Reporting a Safeguarding Concern
If you suspect that any rebel that is volunteering for any activity in your circle, or that you are working with as part of your role in XRUK is at risk of harm or is the victim of abuse then you must report that as soon as possible. The immediate point of contact for the XRUK Safeguarding Lead is to email safeguarding@extinctionrebellion.uk. You should receive confirmation within 24 hours that your concern has been received.
If someone is at immediate risk of harm, then you should call 999 if there is immediate danger, or 101 for non-urgent assistance and then report it to the XRUK Safeguarding Lead at safeguarding@extinctionrebellion.uk. While many people in our movement have a complex relationship with law enforcement, there are some matters where it is essential to involve them. Extinction Rebellion cannot conduct criminal investigations or ensure that other appropriate agencies are involved.
See the next section for responding to a safeguarding concern.
If a member of your circle or team has any safeguarding questions or concerns they should contact safeguarding@Extinctionrebellion.uk. All volunteers and coordinators in XRUK have a responsibility to escalate concerns via this process. Members of the public and allies may also report safeguarding concerns or complaints by emailing safeguarding@Extinctionrebellion.uk.
Anyone reporting concerns or complaints will be protected as a Whistleblower. Confidentiality of a Whistleblower will be protected and only shared with individuals who require that information in order to be able to enact this policy. Reports can be made anonymously, but it is likely to help the Safeguarding Lead if they are able to ask relevant follow-up questions.
Relevant Teams
Identifying teams that regularly engage with the public, where it is essential that they receive regular training on safeguarding. This must take place at least once a year in order to be able to continue to volunteer with that team. Examples below:
- Action Support
- Allies
- Outreach
- Pathways
This list can be added to, and should be included in review to ensure it remains up to date. These teams should have their own policy/include on their onboarding to ensure organisational memory is passed on as volunteers change.
Decentralisation
XRUK’s decentralised structure creates challenges for consistency, accountability, and oversight. It may also create gaps that could be exploited if safeguarding expectations are not clear and connected across the movement. A joined-up safeguarding process is therefore necessary to protect everyone who takes action in the name of XRUK.
It is requested that everyone reports any concerns they have or are disclosed to them to safeguarding@extinctionrebellion.uk so that the Safeguarding Lead can ensure that cross-circle follow up is carried out as required. However if you are in a local group it is also vital that any rebels with concerns should take these to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for their area. Full details of how to find out who this is can be found on Rebel Toolkit. As above, if you suspect someone may be at risk of immediate harm you should ring 999.
If you are based outside the UK then you should look to the relevant process in your area, as well as your local Extinction Rebellion group.