Reports & policies

Principles and Values

MASK is committed to the following principles and values:

• Democracy, accountability, responsibility and transparency;
• Collaboration and partnership;
• Respect for cultural diversity, co-existence and different forms of knowledge, including traditional and indigenous;
• Respect for the varying conditions in which education systems, artistic practices and markets operate;
• Professionalism and improvement in the quality of services in the pursuit of the best practices;
• Human rights as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including the rights to freedom of creative expression, and anti-discrimination on the basis of gender, language, culture, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religious belief, health, age and disability.

Code of Conduct

Our principle commitments:

1.  All MASK representatives sign up to and abide by MASK's Child Protection Policy. Our policy and representatives ensure that children and young people experience our organisation as  free from any form of exploitation or abuse and that they feel respected and safe. Anyone representing our organisation is expected to adhere at all times (both in their private and professional lives) to the highest standards of behaviour towards children, young people and their families. Wherever there are concerns regarding our representatives, they will be investigated honestly and fairly with due regard to internal disciplinary procedures and national legal procedures.
2. We work without discriminating against any group or individual on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, political opinion, age or other factors. While those working for MASK, or otherwise associated with it, are free to espouse their own political or religious opinions, we affirm that we shall treat with complete fairness and impartiality all those with whom we deal.
3. Our work is not used to further a particular political or religious standpoint.
4. We value and promote the voluntary giving of labour and finances by concerned individuals to support our work.
5. We shall endeavour to respect the culture, structures and customs of the communities and countries within which we work. Where possible, we will work with and seek advice from local NGOs and co-operate with local government structures.
6. Our work should never be imposed upon the beneficiaries.  We involve children, schools, parents and local communities, where possible, in the implementation of our programmes. We act only with the full community support of our programmes.
7. We hold ourselves accountable both to those we assist and those from whom we accept resources. All of our dealings with donors and beneficiaries reflect an attitude of openness and transparency. We recognise the need to report on our activities, both from a financial perspective and governance perspective. We also seek to report, in an open fashion, the impact of our work, and the factors limiting or enhancing that impact. 
8. We always seek to highlight the hopeful and enriching side of people and to demonstrate a cultural and artistic talent.

Child Protection Policy

Introduction

MASK provides public services to children and young people.  This policy addresses issues arising from the risk of abuse of children by others and provides guidance to help MASK staff and volunteers to deal safely with situations where:

1. They are in contact with children not accompanied by an adult;
2. They are required to deal with any situation involving children whether or not accompanied by another responsible person;
3. They are required to deal with abuse, harassment or bullying of a child by another person or group of people.

This policy has been approved and endorsed by the Trustees and is reviewed regularly.

Definitions

Child: Any person under the age of 18.

Staff: Includes any representative of MASK including members, employed workers, volunteers, consultants, contractors and their sub-consultants, sub-contractors.

Policy Statement

1. MASK recognises:

1.1. The paramount importance of the welfare of children and their right to protection from all forms of abuse;

1.2. Its duty of care to children by anyone working on behalf of it.

2. MASK will:

2.1. Ensure that members of staff are carefully selected. Any member of staff employed to work directly with children will be subject to CRB checks;

2.2. Provide training for staff in protection of children;

2.3. Appoint a member of staff or other officer to have responsibility for policy, training and co-ordination of matters relating to protection of children;

2.4. Take all allegations of abusive behaviour/practice in all forms seriously and respond to such allegations quickly;

2.5. Provide a Code of Behaviour (see below) for all staff, identifying some basic dos and don’ts when dealing with children, guidance on management of some typical risk situations and procedures for dealing with events where abuse of children by others is observed or suspected.

Definition of abuse

1 Physical abuse: Actual or likely deliberate physical injury to a child, or wilful neglectful failure to prevent physical injury or suffering to a child.

2 Sexual abuse: Actual or likely sexual exploitation of a child. The involvement of children in sexual activities they do not truly comprehend, and to which they are unable to give informed consent or that violate the social taboos of family roles.

3 Emotional abuse: Actual or likely significant emotional ill treatment, including bullying, and harassment resulting in severe adverse effects on the emotional, physical and/or behavioural development of a child. All abuse involves some emotional ill treatment.

