Child Protection Policy

Background of the Organisation

Just.Play Foundation is a dynamic Sports for Development non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering youth through sports, particularly in underserved communities. Our mission is to harness the transformative power of sports to instil essential life skills and foster holistic development among young individuals. Established with a vision to create inclusive and supportive environments, Just.Play offers a range of programmes that transcend mere athletic training, emphasising values like teamwork, resilience, and leadership.

At Just.Play, we believe in the inherent potential of every child, irrespective of their background or circumstances. Through our initiatives, we aim to break down barriers, promote gender equality, and nurture young changemakers who can positively impact their communities.

Policy Statement

The broad objective of this policy is to set minimum standards and procedures on child protection that seek to ensure that session coordinators and visitors to the programme maintain a safe environment for beneficiaries. Specifically, the policy seeks to protect beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation by encouraging good practice among team members and preventing behaviour that may be abusive to beneficiaries.

Definitions

• Child — Any person, of any gender, below the age of 18, as evidenced by a relevant birth certificate, or in cases where a birth certificate is not available, medically ascertained by competent authorities, who has or is undergoing training in Just.Play’s Sports for Development programmes at any of its locations.
• Session — A period starting from the time beneficiaries are brought to the playground from their respective location by their respective teachers or coordinators, till they are put into a line to disperse with their teachers or coordinators. A Just.Play session generally lasts for an hour.
• Session Facilitator — Any individual designated by Just.Play to lead, guide, and oversee the activities and discussions during a session conducted as part of the Just.Play programme. The Session Facilitator is responsible for ensuring the smooth execution of the session, fostering a safe and inclusive environment for beneficiaries, and facilitating meaningful engagement and learning experiences.
• Visitor — Any person who has signed the prescribed undertaking attached to this policy and is escorted by a team member, visiting any location(s) where sports and/or outdoor activities are conducted.
• Protection Issues — In the context of Just.Play’s activities, an indicative list of child protection issues includes: gender discrimination, religious/caste discrimination, physical, emotional or psychological harassment, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, and corporal punishment. Just.Play recognises that beneficiaries have the right to be protected both from the violation of their rights by adults, as well as by older or other beneficiaries.
• Corporal Punishment — The use of physical force with the intention of causing a child pain, not for the purpose of injury but for correction.

Purpose of the Policy

As an organisation working with hundreds of beneficiaries on a daily basis, team members come in contact with beneficiaries through their work. It is important that Just.Play puts in place mechanisms to protect beneficiaries, team members, and the organisation itself.

Since its inception in 2020, the organisation has been rapidly increasing its strength by reaching out to more beneficiaries while providing quality programmes. In this process, the number of team members has also grown significantly. Due to its work culture and commitment towards the overall development of beneficiaries, it is important to make everyone associated with the organisation accountable to promote child safety. It is both a moral and a legal responsibility for Just.Play. This policy seeks to create an organisation-wide culture of awareness by promoting and upholding principles of transparency and accountability on matters of child protection.

Safety Norms for Just.Play Sessions

• Prior to the delivery of a session, if the coordinator and/or visitor spots an area physically unsafe for beneficiaries to play, they must communicate this to the beneficiaries and ensure their physical safety during the session.
• A First Aid box must be kept handy with the team at all sessions.
• An incident/accident is understood as an event that occurs during a Just.Play session in which a child is harmed (whether intentionally or unintentionally) that exceeds the capacity of the first aid resources available with the programme team.
• In case of accidents, the child must be given appropriate first aid.
• If the accident requires further medical support, the partner location coordinator and the child’s local guardian/parent must be informed immediately, and the child taken to a nearby hospital/doctor.
• Information of any such accident/incident must immediately be communicated by the person(s) conducting the session to the Project Manager/Project Coordinator, who will advise on the further course of action.
• As a rule, First Aid must be administered to a child by staff of the same gender, unless not possible due to exceptional circumstances — in which case it must be administered in the presence of at least two adult witnesses.

Guidelines for Coordinators and Visitors

The principle behind this code of conduct is that staff, facilitators, and visitors should avoid actions or behaviour which may constitute poor practice or potentially abusive behaviour.

