Learner Journal

Learner Journal
Learner Journal

Welcome to your Learner Journal!

Here you will find a number of useful reminders of the content
covered in the Safeguarding Essentials course, and additional
space to capture your own reflections as you work through the
course. This can help you remember key points even after you
finish the course.

We encourage you to use this journal to capture points that are

relevant to you, and to reflect on the content of the course in
relation to your role and the context in which you work.

At the end of your journal there is additional space for you to set
out your next steps for continuing your safeguarding journey.

We recommend that you save or print this Learner Journal and

keep it by your side when you are working through module
activities. After each activity in your Learner Journal you can
return back to the course page.
Learner Journal

Contents
Module 1: Safeguarding: what is it?.........................................................4
Module 2: Safeguarding communities at risk..........................................7
Module 3: How do safeguarding issues arise?.........................................9
Module 4: Mythbusting: true or false?..................................................11
Module 5: How can you help?.................................................................13
Module 6: Be ready to report..................................................................15
Planning your next actions......................................................................17
Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

02512959
·

Have you read any other articles on this subject? What common themes do you recall?

News article headlines about abuse in the humanitarian and development sectors:

Activity 2
In this activity you are encouraged to capture any reflections.
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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

We have already heard a lot about safeguarding. How could our staff and/or programmes harm children or other
vulnerable groups? Take a moment to write your thoughts here.

What is abuse?

Abuse consists of anything that individuals, institutions or processes do (or fail to do) that
directly or indirectly harm children or adults, or damages their prospect of a safe and healthy
development.

The twelve types of harm:

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Activity 3
In this activity you identified who you think is most at risk from staff and programs in the
humanitarian and development sectors.

The four circles show those who are most at risk of harm from staff and programmes in these
sectors. How does this compare to the four categories you selected? If there are any differences, can
you think of any reasons why?

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Reflections
In the Reflections section, you are encouraged to record any more thoughts and learning here based
on what you have learnt, read and discussed in Module 1. This can include reflections on how the
course content applies to your specific role, context and experience; any questions you might have;
and any facts or key points that you want to remember or share.
·

Summary
In this module, our learning outcomes were to:

· know the non-negotiables of conduct

· know who we are safeguarding
· understand the importance of safeguarding for the humanitarian and development sectors

We recognised that:
· safeguarding is especially important in our sector because of the difficult contexts and
vulnerable populations we work with
· children, people with disabilities, at risk adults and people receiving assistance are
particularly at-risk
· there are five non-negotiables of conduct for all NGO workers and people working with us.
These are:
1. Do not subject a child or adult to sexual, emotional or physical harm, exploitation or abuse.
2. Do not exchange goods, money, favours or services for sex.
3. Do not have sexual contact with a person receiving assistance.
4. Do consistently promote effective safeguarding in your work
5. Do report any concerns you may have. If in doubt – report.

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Module 2: Safeguarding
communities at risk
In this module, you look at safeguarding communities at risk. Your learning outcomes are to:

• know who you are safeguarding

• recognise potential safeguarding concerns

In this module you look at examples of how abuse can happen in the humanitarian and development
sectors. You identify the seven stages of grooming, and hear examples of what children have said
about exploitation and abuse. You also read about different steps organisations can take to create a
safer environment and minimise risks to vulnerable children and adults.

What is a perpetrator?

A perpetrator is any person who carries out a harmful act that affects others.

Key message: "If you see it, if you hear it, if you suspect it, report it!”

Activity 1
In this activity you arranged the seven stages of grooming in chronological order.

What is grooming?

Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, using trust and an emotional connection with a
child or person, so that they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them.

The diagram below shows the order in which grooming can happen, although it can happen at
different paces and skip stages.

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Activity 2
In this activity you heard from non-governmental organisation (NGO) workers in different regions
who report safeguarding cases.

Drawing on what you have learned about grooming and its impact on children, take a few moments
to suggest three ways your organisation can minimise risk to vulnerable children and adults. 
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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

1.

2.

3.

To minimise risk, your responsibilities in safeguarding include your own conduct, and reporting
any concerns you have.

What are the five non negotiables of conduct?

1. Do not subject a child or adult to sexual, emotional or physical harm, exploitation or

abuse.
2. Do not exchange goods, money, favours or services for sex.
3. Do not have sexual contact with a person receiving assistance.
4. Do consistently promote effective safeguarding in your work
5. Do report any concerns you may have. If in doubt – report.

