Child & Young Person Safeguarding Policy

Effective 29 August 2026 · Version 2026-08-v1

1. Safeguarding principle

The safety, dignity and welfare of young participants should take priority over convenience, publicity, status or programme objectives.

2. Appropriate adult-young person boundaries

Mentors, administrators, volunteers, partners and other adults interacting with young participants must maintain appropriate professional boundaries.

Adults must not:

• seek sexual or romantic relationships with minors;
• engage in grooming or sexually suggestive communication;
• request sexual or inappropriate photographs;
• use threats, intimidation or manipulation;
• exploit mentorship for financial or personal benefit;
• request unnecessary confidential information;
• encourage a minor to conceal inappropriate communication from a parent, guardian or programme administrator; or
• engage in inappropriate physical contact.

3. Communication with minors

Where reasonably practicable, communication with minors should take place through approved or transparent channels.

Adults should avoid creating secret communication arrangements with young participants.

4. Meetings

Meetings involving minors should be arranged in a manner appropriate to the participant's age, activity and safeguarding needs.

Private or undisclosed meetings with minors should be avoided. Where appropriate, a parent, guardian or authorised RYLA Next administrator should be aware of the arrangement.

5. Personal information

Access to information about a young participant must be limited to legitimate programme, mentorship, welfare or safeguarding purposes.

No mentor, volunteer or partner receives ownership of participant data by virtue of their role.

6. Photographs and media

Promotional use of identifiable images, video, audio or testimonials involving minors should be subject to appropriate consent requirements.

A young person's ordinary participation should not be made conditional on agreeing to optional promotional use of their image.

7. Reporting a safeguarding concern

Any person who reasonably suspects abuse, exploitation, grooming, serious harassment or another safeguarding threat should promptly report the concern through the appropriate RYLA Next safeguarding or administrative channel.

A person reporting a genuine concern in good faith should not be subjected to retaliation for making the report.

8. Response

RYLA Next may restrict contact or platform access while a serious concern is being assessed.

Where reasonably necessary or legally required, a matter may be referred to a parent or guardian, relevant organisation, child-protection body, law enforcement or another appropriate authority.

9. Mentor responsibility

Mentors may be required to accept a specific safeguarding undertaking before being approved or matched with Nexters.

10. Review

Safeguarding requirements may be strengthened or updated as RYLA Next grows, introduces new activities or expands participation.