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Background of the Safeguard Programme
Everyone involved in working with children or vulnerable adults, has a fundamental duty of care towards them. With the changing legislative context in light of the scandals and systemic abuse with institutions, the awareness of the need for robust measures for the protection of children and vulnerable adults has never been more prevalent.
The Safeguard Programme exists to support and enable organisations involving volunteers in their work overseas, to address their concerns and to overcome the obstacles in managing safe and effective volunteer programmes.
The Irish Government has emphasised the importance of active citizenship and the role of volunteers in adding to the health and vibrancy of Irish society. The most recent census shows that at least 16% of the population were engaged in volunteering in 2006.
Irish Aid has emphasised the role of volunteers in supporting the global development effort and funds a number of projects relating to volunteers overseas. Research carried out by Dóchas and published in the paper Volunteering for Development shows that Ireland sent approximately 2030 volunteers overseas in 2006.
The issue of the protection of children and vulnerable adults is of paramount importance to ensure best practice in volunteering both in Ireland and abroad and was the subject of a workshop at a conference of international volunteering organisations in the Irish Aid Volunteer Centre in June 2008. The workshop highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach to be taken on this issue.
Following discussions between Voluntary Services Overseas (Ireland Office), Comhlamh, Dóchas, Volunteering Ireland and the Garda Central Vetting Unit around the imperative for the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, Volunteering Ireland were asked to explore the possibility of extending the service that they were in the process of developing for their membership organisations to meet the needs of the overseas development sector.
A process of consultation was entered into, with key partners, through the Dochas HR forum and at an event hosted by Irish Aid in February 2008 and attended by 27 individuals representing 17organisations at which there was unanimous support for the proposal put to it at that time.
The Pilot Year of the Safeguard Programme has been funded through the Irish Aid Civil Society Fund.
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