Reflections
In the Reflections section, you are encouraged to record any more thoughts and learning here based
on what you have learnt, read and discussed in Module 2. This can include reflections on how the
course content applies to your specific role, context and experience; any questions you might have;
and any facts or key points that you want to remember or share.
·

Summary
In this module we considered safeguarding communities at risk. Our learning outcomes were to:

· know who we are safeguarding

· recognise potential safeguarding concerns
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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

We looked at safeguarding examples from different regions with testimony from children around
the world about why they don’t report their concerns. Some reasons included barriers the children
face in communicating, threats from the perpetrator to prevent reporting, and the dependency of the
victim or their family on the perpetrator to provide for some of their basic needs

We considered ways our organisations can ensure a safer environment for the communities we
serve, including through thorough background checks for new staff, ensuring all staff are trained in
the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, and providing training for children so that they
know their rights.

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Module 3: How do safeguarding

issues arise?
In this module, you look at how safeguarding issues arise. Your learning outcomes are to:

• know who we are safeguarding

• recognise potential safeguarding concerns

• understand the importance of safeguarding for the humanitarian and development sectors

This module introduces some ways that safeguarding issues could arise. You explore different
scenarios drawn from the many different contexts that the humanitarian and development sectors
cover. You also consider how vulnerability to abuse can increase under different risk factors, such
as age, gender, living with a disability, and other characteristics.

Key message: "If you see it, if you hear it, if you suspect it, report it!”

Activity 1
In this activity you are prompted to reflect on why you think sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA),
and other harms are thought to be so widespread in the humanitarian and development sector.

Record your answers here.

What is sexual exploitation?

Sexual exploitation is any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability,

differential power or trust, for sexual purposes. This could be in exchange for attention, affection,
food, drugs, shelter, protection, other basic necessities and/or money.
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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Activity 2
In this activity you decided whether there were any safeguarding concerns in a series of scenarios.

Activity 3
In this activity you looked at how certain factors increase vulnerability.

In your experience, are there any other factors that increase vulnerability, particularly in the
humanitarian and development sectors? Please list them here:

Reflections
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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

In the Reflections section, you are encouraged to record any more thoughts and learning here based
on what you have learnt, read and discussed in Module 3. This can include reflections on how the
course content applies to your specific role, context and experience; any questions you might have;
and any facts or key points that you want to remember or share.
·

Summary
In this module we looked at how safeguarding issues arise. Our learning outcomes were to:

· know who we are safeguarding

· recognise potential safeguarding concerns
· understand the importance of safeguarding for the humanitarian and development sectors
We considered why our sector is particularly vulnerable to people who want to exploit and abuse
others, including:

· Power imbalances between communities receiving aid and the NGO workers delivering aid

· The difficulty survivors may feel or face in talking about what has happened

We explored scenarios to better identity safeguarding concerns, including based on what you hear
and what you observe.

In recognising safeguarding concerns, we also learnt that vulnerability increases with the addition of
risk factors – particularly for women, children, transgender and non-binary people, and those living
with disabilities.

Remember: if you see or hear of abuse – or merely suspect it – you should report it.

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Module 4:
Mythbusting: true or false?
In this module your learning outcomes are to:

· Recognise potential safeguarding concerns

· Act on and report safeguarding concerns

In this module, you heard some of the myths that can prevent safeguarding concerns being
recognised and acted on. Myths are stories, beliefs or ideas that are commonly held, heard or
repeated, but are not based on fact.

Key message: "If you see it, if you hear it, if you suspect it, report it!”

Activity 1
In this activity you read different statements and decided whether they are true or false.

Myth True or False?

It is not sexual abuse if a woman agrees to have sex with an NGO False – this is sexual exploitation.
worker in exchange for vital supplies of aid.

The abuse of children or adults with disabilities is most likely to True.

be perpetrated by the adults who are responsible for protecting
and caring for them.
There are less reported cases of children or adults with disabilities False – they experience a number of
suffering harm, which means they are less in danger of barriers to report abuse.
experiencing abuse. 

Rates of sexual abuse are shockingly high across all cultures, True.
societies and settings.

Sexual abuse can be the child’s fault, because of the way they False – sexual abuse is never the
dress and behave. child’s fault.

Sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) is always rape. False – SEA includes rape but can be
other types of sexual exploitation or
abuse.
There are no people of diverse genders, sexualities and bodies (or False – there are people diverse
LGBTIQ+ people) in this camp, so we don’t need to talk about genders, sexualities and bodies (or
this. LGBTIQ+ people) in all societies,
including camps.

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Children make-up stories or lie about sexual abuse; we can’t False – children rarely lie or make up
always believe them.  stories about being sexually abused.

It is only men that perpetrate sexual exploitation and abuse.  False - women also perpetrate sexual
exploitation and abuse.
An NGO worker shouting abusive comments at members of the False – the NGO worker is causing
community from a vehicle is just letting off steam. emotional harm to community
members.
Having sex with a 16 year old is legal in this country so it is OK False – when you work for an NGO,
here.  sexual activity with children (persons
under the age of 18) is forbidden.
Boys are not at risk of sexual abuse or exploitation False
 

Choose one of the myths from Activity 1 in the table above that surprised or shocked you, saying
how you feel about it, and how you can challenge this myth in your everyday work. You might
think about this myth within your own context and draw on your personal experience.

Now create an action plan of up to three points that you can commit to, reflect upon, or do to
combat one of the myths that shocked or surprised you:

1.

2.

3.

Share your plans for combatting myths around safeguarding with colleagues. You may want to ask
for input and advice to strengthen your plan.

Reflections
In the Reflections section, you are encouraged to record any more thoughts and learning here based
on what you have learnt, read and discussed in Module 4. This can include reflections on how the
course content applies to your specific role, context and experience; any questions you might have;
and any facts or key points that you want to remember or share.
·

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Summary
In this module your learning outcomes were to:

· Recognise potential safeguarding concerns

· Act on and report safeguarding concerns

We learnt that:
· exploitation, abuse and harm can take many forms
· some common myths about safeguarding are not true

My key message from this module is about making a personal commitment to safeguarding. This
includes upholding the non-negotiables of conduct, and reporting any situations that might be of
safeguarding concern.

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Module 5:
How can you help?
In this module, you learn about what you can do to help. Your learning outcomes are to:
· know what to do if you observe or hear testimony or rumour about an NGO worker causing
harm, exploitation or abuse
· act and report safeguarding concerns

This module looks at how you can help safeguard affected communities. You identify reasons that
colleagues may not report safeguarding concerns, the effects of not reporting, and potential
responses to a colleague’s concerns about reporting.

Key message: "If you see it, if you hear it, if you suspect it, report it!”

Activity 1
In this activity you think about why you or your colleagues might not report any safeguarding
concerns.

Write your thoughts here.

The negative effects of not reporting:

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Activity 2
In this activity you matched a colleague’s concern about reporting with the best response you could
offer them as to why they should report.

Responses you can offer to a colleague who has a concern about reporting:

Concern Response
I’m not sure if anything actually happened Just report what you saw or heard because it might
be important

I don’t have all the facts You don’t need all the facts. Trust your instincts 

The organisation won’t do anything and will cover NGOs should never prioritise reputation over
it up because of bad publicity safety 
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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

I’m worried I will make it worse for the woman – The survivor will continue to be harmed and the
she has been through enough perpetrator could go on to harm others  

I don’t have a way of communicating with the If you can’t communicate with the survivor that
person who is suspected of being abused doesn’t mean their voices shouldn’t be heard  

The child doesn’t know what is happening to them If any child reports something, you must report it
anyway, so it doesn’t matter
I don’t want to make a fuss it looked or sounded wrong, it probably is wrong,
and you won’t be making a fuss 

I need the survivor’s permission to report.   You don’t need a child’s permission. A
Safeguarding Advisor can help you here.

You can also identify or ask your safeguarding officer and/or colleagues what alternate reporting
escalation/whistleblowing routes that exist outside of the organisation, in your country of operation.
Specific examples of these include the Charity Commission for those registered in the UK.

Activity 3
In this activity you matched a colleague’s concern about reporting with the best response you could
offer them as to why they should report.

What appropriate responses can you give to your colleagues who might not report safeguarding
concerns, particularly addressing the reasons you have identified in Module 5, Activity 1 of this
journal?

