In an Arukah webinar, we went through an important discussion on protecting the vulnerable in our communities and organisations through safeguarding. Here’s 7 things you can learn.
All people are created equal. As a network, we believe that God created everyone equally, in His image. This shows that no one has more value than the other regardless of age, gender, race, the place where we were born or the things that we have.
People are not treated equally. Because of sin in the world, many people are subjected to abuse in the form of violence, forced marriages, modern slavery and more. These things can happen in our communities and we can’t ignore them. It is our responsibility to step up and protect the vulnerable.
We must defend and speak for the vulnerable and voiceless. As Christians, God asks us to speak up for those who are unsafe (Psalms 31:8). In order to defend and protect the vulnerable, it is important to first recognize the problem which should move us to act. As those with leadership responsibility, some important first steps to take include:
Creating policies. Writing policies for your organisation or Cluster is an important first step because policies drive action. You can start by completing a Safeguarding Risk Assessment which considers all the risks involved in the day to day running of your organisation and measures to take to manage those risks. We have a template at Arukah which we can send your way. Simply send an email to team@arukahnetwork.org.
Setting procedures. As a Cluster or organisation, it is important to have clear and specific procedures on how a member reports a concern and how it is dealt with. Concerns should be listened to and recorded securely and confidentially by an appointed Safeguarding Officer. It is also important to follow procedures set up by your government.
Caring for people. Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility. As leaders in our Clusters or organisations, it is important to create a safeguarding culture that enables people to stay safe. This involves helping people talk about these issues in helpful ways, recognizing the stories of those involved, and training our teams in procedures regularly.
We are here to Support you. Arukah Network would love to provide you with practical support and guide you in the right direction as you take your first steps in your safeguarding journey. Send any questions to team@arukahnetwork.org. Our friends at Tearfund also have very helpful resources on topics like gender and sexual violence, children and youth, and migration and trafficking. Click HERE to access them.
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