Ellison Scholars Programme Safeguarding Policy
Introduction
- The Ellison Scholars programme (“the Programme”) is an initiative of the Ellison Institute of Technology, Oxford Limited (the “Institute”).
- The Programme will support candidates (“Scholars”) from around the world each year to study at the University of Oxford. In addition to academic study and research, Scholars will work with a Faculty of Fellows and others on projects related to the mission of the Ellison Institute of Technology.
Purpose and application
- The Institute is committed to operating the Ellison Scholars programme in a way that safeguards the health, safety, and wellbeing of all connected with it.
- The purpose of this policy is to describe the safeguarding expectations and arrangements that the Institute applies to the operation of the Programme. It applies to anyone working or engaged in or in connection with the Programme; including staff, consultants, volunteers, any partner organisations and their staff, and any other person who interacts with Scholars as part of the Programme.
- The Scholars will also be students of the University of Oxford and will be members of one of its component colleges. The University and its colleges have their own safeguarding policies. The Institute will co-operate with the University and its colleges on safeguarding matters to a reasonable extent.
Vulnerable groups
- This policy safeguards the following, regardless of whether the individuals are under or over the age of 18:
a. Potential applicants, during any direct interaction with the Programme, such as while attending information sessions held by the Institute.
b. Applicants to the Programme, during any direct interaction with the Programme.
c. Scholars.
d. Alumni Scholars, during any direct interaction with the Programme.
Our beliefs
- The Institute believes that everyone connected with the Programme has the right to engage with the Programme without harm, abuse, or exploitation of any kind.
- The Institute accepts the responsibility to operate the Programme in such a way as to protect those connected with it from harm, abuse, or exploitation of any kind.
- The Institute will listen to, value and respect those connected with the Programme to protect them from harm, abuse, or exploitation of any kind.
Safeguarding concerns
- This policy does not attempt a definition of all types of conduct or situations that may give rise to a safeguarding concern. However, non-exhaustively they may include:
a. Physical hurt or injury;
b. Personal relationships, whether sexual, romantic, or otherwise that are abusive or exploitative. Any relationship where there is a significant imbalance in power or experience between participants in the relationship will be of particular concern, and in some circumstances will be a criminal offence contrary to the Sexual Offences Act 2003;
c. Emotional abuse including inappropriate, harassing, abusive, demeaning, discriminatory or degrading speech or conduct, whether in person or online, including unwelcome sexual or romantic attention;
d. A person being at risk of self-harm or of harming others;
e. A person being in need of medical, counselling, or similar professional services;
f. A person being at risk of radicalisation;
g. Failure to take action to prevent harm, which may itself be a form of harm or abuse.
What we will do
- Awareness: everyone connected with the Programme will be made aware of safeguarding risks and what actions to take if an incident occurs, to a level appropriate to their role or engagement within the Programme. Everyone connected with the Programme is required to act on any safeguarding concerns they may have.
- Assessment: all aspects of the Programme will be regularly assessed for safeguarding risk and appropriate mitigation measures taken and documented. The risk assessments will be retained.
- Recruitment: background checks will be undertaken as part of the Institute’s recruitment processes, to the extent permitted by law, for staff, consultants and volunteers. Checks will be renewed with appropriate regularity.
- Training: safeguarding expectations will be included in staff induction and training. The Safeguarding Officers, and anyone whose role requires them regularly to interact directly with anyone under the age of 18 and / or vulnerable adults, will receive further specific training as appropriate. Training will be revisited with appropriate regularity.
- Reporting: there will be appropriate referral mechanisms for any safeguarding concern. These include:
a. Reporting to the Safeguarding Officers:
i. Marianna Asatryan, Selection Manager, Designated Safeguarding Lead;
ii. Sope Adekola, Scholars Manager, Safeguarding Officer
b. Reporting by email to safeguarding@eit.org
c. Reporting to the Ellison Scholars Programme Director, Dr. Laura Lewis, who can be contacted via email at scholars.director@eit.org, if other reporting avenues are inappropriate, or if a person who has made a report is concerned it may not have been dealt with appropriately.
d. Reporting to the police or other appropriate authorities, if there is a risk of immediate danger.
- Responding: The Institute will promptly investigate and take appropriate action in response to all safeguarding concerns raised with us. Information may be shared with appropriate authorities where that is necessary or desirable. The health, safety and wellbeing of the alleged victim of any safeguarding concern will be prioritised. We will support victims and hold people accountable as appropriate. Appropriate records will be kept of all safeguarding concerns raised with us.
- Consulting: we will regularly engage and consult with those connected with the Programme to improve safeguarding.
- Oversight: the Safeguarding Officers will be overseen by the Ellison Scholars Programme Director, Dr. Laura Lewis.
- Review: This policy will be reviewed at appropriate intervals, initially annually. It will be updated in light of experience operating the policy, stakeholder feedback, and developments in best practice.
Implementation
- The Safeguarding Officers are responsible for securing the implementation of this policy.
- Everyone engaged with the Programme is responsible for being aware of the safeguarding policies relevant to their role, reporting any safeguarding concerns they may have in accordance with this policy, and undertaking any safeguarding training required of them.
Related policies
- This policy forms part of a suite of policies applicable to the Programme which together make up the arrangements whereby the Institute safeguards all connected with the Programme. Those other policies include:
a. Privacy Policy;
b. Selectors Agreement;
c. Applicant Rules;
d. Recruitment Policy;
e. Code of Conduct/Acceptable Behaviour Policy;
f. Acceptable Use of Information Technology/Social Media/Digital Resources Policy;
g. Equality Diversity and Inclusion Policy;
h. Health and Safety Policies;
i. Data Protection Policy;
j. Whistleblowing Policy;
k. Complaints Policy;
l. Disciplinary Procedures.
Adoption and review
This policy was adopted on May 1, 2024.