Safeguarding & Under-18s

1. Our commitment

Everyone who learns, teaches or mentors with Elimu Sasa should be safe from harm, exploitation and abuse. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility: learners, instructors, mentors, alumni mentors and staff. This policy explains our standards and how to raise a concern.

2. Safeguarding Lead

Our Safeguarding Lead is the Founder of Elimu Sasa. To raise a safeguarding concern, email info@elimusasa.com with “SAFEGUARDING” in the subject line, or call +254 746 769 560. Safeguarding messages are read by the Safeguarding Lead and handled with priority.

If someone is in immediate danger, contact the police or emergency services first.

3. Applicants under 18

Our application form asks applicants to confirm they are 18 or older. If an applicant tells us they are under 18:

• the ordinary application is not completed, and we do not keep the information they entered;
• we explain that under-18 enrolment needs an approved parent or guardian and safeguarding process; and
• a parent or guardian is invited to contact us to register interest in any future suitable programme.

If we learn that an enrolled learner is under 18, we will pause their enrolment, contact them and, where appropriate, a parent or guardian, and agree a safe next step.

4. Future programmes for 16 and 17 year olds

We may in future offer approved programmes for learners aged 16 and 17. Before any such programme opens, we will put in place:

• verifiable parent or guardian consent where the law requires it;
• an appropriate lawful basis for processing their personal data, and a data protection impact assessment;
• privacy information written for younger learners;
• safeguarding training and checks for the instructors and mentors involved;
• communication controls, so contact happens only through approved, observable channels; and
• stricter controls on recordings, images and testimonials.

5. Parent and guardian involvement

Where a parent or guardian is involved, for example in an enquiry or a future under-18 programme, we will share information with them only as needed and as the law allows, and we will respect the developing independence of older learners.

6. Data minimisation

We collect only the information we need to keep people safe and to run our courses. Safeguarding records are kept confidential, accessed only by those who need them, and stored securely.

7. Communication

• Instructors and mentors communicate with learners through official channels: our learning platform, scheduled sessions, cohort groups and Elimu Sasa email.
• Private one-to-one messaging on personal accounts should be avoided, and is not permitted with any learner under 18.
• Communication must be professional in content, tone and timing.

8. Professional boundaries

Instructors, mentors and alumni mentors must not:

• form romantic or sexual relationships with learners they teach, mentor or assess;
• ask learners for money, gifts, favours or private paid work during a course;
• meet learners privately in person outside approved activities; or
• share learners’ personal information outside what is needed for their role.

Our Instructor, Mentor & Alumni Mentor Code sets out these standards in full.

9. Images, testimonials and recordings

• We use a learner’s image, voice, name or testimonial in marketing only with their separate, recorded permission.
• Recordings of live sessions are for the cohort’s learning and are not used in marketing without separate permission from everyone identifiable.
• Images or testimonials of anyone under 18 will not be used without verifiable parent or guardian consent.

10. Recognising and reporting concerns

Report a concern if you see or hear about:

• harassment, grooming, exploitation or abuse of any kind;
• someone being pressured for money, favours or personal relationships;
• behaviour that crosses professional boundaries; or
• anything else that makes you worried about someone’s safety or wellbeing.

You do not need proof, and you do not need to investigate. Tell the Safeguarding Lead, or use our Report a Concern page. If someone tells you about harm, listen, do not promise to keep it secret, and pass it on promptly.

11. How we respond

We take every concern seriously. We will act to protect anyone at risk, which may include temporarily removing someone from sessions while we look into it. We will handle the matter fairly and with reasonable confidentiality, involve the authorities where the law requires or the risk demands, and record what we did and why. Nobody will be penalised for raising a genuine concern in good faith.

12. Privacy

Safeguarding information is handled in line with our Privacy Notice. We share it only with people who need it to keep someone safe, or where the law requires.