Youth Advisory Board Safeguarding Training Visit

On Monday 1^st August, our Momentum team members Aimee Gedge (Momentum Service Manager) and Charlotte Berry (Momentum Groups Officer) in partnership with MTM Youth Services visited the South Norfolk young commissioners to deliver a Safeguarding Training Session.

In total 6 young commissioners attended and discussed some incredibly important topics surrounding Safeguarding. Aimee and Charlotte covered different definitions of Safeguarding and personal interpretations using the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) definition.

All the young commissioners also engaged in a discussion encompassing everyday potential risks at school, at home, in the park, at youth club, or on social media and who is responsible for keeping them safe in these situations. Both Aimee and Charlotte covered the laws within England and Wales surrounding the five main types of abuse: physical, emotional/psychological, sexual, neglect, and bullying. The 6 young commissioners were all extremely informed at defining the different types of abuse that may take place, alongside spotting the signs, and being aware that multiple forms of abuse can occur at the same time.

Aimee and Charlotte especially focused on ensuring that the young commissioners understood the importance and relevance of this training, both to them personally and their valuable role within the South Norfolk Youth Advisory Board. To ensure this, they next covered the topic of Safeguarding and commissioning. The young commissioners were fantastic at distinguishing how they could ask projects about their Safeguarding practice.

Aimee Gedge and Charlotte Berry from Momentum (Part of Voluntary Norfolk) delivering Safeguarding training to the South Norfolk young commissioners in partnership with MTM Youth Services

The young commissioners also explored what a good safeguarding policy looks like. Aimee, Charlotte looked at an example policy and used highlighters to help the young commissioners answer a set of questions, including find the Named Person and finding key legislation.

To close the training session, confidentiality, professional boundaries, and looking after yourself were covered. The young commissioners had the chance to stand up and participate in a fun group activity of ‘I agree’ or ‘I disagree’ in relation to what youth workers should and should not do. This included examples of befriending on social media, driving a young person home, lone working with a young person, and many more! The 6 young commissioners were excellent at noticing what is interpreted as inappropriate behaviour and what would not be seen as professional and/or acceptable in youth work practice.

Finishing the session, the importance of self-care in safeguarding was considered. Charlotte expressed to the young commissioners about the importance of looking after yourself and ensuring that the young commissioners had someone they could talk to, because if they were not looking out for their own well-being they would struggle to care and look out for others. A wide range of methods of positive and useful self-care were reflected upon including, relaxing baths, reading, and journaling.

Overall the Safeguarding training session was a massive success and the young commissioners were fantastic at taking part and contributing!

A huge thank you to the South Norfolk young commissioners for taking part and engaging your insights in this session and a big thank you to Sam Mason from MTM Youth Services for reaching out and providing the opportunity for our team to come along and provide the training. Both Aimee and Charlotte had a wonderful time delivering the youth focused workshop and hope to provide similar training for young people in and around Norfolk in the future.

If you are a group or organisation that is based in Norfolk who works with young people aged 11-19 and would like a young person tailored Safeguarding session delivered in-house, please simply get in touch by contacting Charlotte Berry (Momentum Groups Officer); Charlotte@momentumnorfolk.org.uk.