Child and Adult Safeguarding in Arts Service
Volunteer Now is funded by the Arts Council NI to provide a Child and Adult Safeguarding in Arts Service.
Volunteer Now have been invaluable to the organisation in shaping and ensuring policies and procedures are effective and therefore keeping children and adults safe.
If your organisation/group is in receipt of Arts Council NI funding (Lottery – Project or AFP – Core), we can provide the following:
- Answer your individual safeguarding enquiries
- Carry out a review of your safeguarding policy and procedures, against the Government endorsed standards – providing guidance on how to improve your policies and practice
- Keeping Children and Adults Safe training and webinars – a variety of modules are available including awareness, Designated Officer training and Adult Safeguarding and Appointed Persons training
- Keeping Children and Adults Safe Clinics – one to one time with the Training and Development Officer to provide tailored safeguarding support and guidance
- A Keeping Safe newsletter
- Updates on best practice in safeguarding and relevant safeguarding events to develop knowledge
The support provided will ultimately help your organisation to keep children, young people and adults safe while participating in arts and culture activities.
We feel reassured by Volunteer Now that our policy is fit for purpose, as we have confidence in their understanding as an organisation.
Key findings from a recent survey
In December 2024 Volunteer Now issued a customer satisfaction survey to all groups/organisations which availed of the ‘Safeguarding Children, Young People and Adults’ project.
The survey asked a series of questions enquiring as to the service/support availed of, how beneficial it was to the organisation, what impact it had on the organisation’s practice and how accessible the service/support was.
45 responses were received and some key findings include:
- 80% said their organisation has made changes to its safeguarding policy and/or practices as a result of our ‘Policy Review’ support.
- Organisations noted an increase in staff/volunteer safeguarding knowledge after attending training/availing of a policy review. Before training/policy review the average knowledge was rated at 3.6/5. After training/policy review the rate increased to 4.9/5.
- 85% of organisations said they had made changes to their policy and practice after availing of a safeguarding clinic.
- 100% of respondents believe that children and adults will be safer in their organisations/groups care as a result of accessing support through Volunteer Now.
- 97% said the project should continue.
Contact
To check if your organisation or group is eligible for support, please contact Roisin Timlin, Training and Development Officer, Volunteer Now: roisin.timlin@volunteernow.co.uk
