Phone
07432 872231
Phone
07432 872231
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
The Youth Counselling Project accepts that in society certain groups or individuals are denied equality on the grounds of race, gender, marital status, caring responsibilities, disability, gender re-assignment, age, social class, sexual orientation and religion/belief or any other factor irrelevant to the purpose in view.
The Youth Counselling Project welcomes the statutory requirements laid down in:
The Youth Counselling Project recognises that it has moral and social responsibilities that go beyond the provisions of the above-mentioned Acts and Regulations, and that it should support and contribute to the wider process of change through all aspects of its work and practices in order to eliminate discrimination and promote equality and diversity.
The Youth Counselling Project is committed to taking positive steps to ensure that:
September 2020
Review September 2023
Complaints Policy
and Procedure
July 2020
Review July 2021
General statement
TYCP aims to provide its members, organisations and individuals with the best possible service. We positively welcome suggestions you may have for how we can improve our service.
Usually, a word with the person at the point of service delivery will suffice should a problem arise. However, we recognise that from time to time there may be occasions when users of our services feel that the quality or level of service provided fall short of what they could reasonably expect. We also want to know about these occasions so that we can make good the problem and plan to avoid its repetition. If you have a complaint, we would like you to tell us about it.
This is what you should do:
If attending personally, you have the right to be accompanied by a friend or advocate to help put your case. (The panel also has the right to have an advisor present).
TYCP’s complaints procedure will be publicised to organisations and
individuals who use its services.
The Designated Person would normally be the most senior paid staff member or
nominated Trustee.
This policy is to be read in conjunction with the following document:
Review date: July 2021
Ethical Framework
The Youth Counselling Project will:
The Youth Counselling Project agrees to uphold the following principles throughout their work:
Beneficiaries first
Charities have a responsibility to carry out their purposes for the public benefit.
The interests of their beneficiaries and the causes they work for should be at the heart of everything charities and those who work and volunteer in and with them do.
This means the charity should:
Integrity
Charities, and those who work and volunteer in and with them should always uphold the highest level of institutional integrity and personal conduct.
This means the charity should:
Openness
Charities should create a culture and space where donors and supporters, as well as the wider public, can see and understand how they work how they deal with problems when they arise and how they spend their funds.
This means the charity should:
Right to be safe
Every person who volunteers with works for or comes into contact with a charity should be treated with dignity and respect and feel that they are in a safe and supportive environment.
All charities have a responsibility to create an inclusive culture that does not tolerate inappropriate, discriminatory, offensive or harmful behaviour towards any person who works for, volunteers with, or comes into contact with the charity.
Charities should also be places where people’s wellbeing and mental health are valued and promoted so that anyone working in the charity or coming into contact with the charity is encouraged to value and invest in their own health and wellbeing.
This means the charity should:
October 2020
Health and Safety Statement
and Policy
October 2020
Statement of Intent
This is the Health and Safety policy statement of
The Youth Counselling Project
Our Health and Safety policy aims to –
This will be achieved using each school’s Health and Safety Policy, a copy of each will be held by the charity.
Responsibilities for Health and Safety
Overall and final responsibility for Health and Safety
Chair of Trustees
Day to day responsibility
Individuals.
All counsellors and people volunteering for the charity should-
Arrangements for Health and Safety
Risk Assessment
The charity will produce and review risk assessments when necessary responding to any change in circumstances eg remote working, Covid 19.
Training
The charity will provide appropriate training to counsellors and volunteers, including Safeguarding and GPDR, and ensure they have access to all policies.
Consultation
The charity will consult regularly with counsellors on health and safety matters as they arise and formally when reviewing this policy.
October 2020
Safeguarding Policy
July 2020
Review Date: July 2022
This policy applies to all staff, volunteers and sessional workers, working on behalf of The Youth Counselling Project.
Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who may come into contact with children and families has a role to play.
The purpose of this policy is to:
Protect children and young people who receive a service from The Youth Counselling Project.
