Child protection policy
safe with young austria
Child protection is our top priority.
The well-being and safety of all participants are at the heart of everything we do. At our ya! camps, we are committed to creating a protected and caring environment where children and teenagers feel safe, respected, and comfortable at all times. For this reason, we have developed our own child protection policy, specifically tailored to our summer camps. In close cooperation with the specialist association Selbstbewusst in Salzburg, we have worked extensively on this topic. Our policy is based on a comprehensive risk analysis, a review of existing safeguarding measures, and a detailed evaluation of our feedback and complaint procedures.
We see child protection as an ongoing responsibility. Therefore, our policy is regularly reviewed and continuously improved. Preventive and intervention measures are constantly evaluated and optimised to ensure the highest possible level of safety for our participants.
The result is a practical, clearly structured child protection policy that serves as a binding framework for all staff members and includes, among others, the following key areas:
APPLICATION PROCESS
From the very first step of the application process, we place great importance on raising our counsellors’ awareness of child protection. All counsellors go through a multi-stage selection process and must have a flawless personal record, which is verified every year by submitting an official criminal record certificate for child and youth welfare.
CODE OF CONDUCT
As part of our child protection policy, we have developed a clear code of conduct for our counsellors, including detailed behavioural guidelines for working with children and teenagers. This code of conduct forms the basis for employment at young austria camps and ensures respectful, responsible, and professional interaction with all participants.
QUALITY ASSURANCE AND TRAINING
All our counsellors complete an intensive, multi-day training seminar before starting their camp placement. Child protection is one of the central focus areas of this training. To ensure high quality standards and continuous awareness, we also offer year-round training opportunities for our staff. In addition, our child protection policy is reviewed and updated annually so that we are always optimally prepared for each new camp season.
Clear Intervention Measures
A core element of our child protection policy is a detailed and clearly structured action plan, which provides our counsellors with precise guidelines on how to respond should any concerns or suspected risks to a child’s well-being arise despite all preventive measures. This action plan was developed in close cooperation with the specialist association Selbstbewusst and is based on officially recognised child protection standards.
Designated Child Protection Officers
To support our counsellors in sensitive situations, we have specially trained Child Protection Officers who are always available as contact persons. Both staff members and camp participants can turn to them at any time with questions, concerns, or worries.
Feedback and Complaint Procedures
To ensure that our camp participants can enjoy a carefree and positive camp experience, we place great importance on children and teenagers feeling comfortable to approach our counsellors at any time. Each child is assigned a personal room counsellor, who supports them with any concerns such as homesickness, discomfort, or worries and serves as a trusted and reliable contact person.
As part of our child protection policy, we have further developed our feedback and complaint system to offer children and teenagers an additional low-threshold and anonymous way to share their concerns. In every camp, there is a “We’re here for you” box with postcards where participants can write down any worries or problems. If they prefer a digital option, QR codes on our child protection posters allow them to contact us online. In addition, we also provide access to external support services that children can turn to whenever needed.
PROTECTION POLICY FOR STAFF
Because the safety and well-being of our staff are just as important to us as those of our participants, we have developed a dedicated protection policy for employees. Our goal is to ensure that all team members feel safe, respected, and supported at all times during their time at camp.
Just like our participants, our counsellors have access to both internal and external contact points where they can turn with any concerns, questions, or difficulties in complete confidence.
Our highest priority is to provide children and teenagers with a safe, welcoming, and caring environment in all Young Austria programmes and accommodations. We want parents to feel confident that their children are in the very best hands with us.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us!
Warm greetings from our young austria camps office,
Your young austria team