Community Safeguarding Briefing

All Hands & Hearts is committed to protecting the communities we work with and alongside and maintaining these safeguarding standards. 

COMMUNITY SAFEGUARDING STANDARDS

We have three types of safeguarding standards:

  • ✔ ALWAYS: things you should always do when working with AH&H.
  • ✘ NEVER: things you should never do when working with AH&H. 
  • ⇒ STRONGLY ADVISED: behaviors you should think carefully about before acting, to ensure they are in the best interest of community members.

✘ 01. NEVER: cause any intentional harm towards a community member.

✘  02. NEVER: become involved in any intimate or sexual relationships with community members.

✔  03. ALWAYS: report suspected or realized safeguarding issues to a staff member.

⇒ 04. STRONGLY ADVISED: not to give any first aid beyond the level of your certified training, unless for extreme circumstances. 

⇒ 05. STRONGLY ADVISED: to avoid initiating physical contact (i.e. hug) with a community member.

⇒ 06. STRONGLY ADVISED: to carefully consider whether you should be meeting up with community members outside of the space you are working with AH&H. If personnel do meet up, a 2 person rule MUST be followed. 

⇒ 07. STRONGLY ADVISED: to carefully consider whether you should share contact details with community members.

⇒ 08. STRONGLY ADVISED: not to offer gifts to community members, unless culturally expected.

⇒ 09. STRONGLY ADVISED: not to give promises to community members.

⇒ 10. STRONGLY ADVISED: not to offer legal/professional advice OR unsolicited advice to community members.

⇒ 11. STRONGLY ADVISED: to avoid asking personal questions about community members’ experiences about the disaster. If they do start talking about their experiences, listen actively, act with empathy and compassion, and don’t pressure them to say more.

WORKING WITH CHILDREN

All Hands & Hearts has a zero-tolerance approach to any child abuse or other intentional harm to a child.

Children are particularly vulnerable following disasters. The standards below apply to those under the age of 18. When working with children, always act like a teacher or healthcare professional.

Please see the full Child Protection Policy here.

✘  12. NEVER: spend any alone time with children.

✘  13. NEVER: share contact details with a child.

✘  14. NEVER: use body-to-body contact (i.e. hugging / picking up / placing on your lap) with children, unless the child is in danger. You can offer a high five instead of a hug. Limit other types of physical contact. 

✘  15. NEVER: drink alcohol around children whilst representing AH&H.

VISUAL CONTENT STANDARDS

We have specific standards for each program, but the general expectations for taking and sharing photos or videos are as follows:

PHOTOS OF OTHER STAFF / VOLUNTEERS / LOCAL WORKERS 

You’re encouraged to TAKE and SHARE photos of each other and your experience. However, please ask for VERBAL consent when taking and sharing photos.

PHOTOS OF THE COMMUNITY 

TAKING PHOTOS

  • ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY: ask for VERBAL consent.
  • CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY: ask for VERBAL consent from BOTH the child and their parent/guardian. 

SHARING PHOTOS PUBLICLY (online, on social media, or on the Program Photo Drive) 

  • ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY: ask for WRITTEN consent, using AH&H Multimedia Release Form.
  • CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY: ask for WRITTEN consent from the child’s adult representative, using the AH&H Multimedia Release Form.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

  • GROUPS: You must gain appropriate verbal / written consent from 1x adult representative.
  • INTERVIEWS: NEVER conduct interviews unless confirmed with the Marketing team.
  • WIDE SHOTS: If you haven’t captured any identifiable features or personal items, you can take and share wide shots.
  • PUBLIC PERFORMANCES: You can freely take photos when attending public events where there is a reasonable assumption that photos might be taken and shared (i.e. public performances).

TOP TIPS 

  • MULTIMEDIA RELEASE FORM: If possible, read the Multimedia Release Form aloud without prompt to avoid others asking you to do so. Please share with staff to upload. 
  • LANGUAGE BARRIER: You can use hand gestures, like taking a photo, to ask permission.
  • BLURRING OUT: If you capture someone accidentally, you can blur using your phones features.

ETHICAL STORYTELLING

Ethical storytelling considers HOW stories are shared in a respectful and dignified manner.  It involves: 

  • Understanding that a person is more than the events that have happened to them. 
  • Sharing stories ethically, truthfully and respectfully, which gives communities the stage to own the narrative and tell their story from their own perspective.
  • Considering whether the image you have captured / shared might bring harm to the individual.  
  • Considering the language and angle used. Asking ‘if this were about me, would I want my story to be shared this way?’ ‘Is this a respectful and dignified representation?’ 
  • Using the correct language. Use ‘resilience,’ ‘community members’; and ‘survivor,’ NOT ‘victim,’ ‘beneficiary’ or ‘aid recipient’. 
  • Understanding the difference between cultural appreciation vs cultural appropriation. Appreciation is the pursuit of understanding another culture to broaden one’s perspective and connect with others cross-culturally. Appropriation in the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of an aspect of a culture that is not your own for your own personal interest. 

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact our safeguarding lead by emailing: [email protected].