Safeguarding Adviser

We are seeking an experienced safeguarding professional to provide one-off advisory support before the launch of a UK-based online educational mentorship programme supporting women in Afghanistan. The programme is being developed by a student volunteer team and will initially provide online educational mentoring to participants aged 18 and over. We are looking for someone with practical safeguarding experience who can review our proposed safeguarding arrangements and help us identify risks or gaps before the programme begins. This is not an ongoing operational safeguarding role. The successful applicant will provide independent professional advice to help the student team establish an appropriate safeguarding framework.

Responsibilities

The Safeguarding Adviser will:

• Review the programme's Safeguarding Policy.
• Review the Mentor Code of Conduct.
• Review the Safeguarding Incident & Disclosure Procedure.
• Review the Afghanistan-Specific Risk Assessment.
• Review the proposed mentor/mentee communication arrangements.
• Identify significant safeguarding risks or gaps.
• Advise on appropriate safeguarding procedures.
• Advise on appropriate volunteer screening and safeguarding training.
• Advise on the proposed 18+ participant policy.
• Consider safeguarding implications of the online platform.
• Identify areas where the organisation should seek specialist legal, data-protection or safeguarding advice.
• Provide practical recommendations to the Programme Lead.
• Participate in one review meeting with the core team.
• Where appropriate, provide brief follow-up clarification on their recommendations.

The adviser will not be responsible for the programme's day-to-day management or for acting as the organisation's ongoing safeguarding caseworker.

Person Specification

We are looking for someone with practical safeguarding experience who can review a small organisation's proposed procedures and provide constructive, proportionate advice.

We particularly value people who can distinguish between genuinely significant safeguarding risks and requirements that would be disproportionate for a small, 18+-only online programme.

The successful applicant should be comfortable working with a student volunteer team and explaining safeguarding concepts clearly to people without professional safeguarding backgrounds.

Essential Criteria

Applicants should have:

• Practical professional experience in safeguarding.
• Experience assessing safeguarding risks or procedures.
• A good understanding of safeguarding responsibilities.
• Experience handling or advising on safeguarding concerns.
• The ability to identify weaknesses in safeguarding arrangements.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to provide practical, constructive recommendations.
• An understanding of professional boundaries and confidentiality.

Desirable Criteria

Experience in one or more of the following would be particularly valuable:

• Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) experience.
• Connection to Afghan communities (giving access to updated information on the current situation)
• Social work.
• Education safeguarding.
• Adult safeguarding.
• Online safeguarding.
• Charity or NGO safeguarding.
• International programmes.
• Humanitarian or refugee support.
• Working with vulnerable adults.
• Data protection and safeguarding.
• Experience working with organisations operating with limited resources.
• Knowledge of the risks faced by women in Afghanistan.