We recognise that:
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
Legal Framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children, namely:
Senior Lead for Safeguarding
This is the Lead Counsellor who reports to the Chair of Trustees
Name: Ann Foster
Phone/Emails: annjfoster@live.co.uk
Complaints Policy
and Procedure
July 2020
Review July 2023
General statement
TYCP aims to provide its members, organisations and individuals with the best possible service. We positively welcome suggestions you may have for how we can improve our service.
Usually, a word with the person at the point of service delivery will suffice should a problem arise. However, we recognise that from time to time there may be occasions when users of our services feel that the quality or level of service provided fall short of what they could reasonably expect. We also want to know about these occasions so that we can make good the problem and plan to avoid its repetition. If you have a complaint, we would like you to tell us about it.
This is what you should do:
If attending personally, you have the right to be accompanied by a friend or advocate to help put your case. (The panel also has the right to have an advisor present).
The decision of the panel will be final.
TYCP’s complaints procedure will be publicised to organisations and
individuals who use its services.
The Designated Person would normally be the most senior paid staff member or
nominated Trustee.
This policy is to be read in conjunction with the following document:
Review date: July 2021
Volunteering Policy
July 2020
Review July 2021
The purpose of this policy–
Our volunteer policy has been created to show our volunteers and potential volunteers that we have spent time and care in planning how volunteers will be welcomed to join the charity and assist in its many fundraising and awareness raising activities.
It states that all volunteers will be treated in a fair and consistent way. It should also help our volunteers understand what support is available to them and what they can expect from us.
Our vision and mission for volunteering:
Volunteering is a great way to share your enthusiasm, skills and ideas whilst having fun and meeting likeminded people in Seaford. By volunteering to help you will be making a positive contribution. The Youth Counselling Project is run entirely by volunteers. The only staff are our specialist counsellors who work with students in the schools. The Youth Counselling Project relies on volunteers for help in running events and awareness activities in the community. In return for the dedication and commitment we gain from volunteers, we aim to make volunteering with us a rewarding and worthwhile experience.
Principles of Volunteering Policy:
Practical Guidelines:
The following guidelines deal with practical aspects of the involvement of volunteers.
Insurance: Staff and volunteers are covered by the organisation’s public liability insurance.
Policies: We have adopted a range of policies which all volunteers should read. Copies of the policies are available on the web site or from the Chair or Secretary.
These include a Code of conduct, Safeguarding, Confidentiality, Recruitment Policy, Complaints, and Data Protection.
Confidentiality: Volunteers are bound by the same requirements for confidentiality as paid staff.
Expenses: Approved expenses will be reimbursed on production of receipts.
Resolving problems: We hope that you will have a very enjoyable experience volunteering with us. However, if your role as a volunteer does not meet with your expectations or with the commitments we have made to you, we want you to feel comfortable about letting us know. Talk to a member of the committee first who will hopefully be able to sort it out with you before it becomes a problem.
Volunteering whilst on benefit: Provided you are claiming benefits in line with Government guidelines, volunteering should not affect your benefits. You need to make sure the only money you receive is to cover your volunteering expenses, such as travel from home to the volunteering location. There are no limits on the amount of time you can volunteer for, as long as you continue to meet the conditions of the benefit or tax credit you are receiving. However, we strongly recommend that you discuss your choice of voluntary work with your benefits adviser before you start, as we would never want your volunteering role to affect any benefits you may receive.
Flexibility: We understand that our volunteers have other responsibilities and commitments and will require flexibility in their volunteering to enable you to do your employed work, care for others, have a break from volunteering, go on holiday and pursue other activities. As far is practical, we can work with you to build this flexibility into our volunteering activities. Please just keep us informed and we will do our best to support you.
Ending As much as we might want our volunteers to make a long-term commitment, we understand that sometimes you will move on, and we will fully support this. We will always say thank you, we have been known to hold a little goodbye party and will on request provide a reference where appropriate.
Recognition and reward: We could not do the work we do without our volunteers. There will always be a listening ear or shoulder to lean on.
