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General Good Practice Guidelines for Serving Ones and Helpers

Good Practice Guidelines

The following general guidelines shall apply to all those active during events organised and supported by European Young People’s Work e.V. when serving with children and young people (under 18 years of age).

1. Taking responsibility – We take responsibility for the welfare of the children and young people entrusted to us and safeguard them in our environment from neglect and mistreatment as well as from impairment to their health and discrimination of all kinds.

2. Observing their rights – We observe the right of the children and young people entrusted to us to bodily integrity and to their private sphere and do not exert any form of violence, whether physical, psychological, or sexual.

3. Respecting boundaries – We respect the individual sense of boundaries of the children and young people entrusted to us and ensure that the children and young people respect these boundaries in their conduct with each other. Serving ones and helpers knock on the doors of the young people’s rooms before entering. Situations in which serving ones are alone with a young person or a child in a room or vehicle are to be avoided. If this is not possible, the door should be left open and another serving one should be aware of the situation.

4. Fostering personal development – We value our children and young people and foster their personal development. We guide them into appropriate social behaviour with other people and to tolerance, respect, and fair play.

5. Observing personal rights – We treat the children and young people’s data, which is entrusted to or accessible to us, in strict confidence. We do not take any photos or video material of the young people in their rooms or in the bathrooms. Photos or videos are not to be distributed by social media. We handle images and video material which portray the children and young people sensitively and responsibly, in accordance with data protection, particularly when made public on social media.

6. Communicating transparently – We do not communicate with individual children or young people about personal subjects on social media programmes (e.g., Facebook) or messenger apps (e.g., WhatsApp).

7. Intervening actively – In the case of conflict or suspicion, as well as contravention by third parties who are also subject to these guidelines, we inform the contact person named for this event in order to call on professional support. The protection of the children and young people always takes first priority.

8. Alcohol, nicotine, drugs  The use of these substances during the Conference is strictly forbidden.

code of conduct

For Serving Ones and Helpers

CODE OF CONDUCT

Because the conference is online, there is a specific code of conduct for serving ones and helpers to safeguard the young people. The following points are based on recommendations from schools, youth organisations, and advisory bodies.

1. Exploitation  Please be aware that personal contact between an adult and young person over the internet presents an opportunity for a private relationship to be formed and opens a possibility of grooming/sexual exploitation. Look out for signs of this. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable, please report any suspicions immediately to the safeguarding team at safeguarding@ypconference.eu.

2. Personal Information  Do not share the personal contact details of young people and serving ones.

3. Do not be loose in what you say  Be aware that actions and words can be misinterpreted. Do not have inappropriate conversations with young people. Have respectful speech.

4. Dress appropriately  Dress as you would for a regular young people’s conference.

5. Be aware of your environment  As much as possible, you should not call in from your bedroom. Consider items within view of your camera. Consider the appropriateness of dress of those in the background.

6. Do not be alone  An adult should never be with a young person alone (all one-to-one communications online is the equivalent of meeting a young person in a room on your own with no one around). Always seek another adult to be with you in the physical room. Ask for the parent to stay nearby (they can come and go).

7. Report all concerns immediately  If you have any concerns, please contact office@ypconference.eu who will help you to connect you with the oversight team.

8. Prevent inappropriate behaviour – Take proper precautions when setting up a meeting. Be vigilant to mute/block any inappropriate behaviour that is happening.

9. No photos or videos – Do not take photos, screen captures, or videos of any young person or serving one, and do not post them online or send them to anyone.