Safeguarding is not a tick-box activity, it requires the strengthening of our policies, guidelines and training to ensure the well-being and protection from harm for all. The ACT Safeguarding Community of Practice and ACT Gender Justice Programme have initiated a collaborative process with our members to broaden the scope of the ACT Safeguarding Policy, develop guidelines and create a new FABO blended learning course, to revitalise our practices and accountability mechanisms.

Why are you developing a new approach to safeguarding?
 “To ensure “everyone’s right to life with dignity”, driven through effective organisational and programmatic practices, we need to prioritize safeguarding, as it helps overcoming abuse of power particularly towards gender and race. ACT has a policy on Child Safeguarding and Communities Data Safeguarding, which is implemented with the support of ACT Safeguarding Community of Practice (CoP) and Reference Group on Quality and Accountability. We must bring all safeguarding policies under one umbrella and expand the scope to broader safeguarding aspects, including gender transformative practices. This new model will also meet the recommendation from the ‘ACT’s Roadmap on Accountability Improvement and Compliance’ which advised streamlining compliance requirements and balancing compliance burden. We are aiming to channel the Safeguarding case reporting to the complaints mechanism as well. We are looking forward to the member’s engagement and contributions to this important piece of work.”Rizwan Iqbal, Global Accountability and Safeguarding Coordinator

How can my organisation be involved?

• We kindly ask ALL members to complete the survey below by 16 June 2023, which will shape the work going forward (in English / in Spanish / in French). If you have any difficulties accessing the survey please email corinne@gcps.consulting
• Please express your interest in one or more of our focus group discussions here by 2 June 2023, which are: (1) Leadership, (2) Human Resources/Communications, (3) Safeguarding Focal Points / Risk Management, (4) Programme Design / Operational Staff, (5) Monitoring and Evaluation, and (6) Cross-cutting group in Spanish.

 
How will my input contribute to the process?

Your contributions are critical to:

• Determine the scope of the new safeguarding policy and good practice guidelines
• Understand what key elements should be included in the blended learning programme
• Obtain information on resources or tools that you use that we should consider in the development of the policy, good practice guidelines and blended learning programme
• Consider your current strengths, issues and challenges in safeguarding to inform setting standards in the policy that can be achieved by all

 
We would like to express our sincere thanks to our members involved in the Steering Group – Australian Lutheran World Service, Anglican Overseas Aid, Act Church of Sweden, Global Mission Partners, for funding this initiative, and Community World Service, Salvation Army, and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission, for providing leadership. GCPS Consulting is providing the technical team to deliver the outputs.
 
If you have any questions, please contact ACT Alliance:

Rizwan Iqbal, Global Accountability and Safeguarding Coordinator, rizwan.iqbal@actalliance.org
Rachel Tavernor, Gender Justice Programme Strategist,
rachel.tavernor@actalliance.org