1. A Safe Space explained
This PowerPoint has been put together to aid in explaining the revised A Safe Space programme to volunteers. Please note it should be reviewed thoroughly before using and edited in line with the chosen audience.
The following are recommended reference documents to have with you and be familiar with before delivering this presentation. These can all be found on the Girlguiding website.
Recognising prior learning for safeguarding framework – for volunteers
A Safe Space - How it works (FAQs)

2. Why do we have safeguarding training?
What the training does
Helps you to:
Understand your role in safeguarding and what you need to do
Recognise potential safeguarding issues
Understand our safety and safeguarding policies
Chat to others about what to do
Answer your questions.
We’ve updated our A Safe Space training to help you create an environment where girls can be safe and have fun
Safety is at the heart of everything we do. Because we know that when girls feel safe, they feel brave enough to do things they never thought they could. That’s why we’ve updated our A Safe Space training .
It's really important to Girlguiding that we keep girls and young women safe from physical, sexual and emotional harm.
Only when girls feel that Rainbows, Brownies, Guides or The Senior Section are secure places, will they be able to have fun, learn new things, make friends and grow.
It’s all our responsibility to look out for their wellbeing and to ensure our girls have as good an experience as possible.
That's why we've developed and recently revised our A Safe Space training.

3. An overview Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 ------ For ALL volunteers
Levels required depends on your volunteer roles, if you are unsure, speak to your commissioner
Old A Safe Space equivalent to Levels 1 and 2
27 September 2017 launch of revised Level 1-3 training resources and new e-learnings
31 December 2017 Older materials removed from web and by end of December Level 4 training resources launched
Our safeguarding training called A Safe Space, consists of four levels. It is designed to help all volunteers who work with young members identify potential safeguarding issues and understand their role within safeguarding.
It also introduces Girlguiding's safety and safeguarding policies. The training provides the opportunity to discuss safety issues with other members and to ask any questions you may have. The levels each volunteer needs to complete depends on the roles they fulfil.
All adult volunteers will need to complete at least Level 1 if they have never done any Girlguiding A Safe Space training.
The previous (old) A Safe Space training is equivalent to the revised Level 1 and 2 therefore if an adult volunteer has completed the previous training within the last 3 years, whether or not they need to do any additional levels of training will depend on their roles.
The revised A Safe Space was launched 27 September 2017 (Level 1-3 training resources and all e-learnings) and will be rolled out until end of This allows volunteers sufficient time to get up-to-date with the training.
Level 4 training resources to launch by end of December 2017.
Older materials will be taken out of circulation from end of December 2017.
The compliance deadline for all volunteers is end December 2020 when it will be mandatory to have completed your required level of training and stay up to date in line with renewal requirements.
Compliance deadline for all volunteers end December 2020

4. Rollout plans Midlands NEE Scotland Ulster NWE Cymru Anglia BGO LaSER
Branches
LaSER
Anglia
NEE
NWE
SWE
Scotland
Ulster
Cymru
Safeguarding team (HQ) and Volunteer Development team (HQ)
Countries and Regions have pulled together rollout teams and designed their own rollout plans – contact your C/R office/ commissioner or rollout lead for more information.
HQ (Volunteer Development team) is working with C/Rs to provide support and guidance – eg small pots of funding.
The Safeguarding team at HQ are delivering training sessions across the UK (and beyond) to upskill County Commissioners and A Safe Space Trainers in 2017 and the beginning of 2018.
External safeguarding training providers have been selected and trained to deliver Levels 1-3, as desired by C/Rs
E-learning now live and volunteers are encouraged to complete this as soon as they can
External training providers brokered and available

5. The levels and who requires them
Level 1 – An Introduction How and duration? hours face-to-face training or minutes e-learning Who for? All adult volunteers, peer educators and those undertaking the YLQ What? Introduces Girlguiding safeguarding policy and process, so all volunteers understand their role and responsibilities in promoting the safety and wellbeing of our members - girls, young women and adults.

6. The levels and who requires them
Level 2 – Creating a safe space How and duration? hours face-to-face training or minutes e-learning and follow-up chat Who for? All those requiring Level 3 and 4, unit helpers, assistant leaders, leaders/LiTs, young leaders (those 14 years and up completing the YLQ) and peer educators What? Builds on volunteers’ understanding of their role and responsibilities so they can be confident in creating safe spaces and reporting any concerns.

7. The levels and who requires them
Level 3 – Recognising, telling and taking action How and duration? minutes e-learning and hours face-to-face training Who for? All those requiring Level 4, anyone who leads a team of adults and/or is one of the following; leaders in charge, mentors, advisers, coordinators, leaders fulfilling the role of license holder on a residential, trainers, tutors.
Who for? All those requiring Level 4, anyone who leads a team of adults and/or is one of the following; Leaders in Charge (Leaders who have completed module 4 of the LQ and are using it currently within their role or at least one Leader per unit), Mentors, Advisers, Coordinators, Leaders fulfilling the role of License Holder on a residential, Trainers, Tutors

8. The levels and who requires them
Level 3 – Recognising, telling and taking action What? Develops leaders’ knowledge of safeguarding so they better understand their role and responsibilities in promoting the safety and welfare of our girls, young women and adult members. Also to feel confident in recognising and appropriately responding to any safeguarding concerns.

9. The levels and who requires them
Level 4 – Managing concerns, allegations and disclosures – guidance for commissioners How and duration? hours face-to-face training Who for? All commissioners, trainers (wishing to deliver up to Level 4 A Safe Space), Safeguarding leads/A Safe Space advisers What? Develops and builds the skills, knowledge and behaviour required to respond to allegations, disclosures and concerns, and manage safeguarding incidents or investigations.

