SAFEGUARDING AT THE Y

Every year we employ staff to work with thousands of children, young people and their whānau across Y Central programmes, across the lower North Island. The Y’s vision is ‘We build strong kids, strong families and strong communities’. Therefore at the Y, we take our commitment to safeguarding seriously. We have worked hard to reflect safeguarding as a shared responsibility by creating a safeguarding culture. We wish for all those accessing or representing the Y, to be provided with a positive and safe environment. To the Y, safeguarding the welfare of children and young people, and our staff is more than a requirement. It is our moral, ethical and mission-driven responsibility. It is paramount to our vision and work. It is at the heart of everything we do. We believe safeguarding is a shared responsibility, and we have exceeded our legislative requirements by demonstrating best practice in creating a safeguarding culture. Safeguarding is embedded in our everyday.

We have put together a couple of flyers this year to help keep your children safe.  You can download them here:

Tips 2 Stay Safe Online

Safeguarding Activities Book

COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARDING

WE TAKE OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR KEEPING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE SAFE VERY SERIOUSLY

YMCA, including its Board of Directors, commits to creating and maintaining an environment that ensures all people involved in YMCA activities, programmes or services act in the best interests of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and take all reasonable steps to ensure their safety, welfare and wellbeing.

Thousands of children and young people take part in programmes each year run by the YMCA. The breadth of our collective programmes and services for children and young people includes ( but is not limited to):

• Childcare Services
• Early Childhood Education
• Health and Fitness
• Sport and Recreation programmes
• Youth programmes
• Affordable accommodation
• Education
• Outdoor Education

There is a requirement for all YMCA employees, volunteers (including its Board of Directors), student placements, consultants and contractors, affiliated associations, clients, parents, guardians, families and others associated with the YMCA to understand the important responsibility they have to:

• Protect children, young people and vulnerable adults from all forms of abuse, bullying and exploitation
• Be alert to incidents of abuse and neglect occurring outside the scope of our operations and services that may have an impact on the children, young people and vulnerable adults to whom we provide a service; and
• Create and maintain a safe culture that is understood, endorsed and put into action by all the individuals who work for, volunteer or access our programmes and services.

As per the privacy act, should there be any welfare concerns relating to children or young people affiliated with our services, where specialist advice and guidance is needed, YMCA will be required to share any relevant information with appropriate agencies (such as Oranga Tamariki, health and education providers, police etc) with or without parental consent.

We encourage parents/guardians to report any concerns relating to the safety or wellbeing of their own or other child(ren) or young persons in a YMCA facility. Children and young people are encouraged to report any concerns relating to their own safety or that of other child(ren) or young persons in a YMCA facility

This can be done:

• by speaking to our staff in person
• by contacting the YMCA’s Safeguarding Manager on 0274149496 or by emailing safeguarding@ycentral.nz
• by writing to YMCA Safeguarding Manager – PO Box 30247, Lower Hutt 5040

Upon contacting YMCA’s safeguarding manager, an initial response will be received within 72 hours of the initial contact being made

DO YOU HAVE A SAFEGUARDING CONCERN ABOUT A CHILD, YOUNG PERSON OR STAFF MEMBER?

Contact the safeguarding advisor

CONTACT US

If you would like to contact us about any of the above information or to contact our Safeguarding Manager you can email us by clicking on the link below