We will take opportunities in our newsletter, annual general meetings, website and local and national press to praise the achievements of our volunteers.
Review July 2021
Whistleblowing Policy
Whistleblowing Policy
November 2020
Review 2023
The Youth Counselling Project is committed to being open, honest and accountable. It encourages a free and open culture in its dealings between the Trustees and those working with TYCP in either a paid or voluntary role.
This policy aims to help the Trustees, Counsellors and volunteers to raise any serious concerns they may have about colleagues or the organisation with confidence and without having to worry about being victimised, discriminated against or disadvantaged in any way as a result.
It is written in the context of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 which protects employees and volunteers who ‘blow the whistle’ on malpractices within their organisation.
The policy is intended to deal with serious or sensitive concerns about wrongdoings such as the following:
It is not necessary for individuals who raise the concern to prove the wrongdoing that is alleged to have occurred or is likely to occur.
However, if an individual knowingly or maliciously makes an untrue allegation (eg: in order to cause disruption TYCP), we will take appropriate disciplinary action against them. It may constitute gross misconduct.
Individuals should note that they will not be protected from the consequences of making a disclosure if, by doing so, they commit a criminal offence.
Volunteers should make complaints or raise concerns through the Volunteer Complaints Procedure.
How to raise a concern
The trustee designated to handle whistleblowing concerns is Susie Silvester and shall be known as the Whistleblowing Officer.
Individuals should in most cases, first report their concern to their line manager, who is expected to respond to that matter. If the relevant manager cannot deal with the matter, he or she will refer the concern to the Whistleblowing Officer.
Dependent on the seriousness and sensitivity of the matter, and who is suspected of the wrongdoing, the individual can, if necessary, report directly to the Whistleblowing Officer. If the matter concerns the Whistleblowing Officer, it should be raised with the Trustees.
Individuals are encouraged to raise their concerns in writing where possible, setting out the background and history of their concerns (giving names, dates and places where possible) and indicating the reasons for their concerns.
If any individual is unsure whether to use this procedure or they want independent advice at any stage, they should contact:
Public Concern at Work will be able to advise on how and with whom to raise a concern about malpractice.
Disclosures made to a legal advisor while obtaining legal advice will be protected under the Public Interest Disclosure Act.
If the individual reasonably believes that the matter relates wholly or mainly to the conduct of a person or body other than TYCP or any other matter for which a person or body other than Small Charity Support has legal responsibility, the disclosure should be made to that other person or body.
Protecting the individual raising the concern
If an individual raises a concern which they believe to be true, TYCP will take appropriate action to protect the individual from any harassment, victimisation or bullying. A person who raises a genuine concern under this policy will not be at risk of losing their role within the charity, nor will it influence any unrelated disciplinary action.
The matter will be treated confidentially if the individual requests it and their name or position will be not be revealed without their permission unless TYCP must do so by law. If in other circumstances the concern cannot be resolved without revealing the individual’s identity, the Whistleblowing Officer will discuss with the individual whether and how to proceed.
Concerns raised anonymously tend to be far less effective, but the Whistleblowing Officer will decide whether or not to consider the matter taking into account:
How the concern will be dealt with, will depend on what it involves. It is likely that further enquiries and/or investigation will be necessary. The concern may be investigated by TYCP’s Whistleblowing Officer, the Trustees, through the disciplinary process or it may be referred to the police, other agencies such as Social Services, an external auditor or an independent investigator.
It may be necessary for the individual to give evidence in criminal or disciplinary proceedings, they must not in any circumstance contact the press or media.
TYCP will give the individual feedback on the progress and outcome of any investigation wherever possible.
If the suspicions are not confirmed by an investigation, the matter will be closed. Staff will not be treated or regarded any differently for raising the concern, and their confidentiality will continue to be protected.
November 2020
Confidentiality Policy
September 2020
Review Date: September 2023
Obtaining information
The nature of the work of The Youth Counselling Project where engagement work is concerned, results in information of a personal, and sometimes sensitive, nature being divulged and retained. This may be obtained from the children and young people with whom counsellors engage, parents and carers of those individuals or other professionals such as social workers and school staff.