Reflections
In the Reflections section, you are encouraged to record any more thoughts and learning here based
on what you have learnt, read and discussed in Module 5. This can include reflections on how the
course content applies to your specific role, context and experience; any questions you might have;
and any facts or key points that you want to remember or share.
·

·
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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Summary

In this module, your learning outcomes were to:

· Know what to do if you observe or hear testimony or rumour about an NGO worker causing
harm, exploitation or abuse
· Act and report safeguarding concerns

We did this by:

· Finding ways to respond to colleagues to assure and guide them to report any safeguarding
concerns.

· Looking into the effects of not reporting, including the serious risk that the survivor and
others could continue to be exploited or abused.

My key message from this module is to remember, if you see or hear of abuse – or merely suspect it
– you should report it.

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Module 6:
Be ready to report
In this module, you learn how to be ready to report any safeguarding concerns. Your learning
outcomes are to:

· Know what to do if you observe or hear testimony or rumour about an NGO worker causing
harm, exploitation or abuse
· Act and report safeguarding concerns

This module introduces you to the details of your safeguarding reporting responsibility.

Key message: "If you see it, if you hear it, if you suspect it, report it!”

Your safeguarding reporting responsibility:

It is your responsibility as an NGO worker to report and let others who are trained in safeguarding
to investigate. This means:

· You don’t have to know if it’s true

· You don’t need to have understood any or some of what has been reported to you
· You don’t have to know if the survivor is under 18 years old
· You don’t need to be 100% certain whether the perpetrator works for your organisation or is
a partner
· You don’t have to find a witness or a survivor
· You don’t have to investigate further (and you shouldn’t)
· You don’t have to decide if it's in the best interest of the child or adult for you to report
· You don’t need to have evidence
· Your responsibility ends with reporting, which you should do as soon as possible!

Activity 1
In this activity you imagined you were a Safeguarding Officer. You selected responses to give to
someone telling you about a safeguarding issue. The Safeguarding Officer should listen and treat
the person reporting with care and empathy.

Responses you should give:

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Reflections
In the Reflections section, you are encouraged to record any more thoughts and learning here based
on what you have learnt, read and discussed in Module 6. This can include reflections on how the
course content applies to your specific role, context and experience; any questions you might have;
and any facts or key points that you want to remember or share.
·

Summary
In this module, our learning outcomes were to:

· Know what to do if you observe or hear testimony or rumour about an NGO worker causing
harm, exploitation or abuse
· Act and report safeguarding concerns

We explored:

· Why it is important to report all safeguarding concerns, and learnt that you don’t need to
have all the facts before reporting.

Remember: Your responsibility is to report your concern to your Safeguarding Officer, which you
should do as soon as possible in any cases of concern.

· Safeguarding concerns and how they can be reported

· How we should react, if a child or adult tells us abuse is happening.
We should respond by listening, capturing any basic factual information about the incident(s) that
the survivor is willing to share, asking what they need in terms of support, and letting the person
know what is likely to happen next.
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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

· My key message again is that if you see or hear of any safeguarding concerns, report it.

See it - Hear it - Suspect it - Report it

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Planning your next actions

Over the following pages we have set out space to record your thoughts on the key points you want
to remember from the Safeguarding Essentials course, and what you want to learn more about to
continue your safeguarding journey.

Activity 1
How will you translate what you have learned in the Safeguarding Essentials course into positive
action in safeguarding?

Complete the table below based on the guidance in the box below.

Things I want to remember or do as a result of this course

Write three or four points that describe what you most want to remember from this course in your
workplace, or any actions you will take as a result of this course.

e.g. I want to remember that my main responsibility is to report any safeguarding concerns I have to my
safeguarding officer.

1.

2.

3.

Activity 2
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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

What do you want to learn more about to continue your safeguarding journey? Complete the table
below based on the guidance in the boxes below.

I want to learn more about … Ideas and resources

Write three or four points from the course Note down any ideas for how to fulfil that
that you want to learn more about. learning.

For ideas for additional courses and resources,

view the ‘Learn more’ section of Safeguarding
Essentials course on Kaya.

www.kayaconnect.org

1.

2.

3.

4.

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Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal

Review the table you just completed. Are there topics that you want to learn more about, but you are
not sure where to start? Ask a colleague for advice, or post a question asking for ideas on the
Humanitarian Leadership Academy’s Facebook page.

Congratulations on completing your Safeguarding Essentials Learner Journal.

This Learner Journal forms part of the Humanitarian Leadership Academy’s Safeguarding
Essentials course. This course can be accessed at www.kayaconnect.org.

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