Today we’re launching our new safeguarding resources on NCVO Knowhow. It will act as a one-stop shop for the key guidance and resources on safeguarding that we’ve produced in association with expert organisations
Over the past six months, NCVO has been working in partnership with some of the leading organisations in the sector to develop a range of briefings, guides, practical tools, podcasts and videos about good safeguarding practice and safe culture.
By working together and each of us contributing our expertise – from safeguarding specific groups, to user engagement in developing digital content, and developing practical guidance – we have built something that will make a real difference to the sector.
Find out more about our partners and what we have been doing in my previous blogs:
- The Safeguarding Training Fund – what you need to know
- The Safeguarding Training Fund – what we are doing and what comes next
What these resources will do
Our vision has been for all organisations to be a safe place for their beneficiaries, volunteers and staff. We hope that our support and guidance in easy to use materials will help organisations regardless of their experience so far in safeguarding.
Rather than asking charities to react to a particular safeguarding concern, we have focused on new resources which will help proactively build safer cultures and supportive policies, procedures and behaviours for safeguarding. We have been particularly mindful that small charities and voluntary groups face the biggest barriers to getting the support they need.
Our resources will be helpful for the whole sector, but especially for those taking their first steps in safeguarding, in a way that is appropriate and proportionate for their organisation.
You can read more about how we did this the blog about our research with small charities, which was written by our project manager Lauren.
Going forward
We need to be clear: these resources will help organisations on their journey to better safeguarding and safer culture, but they cannot be a silver bullet to end all incidents.
Safeguarding will always be a challenge. While there may always be those who harm others, by changing the power dynamics in organisations and listening to those who experience or at risk of harm we can build a safer culture for everyone.
These resources should be seen as a first step in a continuous journey of self-improvement.
What’s next
Publishing these resources is the end of the first phase of this work, funded by DCMS and the National Lottery Community Fund. The funders are now moving to fund phase two – which will focus on the delivery of training, dissemination of our resources, and enabling local networking.
An added bonus
One last thing: the past six months have been intense for us at NCVO and all our partners as we have been working to develop guidance on complex issues with the tightest of deadlines. Yet we have all aimed for the highest standards, wanting to provide charities and voluntary groups with materials and tools they would actually use and find helpful.
Working together – sharing frustrations and successes – has cemented our relationships. Even though phase one funding has ended, we now have stronger basis to share views, seek advice and continue to work together in the future.
The journey to improving safeguarding isn’t just within one organisation but for the whole sector. We all know that we have lots to learn from others and look forward to hearing feedback on our resources.
A key legacy of this project will be that we can better work together as we all strive to change our culture and practices, so our organisations – and the wider sector – meet the highest standards and expectations about being a safe place for all.
NCVO/Bates Wells Trustee Conference 2019
4 November, The Brewery, London
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Elizabeth was head of policy and public services at NCVO until 2020. 