Therapeutic relationship between The Youth Counselling Project and young people
The work of The Youth Counselling Project relies on the relationship fostered between Counsellors and the children and young people who access the service.
This essential relationship is based on trust, empathy, and rapport.
Children and young people must feel confident that they can discuss issues, problems and experiences openly and honestly and that, generally, the details will not be divulged without permission.
Without this trust, development and change in children and young people is unlikely to be achieved.
Making notes and reports
Referring agencies usually require regular reports detailing the progress being made and plans for future work with children or young people.
It is usual and advisable to make notes following sessions. This ensures that future reports are comprehensive and that details are accurate.
Such notes can be hand written and retained as “hard copies” or as computer records. It should be noted that the Data Protection Act 1998 applies to all records.
When work with children and young people is concluded records should be retained by The Youth Counselling Project in line with our Data Protection Policy.
It is important that reports from other agencies are read by the relevant Counsellor. Care must be taken that information in these reports is not disclosed inappropriately.
Such reports should be retained by The Youth Counselling Project.
Engagement agreement
During an initial meeting with a child or young person with whom we intend to engage, and their parents(s)/guardians, it should be made clear that sessions will be confidential whenever possible.
It should also be explained that we sometimes attend meetings with other professionals such as social workers, education staff and health professionals where issues, progress etc, will be discussed. It is good practice to have a discussion with the child or young person prior to such meetings, be honest about what we intend to say and ask if they wish us to make comment on their behalf.
Disclosing information without permission
Children, young people and their parents/guardians, must be made aware that under certain circumstances it may be necessary to disclose information or involve other agencies against their wishes.
Information will be shared (in accordance with Section 115 Crime and Disorder Act 1998) with other agencies regardless of consent if:
If a disclosure is considered in such circumstances the counsellor must inform the designated safeguarding officer in the school as soon as is practicably possible for guidance.
The Youth Counselling Project counsellors are often faced with challenging issues and there may be occasions when an immediate decision is required regarding disclosure of information.
Such circumstances may occur, for instance, when a child or young person is:
Counsellors should be confident that, having considered the circumstances, they are able to make a decision in the interests of the child or young person, other persons or the general public, to contact partner agencies such as social workers, health care professionals, or the Police.
In the event of such action the Counsellor must:
The Youth Counselling Project Data Protection Procedures for Trustees, Staff Sessional Workers and Volunteers
INTRODUCTION
The Youth Counselling Project is committed to promoting awareness, instituting good practice and maintaining sound procedures to ensure compliance with Data Protection principles and to preserve the rights of individuals. These procedures will be maintained and reviewed to ensure compliance with current legislation and should be read in conjunction with our Data Protection Policy which sets out the legal framework. The Youth Counselling Project recognises that the responsibility is on everyone, whether trustee, staff, sessional worker or volunteer, for how people’s personal information is collected, stored and used.
DEFINITIONS
The Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998 applies to data about a living, identifiable individual and defines certain information as being ‘sensitive’ data:
Handling or ‘processing’ information includes:
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force in May 2018. Under this legislation the 8 Data Protection Principles remain largely unchanged and of the utmost importance. Personal information must be:
Under GDPR it is necessary to identify the lawful basis under which data is processed. The Youth Counselling Project’s lawful basis for processing activity is that processing protects the vital interests of the individual. Where sensitive data is held, explicit consent must be given.
Personal data is anything which can help identify someone. So includes:
It can be held on computer, a phone, in back-ups, in paper files (but random notes and less formal documents are not included).
GDPR also introduces new rights for individuals:
PROCEDURES
Data Protection Officer
A designated member of the Charity will be appointed to take responsibility for overseeing all Data Protection issues and ensuring these procedures are implemented.
Awareness
Data Held: The Youth Counselling Project will maintain a comprehensive data map for all personal information held, which will detail:
Consent
Subject Access Requests
Data Correction or Deletion
Data Breaches
September 2020
Review September 2023
