As part of our Respecting Differences strategy, we’ve developed a set of principles that guide us in ensuring a diverse and inclusive environment for our learners and staff alike.

• Strive to be as representative as possible in terms of staff and learners: reflecting the increasing diversity of the areas in which we operate.
• Continue to encourage staff and learners to challenge stereotyping and discriminatory practices, within our campuses and in the workplace.
• Staff continue to receive the latest national best practice and training on equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Ensure the employers we work with demonstrate a genuine culture of inclusion and equality of opportunity.
• Further promotion of our zero-tolerance approach towards hate incidents and hate crime.
• Improve our performance in ensuring learner-facing policies and procedures are subject to effective equality analysis.
• Staff and learners representing all protected characteristics are encouraged to become involved in shaping our services.
• Increase awareness of diversity-related safeguarding issues including extremism and radicalisation, child grooming and modern slavery.
• Develop working relations with more ‘third sector’ agencies representing and supporting diverse communities and groups.
• Ensure diversity or difference does not impact on learner’s personal development, behaviour and welfare.

We take our responsibility to Safeguard and promote the welfare of all learners seriously. We work together with other agencies – such as the Local Safeguarding Children Board – to ensure adequate arrangements within HTP to support those Young People and Vulnerable Adults who are at risk of harm.

At HTP there is no place for extremist views of any kind whether from internal sources – learners or staff, or external sources – employers, parents, external agencies or individuals.

Our centres are a safe place where learners can explore controversial issues safely and where Training Consultants encourage and facilitate this. Our Preventing Extremism and Radicalisation Policy has been developed in line with the Government’s Prevent Strategy, Counter-Terrorism and Security Act which is designed to support people at risk of joining extremist groups in carrying out activities linked to terrorism.

We recognise that all members of staff have a full and active part to play in protecting our learners from harm, and that the learner’s welfare is our paramount concern.

All HTP Apprenticeship College staff have a duty to provide a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment that promotes the social, physical and moral development of the individual learner. We support the learner’s development in ways that will foster security, confidence and independence.

We will:

• Provide an environment in which learners, young people and vulnerable adults feel safe, secure, valued and respected, and feel confident, and know how to, approach a member of HTP Apprenticeship College staff if they are in difficulties and ensure they will be effectively listened to.
• Raise the awareness of all staff of the need to safeguard Young People and Vulnerable Adults and of their responsibilities in identifying and reporting possible cases of abuse.
• Provide a systematic means of monitoring learners known or thought to be at risk of harm.
  Emphasise the need for effective levels of communication between all members of staff.
• Ensure staff follow the structured procedure in cases of suspected abuse.
• Develop and promote effective working relationships with other agencies, especially the Police and Social Care.
• Ensure that all staff within HTP Apprenticeship College have been checked as to their suitability to work with Young People and Vulnerable Adults
• Learners on programme with HTP Apprenticeship College should contact their Training Consultant who will refer any concerns to one of HTP’s Designated Persons.

If you have any urgent Safeguarding concerns or issues relating to yourself or anyone else at HTP Apprenticeship College, please contact one of our Designated Safeguarding Officers: Nicki Neville (01983 824930), Peter Johnson (02392 374752) or Lisa Pilbeam (01983 533926).

We take the e-safety of our learners seriously.

We will:

• ensure you understand how we will act in relation to your e-safety.
• provide advice and guidance for using social media safely.
• provide you with access to a qualified safeguarding officer.
• teach e-safety knowledge & understanding and ensure that you have a growing understanding of how to manage the risks involved in online activity.
• provide resources and activities to help support and develop your knowledge and understanding of e-safety.
• ensure you know what to do if you are worried or concerned about e-safety.
• build your online resilience.
• offer guidance to help protect you from the threat of extremist and ideological views and materials online.
• continually review and update our e-safety policies and procedures to meet legal requirements and to ensure preventative measures are in place to protect you.

Some useful external resources:

UK Safer Internet Centre

Get Safe Online

Isle of Wight Safeguarding Children’s Board

Portsmouth Safeguarding Children’s Board

Southampton Local Safeguarding Children’s Board

Hampshire Safeguarding Children’s Board

If you have any urgent Safeguarding concerns or issues relating to yourself or anyone else at HTP Apprenticeship College, please contact one of our designated Safeguarding Officers: Nicki Neville (01983 824930), Peter Johnson (02392 374752), Di Kennett (01983 533926) or Lisa Pilbeam (01983 533926)