General code of behaviour

1 Trustees, people employed by or otherwise working with MASK should observe the following requirements where children are concerned:

Trustees, staff and volunteers should:

1. Act as positive role models;
2. Recognise a person’s developmental needs, whether a child or adult;
3. Always put the welfare of a child first;
4. Set and monitor appropriate boundaries and relationships when working with children, based on openness, honesty and respect for their personal space;
5. Avoid being over-familiar in word or action;
6. Create and maintain a safe and caring environment that enables children to raise concerns about attitudes or behaviour they do not like;
7. So far as is possible, avoid situations in which you are alone with children or similarly vulnerable people. If necessary, move to a place where you can both be seen by other colleagues or other adults;
8. Challenge activities which are abusive e.g. initiation ceremonies, bullying, including those from a child’s peers;
9. Take action if you have concerns about a child’s welfare, or if you have concerns about the behaviour of an adult towards a child;
10. Support a child making a complaint;
11. If a child is hurt or distressed, do your best to comfort or reassure them without compromising their dignity;
12. Try to avoid any physical contact or behaviour that could be unwelcome or misconstrued;
13. Where physical contact is necessary, ensure it is in direct response to a person’s need. It may be appropriate to hold someone’s hand, to put a comforting arm around their shoulder or support/carry them if they have fallen;
14. Any physical contact with children should respect their age and individual stage of development.

Trustees, staff and volunteers should not:

1. Subject any child to any form of harm or abuse, including calling anyone by derogatory names;
2. Attempt to control someone by slapping or hitting them;
3. Shake a person or hold them in such a way that it causes pain;
4. Physically restrain a person except to protect them from harming themselves or others;
5. Take part in horseplay or rough games;
6. Allow or engage in inappropriate touching of any kind;
7. Do things of a personal nature for children that they can do for themselves or an accompanying adult can do for them;
8. Allow or engage in sexually suggestive behaviour within a child’s sight or hearing, or make suggestive remarks to or within earshot of a child;
9. Give or show to a child anything which could be construed as pornographic;
10. Dismiss an allegation of any sort of abuse relating to a child’s welfare;
11. Delay the reporting of an allegation.

Managing situations

1. Protecting children from hazards or rash behaviour.

1.1 Staff must seek to prevent children (who may find it difficult to assess risk) from coming to harm through their own rash actions. Where an incident arises, judge carefully how to intervene and where possible guide them into a safe course of action;

1.2 If you have to tell them to stop what they’re doing, try to be clear and definite about it;

1.3. Try to avoid being officious or challenging;

1.4. If, despite your efforts, a child persists in jeopardising their own or other people’s safety, get help if you can;

1.5. If they are in serious danger and you cannot persuade them away from it, you should treat this as an emergency and contact the emergency services;

1.6 If you think it is necessary to restrain a child from doing something, start with non-physical approaches. If you do have to use physical restraint, it should be the minimum necessary for their safety. If they are in imminent danger, you might need to hold them by their clothing. Whatever the circumstances, physical restraint must be appropriate and reasonable.

2. If an accident happens

All accidents are to be reported. With children it may be hard to tell whether they have been injured or whether an injury is serious:

1. Where there is any doubt contact a doctor and/or the emergency services.
2. If you think an accident is not being treated seriously enough, get medical assistance on your own initiative if necessary.

3. First Aid to children

Generally the permission of the child’s parent or guardian must be obtained before administering First Aid to a child. A child cannot give consent. Where it is appropriate to administer First Aid:

1. Treatment should only be given by a trained First Aider or Appointed Person;
2. Provided this does not in itself put the child at risk, always try to administer First Aid in the presence of another adult or within sight and sound of other adults;
3. Always tell the child exactly what you are doing and why;
4. Unless it is irrelevant, ask the child if they use medication (e.g. for asthma, diabetes, and epilepsy) or have any allergies. Some children have allergic reactions to stings and sticking-plasters;
5. If you have any doubts about helping someone to use their own medication, contact a doctor.

4. Comforting children:

If a child asks for comfort because of a minor accident or fright, it may be appropriate to hold their hand or put your arm around them. Just make sure:

1. that you know about any injury and do nothing to make it worse;
2. that physical contact is what the child wants, and the kind of contact between you is appropriate to their age and stage of development;
3. Do your best to stay in sight of other adults.

5. Contact with unaccompanied children:

1 Try to avoid situations where you are alone with children, especially anywhere you are unlikely to be seen or heard. This is as much to protect yourself from suspicion as to protect the child.

