Many VET providers across Europe work with children and young people daily. Unfortunately, not all these educational and training organisations are up to standard regarding children safeguarding. That means many young people can potentially be exposed to harm from VET staff who lack proper safeguarding training.
To deal with this situation, VET SQUARED has developed two tools VET institutions can use to increase their safeguarding culture, thus, the quality of their services.
Let’s find more information about the VET SQUARED partnership, the tools developed, and how they can benefit European VET organisations.
What is VET SQUARED
The VET SQUARED (VET^2) project wants to protect learners who engage in VET mobility across Europe. To do so, the project focuses on providing safeguarding training to VET staff to ensure they are up to date with its principles and procedures.
The VET SQUARED main objectives are:
- To implement the best child safeguarding amongst VET mobility organisations on a wider, pan-European scale.
- To develop a holistic, European strategy for effectively safeguarding and promoting quality mobility of VET learners under 18.
- To lay the foundations for implementing and uptake a single European VET Mobility Safeguarding Policy at a higher/systemic level.
- To raise awareness of the importance and ongoing need for safeguarding awareness and review within mobility activities.
- To cultivate a European VET Mobility safeguarding-focused network through which VET mobility staff and coordinators from host and receiving organisations can share and exchange resources, knowledge and good practices.
What are the VET SQUARED tools for safeguarding in VET?
1. Safeguarding Best Practices E-book
The Safeguarding Best Practices e-Book is the first tool developed by VET SQUARED.
The first part contains a complete collection of safeguarding approaches across Europe. The second part is the national best practices currently employed in the UK, Italy, Greece, Spain and Hungary. The third part describes the best practices from non-partners countries like Germany, Ireland, Malta, Poland, and Portugal, followed by a SWOT analysis. Finally, the final chapter concerns policy conclusions and assessments from partner countries.
Based on the best practices research from Europe VET SQUARED developed its next tool the “Safeguarding Charter”.
2. Vet Mobility Safeguarding Quality Charter
VET Mobility Safeguarding Quality Charter sets out the minimum requirements VET institutions must meet to be considered safeguarding-focused.
The Quality Charter seeks to ensure a safe preparation before departure in VET mobility, a secure stay, and follow-up mobility activities after returning home. Additionally, it contains provisions in HR policy and staff training, course design, facilities offered, and student support services.
However, it should be noted that even though VET institutions need to provide quality and safe mobilities, the National Agencies are responsible for maintaining their quality standards.
Are you a VET organisation interested in improving your safeguarding practices? Then, you should look at these safeguarding tools developed by VET SQUARED.
Follow the project’s official webpage to stay up to date with the project’s development in making VET Mobility safer.
