Covid-19 health and safety precautions
Introduction
In March 2020, the world changed for everyone and for no one more so than our young people who have experienced an unprecedented disruption to their education and social and emotional development. While schools worked hard to provide their students with an education online, young people have missed out on the softer skill development that time in school usually offers, as well as the social element of learning and enrichment activities. According to the government guidance, as they open schools should consider the provision of pastoral and extra-curricular activities to all pupils designed to:
- support the rebuilding of friendships and social engagement
- address and equip pupils to respond to issues linked to coronavirus (COVID-19)
- support pupils with approaches to improving their physical and mental wellbeing
We are a network of organisations that work in partnership with schools – supporting educators to provide the rich educational experience that enables young people to thrive. Together, we provide a diverse range of opportunities for young people – social action and community work; public speaking; media training; music; maths, engineering and so much more. We are united by wanting to make sure that young people have vibrant opportunities and can fulfill their potential, now more so than ever.
We will work with schools, and within the latest government guidance, to ensure that young people do not miss out on the opportunities we provide. We will update this charter as new guidelines are released.
Current status: In-school interventions pose a similar risk to that of peripatetic staff, who are allowed to move between school sites to deliver interventions (England and Wales).
We want to provide schools with the assurances they need that we will undertake all necessary measures to keep our staff, school staff and young people safe. This charter outlines the precautions we will take and the procedures we will follow while travelling to and working in our partner schools to ensure that our work is carried out safely.
Keeping safe – Covid-19 precautions
Those of us who are signed up to this charter confirm that our staff:
Before working in a school:
- Will liaise with schools in advance of any visit to schools to understand their own measures and policies
- Will adapt our work to meet school policies, e.g. working in smaller groups or amending our workspace and materials
- Will not present for work if they are feeling unwell and will let their organisations know immediately if this is the case
- In this event, will seek a Covid-19 test as soon as possible
While travelling to and from schools:
- Walk, cycle or drive wherever possible
- When it is necessary to use public transport, will wear face masks
- Will use hand sanitizer, before and after each trip on public transport
When at schools:
- Use hand sanitizer on arrival
- Seek a briefing from the contact staff member to ensure we fully understand the school’s Covid-19 prevention policy and mitigation measures
- Always keep at least 2 metres distance from staff and students
- Minimise or stop the use of re-usable resources
- Wash and sanitize hands regularly during time in school
- Will bring their own lunch and/or refreshments
If any of our staff notifies us that they have tested positive or are presenting symptoms, we will contact all schools that they have visited while working for us as soon as possible
We look forward to working with schools this academic year to support them to help our young people not just build back, but build better.