10. How can the levels be achieved?
Level 1 through e-learning or by attending a face-to-face session
Level 2 through e-learning plus a follow-up chat or by attending a face-to-face session
Level 3 through completing an e-learning and attending a face-to-face session
Level 4 through attending face-to-face session
Note the previous A Safe Space is equivalent to revised Levels 1 and 2
All e-learning modules are new
Training sessions may be run to cover several levels together eg Level 1-3
Sessions can be attended out of order, but it’s best if they are attended in order eg 1 then 2 etc
Volunteers can attend levels 1-3 if desired, in agreement with their commissioner but level 4 is only for those who require it.

11. What are the renewal requirements?
Level must be renewed every three years
Level 4 - must be renewed every five years
Alternative (‘refresher’) training materials are currently being considered for the renewal process for Levels 1-3.
Alternative renewal materials for A Safe Space Level 1-3 are being developed and will be available by the compliance date.

12. What we mean by mandatory and how this works
Mandatory means all volunteers must complete the levels required for their volunteer roles by the compliance deadline - end of December 2020 and then stay up-to-date in line with renewal requirements. Post compliance date (from January 2021) new volunteers are required within three months to complete Level 1-3 training as appropriate. Those requiring Level 4 are suggested to do this within the first six months in post.
Completing the level/s of training your volunteer role/s requires will become compulsory by end of This deadline for meeting compliance has been set in close liaison with Countries and Regions by assessing their capacity to deliver the training and seeking to give volunteers a realistic timeframe to attend training, over 2 years (from 27 September 2017 – End Dec 2020) was felt to provide that.
In the meanwhile volunteers are strongly encouraged to complete the necessary level/s of training for their role/s as soon as possible. This will help to ensure that they are supported to deliver guiding activities as safely and effectively as possible.
Volunteers are encouraged to complete A Safe Space training when possible but should be aware face-to-face training is likely to be rolled out with prioritisation cascade approach, first training Chiefs and County Commissioners, then Division and District Commissioners, alongside A Safe Space Trainers. Volunteers are strongly encouraged until they can attend the correct level of face-to-face training to complete the correct level of E-learning in the interim.
Note from January 2021 new volunteers are required to have completed their A Safe Space training within their first three months of officially starting with Girlguiding. For those requiring Level 4 A Safe Space training they are strongly encouraged to complete the training within their first six months of their role and will receive reminder s in the lead up to this.
Post compliance date any volunteer who has not met their required level/s of training for their role/s will be unable to continue volunteering in that role until they have attended the required training. A similar process used to ensure that all volunteers have the appropriate criminal record checks will be put into place by the end of December 2020.

13. Process for recognising prior learning in safeguarding
Only exemption is from Level 3
IF you are professionally qualified and actively employed in selected children, young people or adult related professions and are regularly (max every 3 years) updated in child/adult protection processes
IF you have attended selected external training as part of your job role and are regularly (max every 3 years) updated in child/adult protection processes
Only Level 3 has exemption
Who is exempt from Level 3
IF you are professionally qualified and actively employed in the following children, young people or adult related professions (see Table 1) and are regularly (max every 3 years) updated in child/adult protection processes, then you can apply to be exempt from attending the L3 workshop – see below section ‘How to apply for an exemption’
IF you have attended external training as part of your job role, that is recognised (see Table 2) and are regularly (max every 3 years) updated in child/adult protection processes, then you can apply to be exempt from attending the L3 workshop.

14. Selected professions and training
Professional qualification (qualification must have child or adult protection as a module within the framework and be in receipt of yearly updates)
Healthcare professional
Statutory agencies – police, social services, social care, justice, probation, youth offending workers
Teachers, teaching assistants, early years workers
FE teachers, secondary teachers
Qualified youth and community workers
External qualifications or CPD
NSPCC Level 3
Kidscape Advanced Safeguarding course
Advanced safeguarding or designated safeguarding officer training, delivered through statutory services
Any external ‘nationally or locally recognised’ safeguarding qualification to level 3 eg Other charities’ training like The Scout Association etc.
Outdoor specialist/sports coach courses – must be recognised by sector body
Note this list is not definitive and if a volunteer feels their role or training is similar they can apply to have it recognised. See full document on recognising prior learning for full details.

15. Process for recognising prior learning in safeguarding
Complete A Safe Space, Module three e-learning
Cross reference your profession or qualification with lists of those accepted as equivalent
Complete the ‘Recognising prior learning for A Safe Space Level 3 assessment form’
Submit to C/R Trainer Coordinator/A Safe Space Trainer to review
Your form will be reviewed and an answer given within 28 days.
Note you will be required to provide proof of your safeguarding training.
Process
Complete A Safe Space, Module three e-learning
Cross reference your profession or qualification with lists of those accepted as equivalent
If you have one of the accepted professions or qualifications and you have up-to-date (within the last three years) CPD on safeguarding complete the ‘Recognising prior learning for A Safe Space Level 3 assessment form’
Submit any of the following: C/R Trainer Coordinator/A Safe Space Trainer to review. Note this will involve providing an appropriate certificate with the modules covered to clearly show you have undertaken safeguarding and/or child protection training within your qualification or CPD/training .
Your form will be reviewed and an answer given to you within 28 days and if you qualify your GO record will be updated accordingly. If you qualify for Level 3 you will be sent an to confirm this which will include a Level 3 certificate to download and print.

16. Any questions? For more information about A Safe Space rollout in your area please contact: [Add name and/or details]
See ‘How it works – FAQ’ document for common questions and answers.