Safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults
At RJ4All Europe, safeguarding is a fundamental aspect of our work, especially considering our involvement with children, young people, and vulnerable adults. We hold a steadfast commitment to ensuring their safety and well-being in all our activities. To achieve this, we have developed a comprehensive Safeguarding Policy that not only ensures compliance with legal requirements but also embodies best practices in safeguarding.
Our Safeguarding Policy is overseen by the RJ4All Director, who serves as the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO), ensuring robust implementation and continuous monitoring. Together with the Senior Staff Member (SSM), the DSO plays a pivotal role in ensuring adherence to the policy’s principles and procedures. Regular reviews, conducted every three months, guarantee that our practices remain up-to-date and effective in safeguarding those under our care.
This policy extends to all adults involved in our organisation, including the Board, volunteers, paid staff, and agency staff. It places the welfare and interests of children and young people at the forefront of all our endeavours, striving to create a safe and child-centred environment where they can thrive without fear of abuse or harm.
Adhering to statutory responsibilities, government guidance, and best practices, our Safeguarding Policy addresses concerns related to the protection of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. It encompasses procedures that guide our staff in identifying and responding to safeguarding issues, ensuring a consistent and proactive approach across all activities and interactions.
Aligned with national and international laws, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, our policy sets stringent standards to safeguard those under our care. Furthermore, our commitment to continuous professional development is evident through our mandatory training on safeguarding, including our CPD Certified e-course “Safeguarding Children Advanced Level 2“.
By upholding these principles and practices, RJ4All Europe remains dedicated to creating a secure and nurturing environment where the well-being of all individuals is paramount.
All of our staff, board members, and volunteers are required to provide a Police Criminal Record Certificate as part of our policy.
Child Protection
In conjunction with our comprehensive Safeguarding Policy, RJ4All Europe has developed a specialised Child Protection Policy that addresses specific issues related to responding to harm and ensuring the safety of children and young people under our care. This policy forms an integral part of our broader safeguarding framework, providing detailed guidance on how to recognise, prevent, and respond to instances of harm or abuse. It outlines clear procedures for reporting concerns, conducting investigations, and taking appropriate action to safeguard the well-being of children and young people.
Our Child Protection Policy reflects our unwavering commitment to prioritising the welfare and interests of the most vulnerable individuals within our community, and it underscores our dedication to upholding the highest standards of care and protection for all those we serve.
Behavioural agreements
RJ4All’s Behavioural Policy is designed to foster a healthy, inclusive community environment where individuals and their property are valued and respected. This policy emphasises the importance of treating others courteously, working together to solve differences, and considering the needs of others. Unacceptable behaviours, such as bullying, harassment and violence, are identified and measures are outlined to address them, including moderation, reporting to authorities if necessary, and potential sanctions such as temporary or permanent bans from our premises. Restorative Justice practitioners may also be involved in extreme cases to ensure the safety and well-being of the community.
Data Protection
Data protection in Cyprus is primarily governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) (‘GDPR’) which has been implemented into Cypriot law by virtue of Law 125(I) of 2018 Providing For The Protection of Natural Persons with regard to the Processing of Personal Data and for the Free Movement of Such Data (‘the Law’).
To ensure the proper application of the GDPR, the regulatory authority for data protection in Cyprus is the Office of the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection (‘the Commissioner’), which has adopted certain guidelines issued by the Article 29 Working Party (‘WP29’) which has been replaced by the European Data Protection Board (‘EDPB’) and has also issued its own guidelines and opinions.
We process personal data and sensitive personal data relating to our team members and service users in accordance with the RJ4All Data Protection Policy as well as in accordance with the relevant data protection legislation mentioned above.
With the assistance of experts, we have conducted a comprehensive audit of our data protection processes to enhance our compliance with GDPR. As a result, we have updated our privacy policies and procedures, strengthened our cybersecurity systems, and developed mandatory GDPR training for all members of staff https://rj4allecourses.com/courses/introduction-to-data-protection/.
Equality, Diversity & Gender Mainstreaming
RJ4All Europe was founded upon the restorative justice principles of power sharing, equality, involvement in decision-making, dignity and respect. Everything we do is guided by these principles and all our project ideas are driven and quality controlled by our users.
We take matters of equality, diversity and gender mainstreaming extremely seriously whether these relate to our project and service delivery, recruitment and training. We have an Equality, Diversity & Gender Mainstreaming Policy, which covers all RJ4ALL’s employees, volunteers, interns, Board members and users irrespective of their status, level or grade.
RJ4ALL is an equal opportunities organisation committed to actively preventing all forms of discrimination and promoting equality, gender mainstreaming, diversity, and mutual respect in its policies, practices, and procedures, as well as in those areas in which it has a material degree of influence. This applies to RJ4ALL’s relationships with its employees and other workers and in its business dealings with its service users. RJ4ALL aims to create a working environment in which all individuals who work for RJ4ALL are able to make best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment, and in which all decisions are based on merit.
RJ4ALL aims to treat everyone with the same attention, courtesy and respect and not to discriminate or harass unlawfully because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy, maternity, race, racial group, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, trade union membership or part-time or fixed-term status (“Prohibited Grounds”).
Reasonable adjustments are made where necessary and appropriate in the case of employees who are disabled.
Green Policy
RJ4All Europe is committed to environmental sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint. Our policy focuses on waste reduction, responsible purchasing, energy efficiency, and promoting sustainable travel. This Policy aims to guide employees, volunteers, interns and users so that organisation remains proactive and everyone becomes more environmentally sustainable. Through regular reporting and monitoring, we ensure accountability and continuous improvement.
Volunteer Policy
RJ4All Europe would not exist without the involvement and continued support of volunteers. Therefore, RJ4All Europe recognises their significant contribution and this policy sets out the principles, practices and procedures which RJ4All Europe will follow in the appointment and management of volunteers.
At RJ4All Europe, our Volunteer Policy underscores our commitment to inclusivity, safety, and recognition for the invaluable contributions of volunteers. We recruit volunteers within and outside the European Economic Area through fair processes, providing structured support, training opportunities, and expense reimbursement. Upholding data protection regulations, we ensure volunteers’ privacy while fostering an environment conducive to their personal and professional growth. Through this policy, we aim to cultivate a rewarding volunteer experience, integral to advancing our mission and values.
