being effective online.
• We take action in line with best practice when a digital safeguarding incident happens.
• We support and train staff in digital safeguarding.
• We keep links with key organisations to raise awareness and refer and report incidents.
• We risk-assess all our projects, initiatives, programmes, activities, services and campaigns to make sure digital safeguards are in place.
• We support volunteers and staff using our safeguarding structure. We use our safeguarding procedure to manage allegations against staff.