Purpose
Dark Times Academy is an adult and community education provider. However, we recognise that youth, in particular those who are homeschooling, may occasionally enrol in our classes. This policy is intended to ensure that we keep them safe and create a welcoming environment for people of all ages.
The goal of this policy is to promote good practice through:
- Creating a safe learning environment with appropriate boundaries and protections for young people.
- Designating appropriate procedures to safeguard the well-being of youth and protect them from harm.
- Outlining the responsibilities of Dark Times Academy staff, instructors, and students when working with young people.
Scope
This policy applies to all Dark Times Academy staff, instructors, and course participants.
Policy Principles
This policy is based on the following principles:
- The welfare of youth is our primary concern.
- All youth have the right to protection from all forms of harm and abuse.
- Youth protection is everyone’s responsibility.
- Youth have the right to express views on all matters which affect them, should they wish to do so.
Procedures
These procedures are intended to protect youth who enrol in Dark Times Academy classes and to lay out the obligations of our instructors and adult learners who enrol in our classes.
Child Protection Officer
Mandy Henk is the child protection officer for Dark Times Academy.
Identifying young people
Dark Times Academy will seek to proactively identify young people who enrol in our classes by asking at enrolment if a learner is under 18. We will rely on self-disclosure to identify young people.
Maintaining A Safe Environment
Dark Times Academy and our instructors always work to create a safe and vibrant learning community through our classes. This means there is significant interaction between learners and between learners and our instructors. We want youth to be able to be part of that, but we also recognise the risk this could present to young people.
These procedures are intended to mitigate that risk, while still allowing young people to be full participants in our classes.
In Class
Dark Times Academy classes include live classes delivered via Zoom. Sometimes these classes will include breakout rooms where learners work together on a learning activity.
In cases where a young person is enrolled in a class, we may decide that the young person will need to be chaperoned during group activities. We will communicate with the young person’s caregivers to arrange this and to notify them ahead of time when we expect a chaperone to be provided by the young person’s caregivers.
In Group Chats
Dark Times Academy classes all include optional group chats using Signal. In cases where we have a young person enrolled in a class, we will also require the young person’s caregiver or parent to join the group chat to provide oversight and chaperoning services.
Some classes are only for adults
Not all Dark Times Academy classes are going to be appropriate for young people. Dark Times Academy and our instructors reserve the right to host classes for adults only.
Handling safety concerns
Anyone who spends time with young people may develop safety concerns about them. Understanding child abuse is important and Dark Times Academy relies on the guidance provided by Child Matters on identifying child neglect and abuse.
Immediate
If anyone has an immediate concern for the safety of a young person they are directed to call 111 to seek police assistance. This includes urgent concerns about suicide.
Other
In cases where there are less immediate concerns about abuse, neglect or safety, the concern will be urgently raised with the Child Protection Officer. The Child Protection Officer will work with the person raising the concern to document the concern and raise a Report of Concern with the appropriate child welfare authorities. Instructors and others are also encouraged to report concerns themselves.
In all cases, the young person will be informed and consent from them sought. When that cannot be obtained, that will be noted in the report to the child welfare agency.
Disclosures
There will be times when working with youth where they will disclose neglect, abuse, or suicidal intent. It is crucial that adults respond appropriately and with care. For guidance on handling this situation, the Dark Times Academy community should rely on the guidance on handling disclosures provided by Child Matters.
These should always be escalated to the Child Protection Officer.
Concerns involving a staff person or instructor
Instructors who maintain inappropriate boundaries with young people or violate this policy will be removed from teaching if these concerns are validated through a fair process. If there are concerns about abuse, a report of concern will be made or the police will be contacted.
Concerns involving an adult student
Adults enrolled in classes with young people are expected to maintain appropriate boundaries. They should not seek to interact with the young person outside of the course including via social media or one on one using messaging technologies. Enrolled students who violate this policy will be removed from our classes with no refund. They will not be allowed to enrol in future classes.
Young People Overseas
Dark Times Academy is a New Zealand organisation, however we draw our students from around the world. When we must make a report about a concern for a young person, we will attempt to do so in the location where the young person lives. When that is not possible, we will pass our concern to Oranga Tamariki, the New Zealand child welfare agency.
Updating this Policy
Dark Times Academy is a young and growing organisation. Our staff will continue to engage in professional development and seek out best practices on child protection in online education contexts. We will revisit this policy every six months to ensure it remains fit for purpose.
This policy has been created using the guidance offered by Oranga Tamariki.
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