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VULNERABLE PERSONS TRAINING 2007 

This was aimed at members of community building management committees.  The course was planned during the daytime at Newton and Bywell Community Hall on Friday 21st September 2007. 
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VULNERABLE PERSONS TRAINING 2006

Many village halls and community buildings throughout the county provide their premises for day-care and other child based activities. Hall management committees need to be aware of the responsibilities they have relating to these activities.

Community Action had received several requests for assistance in this area from halls that did not currently have a child protection policy in place. We believe that there is a need for training in this area and are currently talking to potential funders and specialist trainers. An essential part of our discussions will be demonstrating to them the need for such training.

Within the August 2006 edition of Northumberland Community News there was an article highlighting the importance of safeguarding vulnerable users in village halls and suggesting that some training sessions be organised. Representatives were asked to read that article (reproduced below), discuss it with their colleagues on the management committee and then complete the feed back slip attached to this letter?

Thanks for your assistance

Alan Hedley

Village Halls Adviser

(Article from page 2 of Northumberland Community News August 2006 issue)

Village Halls and vulnerable users 

The importance of child protection is well known (though not necessarily as well catered for) by community and voluntary organisations. Many village halls provide the premises for day-care and other child based activities and most take steps to ensure that these activities are properly run with adequate chid procedures and policy.

There are though very few village halls that have established their own child protection policy and even less that have remembered that village hall committees owe a duty of care to all those using their premises. This means that it is not only the safety of children that has to be borne in mind but also that of adults who cannot read warning signs, who are frail or are physically less able.

Several halls have already approached the village halls adviser for assistance in establishing a “Safeguarding vulnerable users” policy. Although the Community Council does have access to a Model policy it is not ideal to issue such a document to a village hall management committee without ensuring the availability of necessary training of some (or all) of the committee to enable them to fully appreciate the principles involving the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.

Any training organised would be in the form of a workshop led by a fully qualified consultant. It is likely that it would be a days training (around 6 hours) although it may be possible to organise some workshops over two evenings. Likely areas covered would be:

·        Discussion around categories of abuse

·        Appropriate responses and actions

·        Exploring why we need to have a child protection (Safeguarding) policy in place and how it protects children, young people vulnerable adults and staff/volunteers from harm

·        Guidelines/toolbox of how to develop a child protection policy and procedures for your own organisation

CCN believes that there is a need for such training and is hoping to secure funding to provide such training towards the end of the year. It would help us greatly in securing such funding if we knew how many people wished to attend. We are therefore seeking expressions of interest and would ask you to complete the form sent to all village halls with this copy of NCN (the form can also be found on our website, www.ca-north.org.uk). Alternatively you can telephone 01670 517178 to express your interest or email info@ca-north.org.uk. 

Community Council of Northumberland

Safeguarding Vulnerable Users in Village Halls

Name of Village Hall / Community Building………………………………………...

Name of VH/CB  contact:      ……………………………………..………………

Contact: Tel no       …………………………………………….…………………

Email address:    ………………………………………………………………...

.

Address:      …………………….…………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………………………………………..

The management committee understand that the suggested training would be take 6 hours which would be done in 1 day  or over 2 evenings. 

Please indicate:

 …. (No.) trustees would wish to attend the proposed training session/s.

……..(No)  of those trustees are only able to attend the evening sessions.

Prefered area of venue :   Hexham     /    Berwick     /     Wooler   /    Morpeth 

Please return completed form to: Alan Hedley, CCN, Tower Buildings, 9 Oldgate, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 1PY by 6 October 2006.