DOs

• Be alert and support the Just.Play team to protect beneficiaries from any physical, emotional, or sexual injury or harm.
• Be a good role model — do not smoke, drink alcohol, take drugs, or consume paan/gutkha/misri in the presence of beneficiaries.
• Respect the surroundings — littering, spitting, or defacing plants or the physical environment in any way is against the Just.Play ethic.
• Be warm, friendly, and caring towards beneficiaries.
• Adhere to time schedules.
• Wear clothing and shoes appropriate for sports and outdoor activities and the culture of the community.
• Treat all beneficiaries equally, with respect and dignity.
• Be sensitive to the issues of beneficiaries who are especially vulnerable in given contexts — for instance, the girl child, beneficiaries with disabilities, or beneficiaries from backward socioeconomic groups.
• Recognise the developmental needs and capacity of young people and disabled adults — avoiding excessive training or competition, and not pushing them against their will.
• Maintain a safe and appropriate distance with beneficiaries.
• Be aware of situations which may present risks, and manage these.
• Plan and organise sessions and the play space so as to minimise risks.
• Ensure a culture of openness exists to enable any issues or concerns to be raised and discussed.
• Ensure a sense of accountability exists between adults — team members and visitors — so that poor practice or potentially abusive behaviour does not go unchallenged.
• Talk to beneficiaries about their association with the team or others visiting sessions, and encourage them to raise any concerns.
• Empower beneficiaries — discuss with them their rights, what is acceptable and unacceptable, and what they can do if there is a problem.
• Be aware that beneficiaries are watching and learning from you, and may emulate the behaviour you display.

DON’Ts

• Carry any separate snacks or refreshments for yourself during sessions, unless advised by a doctor and with the full knowledge of the organisation’s management team.
• Take photographs of beneficiaries during a session without prior permission.
• Counsel beneficiaries on a one-on-one basis unless authorised by Just.Play or the concerned partner organisation to do so.
• Conduct any games or sports activities with beneficiaries unless authorised by Just.Play to do so.
• Make promises you cannot keep.
• Give your phone number, email address, or postal address to beneficiaries, or take theirs. Your contact point with beneficiaries is Just.Play.
• Use foul language, inappropriate words, tease, ridicule, or humiliate beneficiaries.
• Bully or harass any child.
• Punish beneficiaries — always report problems and issues to the coordinator/in-charge.
• Hit, physically assault, or physically abuse beneficiaries.
• Develop physical or sexual relationships with beneficiaries, or relationships which could in any way be deemed exploitative or abusive.
• Act in ways that may be abusive or may place a child at risk of abuse.
• Use language, make suggestions, or offer advice which is inappropriate, offensive, or abusive.
• Behave physically in a manner which is inappropriate or sexually provocative.
• Act in ways intended to shame, humiliate, belittle, or degrade beneficiaries, or otherwise perpetrate any form of emotional abuse.
• Discriminate against, show differential treatment towards, or favour particular beneficiaries to the exclusion of others.
• Ask personal questions to any beneficiary.
• Give or take gifts, large or small, to or from any beneficiary.
• Use sessions for photo opportunities.
• Hug children before, during, or after a session.

This is not an exhaustive or exclusive list.

AVOID

The following should be avoided except in emergencies. Where unavoidable (for example, a child sustains an injury and needs to go to hospital), ensure that action is taken only with the full knowledge and consent of the person in charge.

• Spending excessive amounts of time alone with beneficiaries, away from others.
• Taking beneficiaries to or from an event, session, or home in one’s own vehicle, unless absolutely required.

NEVER

Under no circumstances does Just.Play sanction the following:

• Rough physical or sexually provocative games.
• Any form of inappropriate touching.
• The use of inappropriate language.
• Shouting at a child.
• Sexually suggestive comments made to a child, even in fun.
• Reducing a child to tears as a form of control.
• Doing things of a personal nature for beneficiaries or disabled adults that they can do for themselves.
• Inviting or allowing beneficiaries to stay with you at your home.

Undertaking

Every session facilitator and visitor to a Just.Play session signs a written undertaking confirming they have read and understood this Child Protection Policy, and agree to abide by its principles and directives in all their interactions and engagements within the Just.Play programme, before their first engagement with our beneficiaries.