Safeguarding at Young Women’s Trust
At Young Women’s Trust, we’re committed to creating a safe, respectful and inclusive space for everyone involved in our work—whether that’s young women using our services, staff, coaches, volunteers, trustees or partner organisations.
Safeguarding means protecting people from harm. That includes abuse, harassment, neglect, exploitation and anything else that puts someone’s wellbeing at risk. It’s also about building a culture where people feel safe to speak up when something doesn’t feel right, and confident that we’ll take it seriously.
We all have a role to play in safeguarding. Whether you’re part of a workshop, a coaching session or an event—we want you to feel supported and know what to do if you’re worried about someone.
Our commitment to safeguarding
We work with young women aged 18 to 30—many of whom are navigating challenges such as low income, discrimination, or poor mental health. But safeguarding isn’t only about the people we support. It’s also about looking out for each other across the organisation: staff, volunteers, coaches, trustees and supporters.
That means:
- Creating spaces where people feel respected, heard and safe
- Responding calmly and appropriately when someone raises a concern
- Being clear about the boundaries of confidentiality
- Making sure people know who to speak to and what will happen next
We follow safeguarding policies and procedures that are reviewed regularly and based on current guidance.
What we expect from everyone
We ask everyone involved in Young Women’s Trust to take safeguarding seriously and speak up if something doesn’t seem right. You don’t need to have all the answers—you just need to share your concern.
That includes:
- Listening without judgement
- Respecting boundaries and not overstepping your role
- Not sharing your personal contact details or social media
- Passing concerns to our safeguarding team, rather than trying to handle things yourself
We practice person-centred safeguarding—which means involving young women in decisions that affect them, wherever possible, and sharing information with care and consent.
How we take action
When a safeguarding concern is raised:
- We listen and gather relevant information
- We assess what support is needed and whether a referral should be made
- We may speak with the CEO, Safeguarding Trustee or external services
- We keep clear records and follow up with the young woman or individual where appropriate
If a young woman is feeling low, facing housing issues, or needs help—but it isn’t a safeguarding matter—we’ll still follow up with support or signposting. Not everything needs a formal referral to be taken seriously.
If you’re worried about something
Please speak to our safeguarding team if:
- Someone says they’ve been harmed, abused or are at risk
- You notice something that makes you feel uneasy or concerned
- Someone else raises a concern
- There’s been a disclosure, allegation or incident
- You’re unsure whether something is a safeguarding issue – it’s better to ask
You can contact:
Emma Feasey – Designated Safeguarding Lead
[email protected]
Suzi Copland – Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
[email protected]
We also have a Lead Safeguarding Trustee who takes responsibility for safeguarding at board level – [email protected]
Our CEO oversees safeguarding across the organisation and keeps the Board of Trustees informed of risks.
If you would like a copy of our full safeguarding policy you can request this by emailing [email protected]
Whistleblowing
Whistleblowing is when someone raises a concern about wrongdoing, risk or misconduct. This could be about:
- Fraud or financial misconduct
- Safeguarding or abuse
- Health and safety violations
- Unethical or illegal activities
- Serious misuse of charity resources
Whistleblowing is different from making a complaint or grievance. It’s about reporting concerns in the public interest.
If you would like a copy of our whistleblowing policy you can request this by emailing [email protected]
