Jesus Youth JY UK Safeguarding
Section 2

Regional & Event Leads

Roles and responsibilities for Regional Safeguarding Leads, Event Safeguarding Leads, and Event Coordinators.

Regional Safeguarding Lead (RSL)

One RSL per region. Regions are defined and reviewed annually by the NSB. (Current regions: [to be listed by Jesus Youth UK — typical UK divisions are London & SE, South West, Midlands, North, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland; merge or split as activity warrants.])

The RSL is the primary support for Event Safeguarding Leads in their region.

Responsibilities

Regional Safeguarding Representatives are appointed by the National Council in consultation with the National Safeguarding Board. Primary responsibilities include:

  • Implement the organisation’s safeguarding policies and procedures at the regional level and ensure regional activities comply with safeguarding policies
  • Ensure all volunteers are aware of procedures to follow and know how to act promptly and appropriately when a safeguarding concern arises
  • Act as the first point of contact for safeguarding concerns within the region and ensure all safeguarding concerns are reported to the National Safeguarding Board promptly
  • Maintain records of incidents and actions taken at the regional level
  • Support and supervise all Event Safeguarding Leads in the region
  • Approve event risk assessments for major events in the region (residentials, large gatherings); routine recurring programmes can be delegated to the ESL with periodic review
  • Receive escalations from ESLs (within 24 hours of an incident or concern)
  • Decide when to escalate to National DSL — see §3.1 thresholds
  • Run quarterly check-ins with each ESL in the region
  • Conduct an annual self-audit of the region against the handbook, submitted to NSB
  • Sit on the NSB
  • Ensure every event in their region has a designated ESL appointed before the event runs
  • Cover for ESLs in emergencies (or arrange cover)

Eligibility

  • Enhanced DBS + Children’s Barred List
  • Safeguarding training Level 3 (or working towards within 6 months of appointment)
  • Cannot act as ESL for an event they have safeguarding oversight of (separation)
  • Cannot be a trustee (separation of governance from operations)

Conflict of interest

  • If a concern is raised that involves the RSL personally, their family, or someone they have a close relationship with: case is escalated immediately to National DSL or Deputy. The RSL has no involvement in the handling.

Event Safeguarding Lead (ESL)

Every event and every recurring programme must have a named ESL. Without an appointed ESL, the event does not run.

Appointment

  • One-off events (camp, day retreat, special gathering): ESL appointed by the RSL at least 4 weeks before the event
  • Recurring programmes (weekly prayer group, monthly youth group): standing ESL for the programme, reviewed annually
  • Online programmes: same — a named ESL for that programme, present in (or monitoring) sessions
  • ESL name and contact details printed on event paperwork and displayed at the venue

Pre-event responsibilities

  • Confirm risk assessment is complete and signed off by RSL
  • Confirm all volunteers are on the central DBS log with valid status for the role they’ll do
  • Confirm all parental/standing consents are on file before any under-18 attends
  • Confirm ratios will be met (§6.4)
  • Confirm first aider on site and known to all volunteers
  • Confirm two-adult rule operationally feasible at all times
  • Brief all volunteers on the safeguarding plan and how to report a concern
  • Confirm emergency procedures (fire, medical, lost child)

During-event responsibilities

  • First point of contact for any concern raised at the event
  • Carries the incident log
  • Available throughout (or with a named delegate available, who must also have ESL-level training)
  • Holds emergency contact list including RSL and National DSL
  • Decides on immediate response (stop activity, call 999, call parents, etc.)
  • Logs every concern, however minor, in real time

Post-event responsibilities

  • Same-day notification to RSL of any concern or incident
  • 48-hour written incident report to RSL for non-trivial incidents
  • Ensures attendance, registers, and incident logs are submitted to central records
  • For online programmes: ensures saved chat is reviewed within 48 hours and any concern logged

Eligibility

  • Enhanced DBS + Children’s Barred List (where event includes under-18s)
  • Safeguarding Level 2 minimum, refreshed every 2 years
  • Cannot also be the Event Coordinator (the person running the programme content). Separation matters: the ESL needs to be free to step out and handle a concern without breaking the programme.
  • For very small events where one person doubles up unavoidably: that role split must be approved in writing by the RSL on a case-by-case basis, and the ESL function takes priority over coordination if a conflict arises.

Event Coordinator

  • Runs the content, logistics, programme of the event
  • Owns the event budget, venue, schedule, communications
  • Works in tandem with ESL
  • Defers to ESL on safeguarding decisions
  • Not a safeguarding role in itself, but works within the safeguarding plan