2 If you can’t avoid being alone with a child, you should take prudent precautions:

2.1. Try to move with the child to a place where there are other people;

2.2. Comfort and re-assure them without compromising their dignity or privacy;

2.3. Avoid unnecessary physical contact. If you do have to touch the child, make sure to get their agreement beforehand, and try not to be over-familiar;

2.4. See also General Codes of Behaviour ‘Shoulds’ and ‘Should nots’ at point 4 above;

2.5. If an unaccompanied child needs to be taken to the toilet for any reason, try to make sure that a second adult comes with you and that at no time are you alone with the child.

6. Protecting children:

If you witness or suspect abusive behaviour towards a child, use the following guidelines. If you suspect a child is at risk:

1. Record the facts, as you know them.
2. Report to a senior manager.
3. Do not make any investigations yourself.

If someone is being violent to a child:

1. If you come across someone hitting, hurting, violently shouting at, or otherwise bullying a child, you should try to prevent the abuse, if you can do so without unreasonable risk to the child or yourself.  Never use or threaten physical force as this could inflame the situation and result in further violence.
2. Summoning help: If you are unable to stop the abuse, contact other colleagues and a senior manager for support.
3. If you are worried about any incident, you should record the details and report it to the Chairman of the Trustees.
4. The same principles apply if you see someone behaving suspiciously towards children.

If you receive an allegation of abuse:

1. If you discover an incident of abuse or receive an allegation of abuse, report your suspicions or the detail of the allegation to the senior person responsible for the site on that day and act on their instructions.
2. Do not make your own further investigations.

If a disclosure or allegation is being made to you:

1. Stay calm, listen to what they say without prejudice and accept what they say without judgement.
2. Tell them at the earliest opportunity that you cannot guarantee confidentiality. Explain what this means and ensure they understand this.
3. Record what you are being told as the person tells it.
4. Check your understanding of the situation as needed and use only open questions when it is necessary to ask a question – e.g. please tell me what happened?
5. Alert a senior colleague at the earliest opportunity.
6. Consider what steps might be necessary to ensure the individual's safety.
7. Don’t let anxiety that you might have jumped to a wrong conclusion deter you from reporting any genuine worries that you have.

The decision whether or not to contact the appropriate outside agencies, will be taken by the senior manager:

If you suspect a colleague:

1. You may be the first to recognise that something is wrong but may not feel able to express your concern out of a feeling that this would be disloyal to colleagues or you may fear harassment or victimisation.
2. Such feelings, however must never result in a child continuing to be unnecessarily at risk. Remember it is often the most vulnerable children who are targeted. These people need someone like you to safeguard their welfare.
3. Don’t think ‘what if I am wrong?’ – think ‘what if I am right?’
4. You should voice your concerns, suspicions or uneasiness as soon as you feel you can. The earlier a concern is expressed the easier and sooner it is possible for action to be taken.
5. Try to pinpoint what practice is concerning you and why, you will need to demonstrate sufficient grounds for the concern.
6. Approach someone you trust and who you believe will respond.
7. Make sure you get a satisfactory response – don’t let matters rest.
8. Discuss your concerns with the senior manager or a Trustee.

If an allegation of abuse is made against you

1. Advise a senior manager and the Chairman of Trustees, even if you think it is trivial.
2. If we receive an allegation against you, we will inform you as soon as possible.
3. As soon as you become aware of an allegation, make notes of all your actions/contacts with the child in question.
4. Ensure you are no longer working with the person making the allegation.
5. Any allegation will be thoroughly investigated, with due regard for confidentiality. All allegations of misconduct will be subject to standard disciplinary procedures.
6. If your behaviour is found to contravene this policy and guidelines, it will be treated as gross misconduct.
7. If you have concerns about how an allegation against yourself or anyone else is being dealt with, you should inform a colleague at the most senior level you think appropriate.

Confidentiality

Any information about alleged or actual child abuse will only be disclosed where it is in best interests of the child to do so. Furthermore, we have a responsibility to protect the identity of anyone reporting suspected or actual abuse. No such disclosure will be made without careful consultation at senior management level.

MASK Create (MASK) is a UK-registered charitable company (company number 06484985; charity number 1128734). MASK believes in the power of creativity education, and relies on the generosity and time of donors, supporters and volunteers to help us create a brighter future for our young people.

What this policy tells you

As part of our work, it is often necessary to collect data from supporters, volunteers, donors, and beneficiaries. The purpose of this policy is to clearly outline the data that MASK collects, and explain how we use, manage and protect your data. MASK is committed to informing its members, donors, beneficiaries, employees and visitors about the type of personal information that it collects. Personal information is any information that can be used to identify a living person.

