Safeguarding Policy
Volt Entrepreneurs Limited (Volt) is a company driven by family values. In the UK, safeguarding means protecting peoples' health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. This affects people of all ages and abilities. For a full definition of safeguarding, please refer to NHS England Safeguarding team.
The purpose of this policy is to protect people, particularly teenagers and beneficiaries of assistance, from any harm1 that may be caused due to their coming into contact with Volt. This policy lays out the commitments made by Volt, and informs staff and associated personnel, including volunteers, programme guests and
contractors, of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.
This policy does not cover safeguarding concerns in the wider community not perpetrated by Volt or associated personnel. Please note that an Enhanced DBS check has been conducted on all Volt staff and will be carried out as part of the recruitment process of new staff.
Policy Statement
Volt believes that everyone we come into contact with, whether in-person or online, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Volt will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by staff or associated personnel.
This policy will address child safeguarding, particularly of teenagers while registered on our programmes and events. Volt commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.
Prevention
Volt will:
• Ensure all staff have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy.
• Design and undertake all its programmes and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may arise from their coming into contact with Volt. This includes the way in which information about individuals in our programmes is gathered and communicated, including photographs.
• Implement stringent safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing and deploying staff and associated personnel.
• Ensure staff receive training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in the organization.
• Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process.
Child safeguarding
Volt staff and associated personnel will not and must not:
• Engage in sexual activity with anyone under the age of 18
• Sexually abuse or exploit children
• Subject a child to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect
• Engage in any commercially exploitative activities with children including child labour or trafficking
Adult safeguarding
Volt staff and associated personnel will not and must not:
• Sexually abuse or exploit at risk adults
• Subject an at risk adult to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect
Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse
Volt staff and associated personnel will not and must not:
• Exchange money, employment, goods or services for sexual activity. This includes any exchange of assistance that is due to beneficiaries of assistance
• Engage in any sexual relationships with beneficiaries of assistance, since they are based on inherently unequal power dynamics
Additionally, Volt staff and associated personnel are obliged to:
• Contribute to creating and maintaining an environment that prevents safeguarding violations and promotes the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy
• Report any concerns or suspicions regarding safeguarding violations by a Volt staff member or associated personnel to the appropriate staff member
Reporting
Volt will ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to staff and the communities we work with. We will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners and official bodies.
Anyone who has a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it immediately to one of Volt’s Co-Founders.
Response
Volt will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to policy and procedure, and legal and statutory obligations, and will apply appropriate disciplinary measures to staff found in breach of policy.
Volt will offer support to survivors of harm caused by staff or associated personnel, regardless of whether a formal internal response is carried out (such as an internal investigation). Decisions regarding support will be led by the co-founders.
1. Harm is defined as emotional, physical and any other infringement of an individual’s rights including (but not limited to) humiliating and degrading treatment such as bad name calling, constant criticism, belittling, persistent shaming, solitary confinement and isolation. Harm includes bullying and/or harassment. Harm can arise from the conduct of staff or personnel associated with Volt or the design and implementation of Volt’s programmes and activities.
