SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

Loud & Local: Many Voices, One Borough

Loud & Local is committed to creating a safe, inclusive environment for everyone involved in the project. This includes children, young people, vulnerable adults, and community participants of all ages.

We follow best practice safeguarding standards and the requirements set out in our partnership agreement.

1. Commitment to Safety

All project activities — workshops, filming, interviews, and events — are delivered in a way that prioritises:

  • Physical safety

  • Emotional wellbeing

  • Trauma-informed practice

  • Respectful, inclusive engagement

We ensure participation is voluntary and that no individual is pressured to share a story or appear on camera.

2. DBS Checks

All delivery partners (Youth Unity CIC, Write Back, Green Shoes Arts) ensure that staff and volunteers working with children or vulnerable adults hold current DBS checks, as required by the SLA.

3. Working with Under-18s

When engaging with children and young people, we:

  • work in partnership with schools, parents, carers, and youth teams

  • provide age-appropriate explanations of all activities

  • obtain parental consent for anyone under 16

  • ensure sessions are supervised and follow safeguarding ratios

  • never interview or film young people alone

4. Use of Media

Media of children/young people is only used when:

  • consent has been obtained

  • the content is appropriate and safe

  • the participant is comfortable being recorded

  • anonymity is offered where needed

No personal contact details are ever shared publicly.

5. Reporting Concerns

Any safeguarding concern will be responded to promptly and appropriately.
Concerns may relate to:

  • a participant’s welfare

  • disclosures made during workshops or interviews

  • unsafe behaviour by staff, volunteers, or others

Concerns should be reported immediately to the project safeguarding lead at Youth Unity CIC.
📧 admin@youthunity.org

If someone is at immediate risk, emergency services will be contacted.

6. Data Privacy

All participant information is stored securely and handled in accordance with GDPR and local safeguarding procedures.

7. Inclusive Practice

We are committed to ensuring all activities are accessible, culturally sensitive, and welcoming to:

  • disabled residents

  • neurodiverse participants

  • faith communities

  • migrants

  • LGBTQ+ residents

  • carers and families

  • marginalised groups

No individual will be discriminated against based on identity, background, or circumstance.

8. Review

This safeguarding statement is reviewed annually — or sooner if legislation, guidance, or project activity changes.