Our website is in the process of being rebuilt and things may now work fully yet. Check out our new website project progress.
Our website is in the process of being rebuilt and things may now work fully yet. Check out our new website project progress.

Safeguarding

What is child safeguarding?

  • Safeguarding is the actions taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.
  • CarrickDojo has a responsibility to promote the welfare of all young people and to keep them safe from harm.

Safeguarding Reporting

  • Our Dojo Champion is our Designated Liaison Persons for child safeguarding.
  • If you have any concerns or queries, please speak to our Champion or one of our mentors at a Dojo session, or alternatively email us requesting a call-back.

If you have an urgent concern; please contact:

  • Our Dojo Champion
  • The North Connaught Youth and Community Services team on 071 9144150 / 071 9147468
  • The Tusla duty social work office for Leitrim (located in Sligo) on 071 9155133

Requirements on Volunteers

Mentor Vetting

  • The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 provide a statutory basis for the vetting of persons carrying out relevant work with children.
  • The first step in volunteering with CarrickDojo is Garda Vetting. It is a simple process, but essential.

Child First Training

  • All our Dojo mentors are required to complete the Introduction to Children First programme provided by Tusla. This is an e-learning programme that supports people in recognising and reporting child abuse.
  • The programme is based on Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children and the Children First Act 2015.

In Person Training

  • CoderDojo is overseen by North Connaught Youth and Community Services. Tusla and NCYCS hold regular in-person training session on safeguarding.
  • Our Champion keeps us updated when these events are on. Attending once is a requirement, however we recommend all mentors try and attend a session annually.
  • Tea and biscuits provided.

Raspberry Pi Safeguarding Module

  • CoderDojo is part of the Raspberry Pi Foundation and as a club, we have a requirement all our volunteers complete their safeguarding e-learning module.
  • The module provides specific information to how our club runs and additional resources mentors on creating a safe coding club.

Code of Behaviour

Social Media and Communication Guidelines for Volunteers

Email

  • We do not communicate one to one with young people under 18.
  • We always include a parent on the CC when communicating with young people under 18.
  • Where you do not have a parent's contact information, respond seeking this information and CC our Champion.
  • Always bcc mailing lists so you do not give out personal emails to others on the list.

Social Media

  • We do not communicate with anyone under the age of 18 over social media.
  • If contacted by a young person through any social media, inform our champion and respond in person with our policy on not using social media.
  • We do not promote the use of social media within our Dojo.
  • Our Dojo avoids the use of Social Media.
  • Whatsapp is used for scheduling by the mentors.
  • Whatsapp is one of the methods we share information with parents.
  • Slack is used for discussions with other members of the global CoderDojo network.

CoderDojo have created a Code of Behaviour as a safeguarding framework for all Dojo volunteers.