MASK is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (reference number ZA936813). If you would like more information about how MASK uses your data, or would like to change the way MASK communicates with you, you can contact us in any of the following ways:

Our contact details

E-mail: contact@maskcreate.org

The type of personal information MASK collects

When you get in touch, MASK may collect some personal data from you. Depending on how you get in touch, MASK will collect data in person, over the phone, online through our website and email, or on paper. MASK may collect data if you sign up to receive news, emails or calls from us, make a donation, or simply ask more about our work.

MASK currently collects and processes the following information:

• Personal identifiers, contacts and characteristics (for example, name, age, address, location data and contact details).
• Employee, volunteer and trustee due diligence background data and DBS checks, employment information, ID numbers and financial information (for example, bank details for payment).
• Information about the nature of your enquiry to help us understand what people find interesting about MASK’s projects, or where we can develop in future.
• In specific situations, with your consent, MASK may ask for sensitive data such as ethnicity or health-related information. The purpose of this information will be disclosed when MASK asks for your consent.

How MASK obtains and uses personal information

Most of the personal information MASK processes is provided to us directly by phone, email, or through our website. MASK collects your data so we can process your participation in our programmes, complete your job application, process your donation, communicate with you about our work, or deal with any other request.

Some examples of how MASK might use your data are:

• When MASK would like to contact you by email or telephone to become involved with our work.
• When you apply for a position as trustee, supporter or a volunteer - to understand your background, how to contact you, and to complete necessary background and due diligence checks.
• When you are a potential beneficiary or want to become involved in a MASK programme - to ensure you are eligible, to help choose the best programme and opportunity, and to help us improve MASK’s offering.
• When you support MASK through a donation - to process your donation and thank you appropriately.
• When MASK would like to send you a regular newsletter or email communication about our new projects, events or campaigns.
• When recording the contact and discussions we have had with you - to make sure that we have given you all the information you need and engaged with you in the most appropriate way.

Lawful basis for processing information

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the lawful bases we will rely on for processing this information are:

• Because you have given consent (You can remove your consent at any time by contacting MASK in writing).
• Because we have a contractual obligation to do so.
• Because we have a legal obligation to do so.
• Because we have a legitimate interest.

How MASK keeps your information safe

MASK takes the protection of your personal data seriously. Our volunteers, staff and trustees are briefed on the importance of data protection and data management practices and have agreed to MASK’s confidentiality and data protection policies. MASK’s digital information storage is protected through a range of measures including password protection, secure servers and firewalls.

For how long MASK keeps your information

MASK will keep your personal data for as long as you have an active engagement with us. If you ask to be removed from our mailing list, MASK will only keep the necessary information to ensure we don’t contact you with marketing in the future.     

We may also be required to retain some of your information for auditing purposes, or if you have previously agreed to Gift Aid your donations. In these instances, we may need to retain your data for up to six years.

How to opt out of future communications

MASK will give you an explanation of how you can opt out of communications every time we contact you. Alternatively, you can contact MASK directly and a member will ensure that you are removed from our marketing communications list as soon as possible.

Will MASK share my data outside of the UK

MASK won’t share your information outside of the UK.

How does MASK use my information if i apply for a volunteer, employee or trustee position

MASK will only use the data that you give us as part of your individual recruitment process, and only if it is directly related to your recruitment for a position with us. MASK will keep this data for a maximum period of six months and will then delete or archive it. Your personal data will be held securely on our password-protected systems and will only be accessible to those who need it – i.e. those involved in the recruitment and onboarding process.

How to access the personal data that MASK holds

You can contact MASK at any time to request a report on the data that we hold on you. We will aim to respond to this request within 30 days.

Changes to our Privacy Notice

MASK may change this Privacy Notice from time to time to keep up with changes in our work, in our membership and roles, and with changes in law. You are encouraged to check the Privacy Notice on our website regularly to make sure that you remain happy with the policy. MASK reserves the right to contact its database of members, volunteers and supporters if we make any major changes to this notice or our data protection policy.

Your data protection rights

Under GDPR, you have rights including:

• Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.

• Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.

• Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances. If this personal information is connected to any award, publication or display, or is otherwise necessary for any service offered by MASK, you may lose your IP rights if you request that this information is erased. If you have already consented to your personal data (such as name or contact details) being published alongside an award or other news item, and then choose to request the erasure of your personal data, MASK will take all reasonable steps to remove your details from digital and print sources.

• Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

• Your right to object to processing - You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

• Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, MASK will respond to you within one month. Please contact us if you wish to make a request or if you have any concerns about our use of your personal information.