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Keeping Spots Safe

As a core part of our Dream Spot Model, we promote the safety, health and well-being of everyone involved in EduSpots, with a particular focus on learners and Catalysts, and engaging parents and the wider community in this process.

To remain in the EduSpots network, Spot Catalyst teams must do the following, supporting with Keeping Spots Safe resource kits and session plans with guidance notes.

  • All Catalysts and headteachers at the Spot should have engaged in Keeping Spots Safe training centrally and locally and understand our safeguarding policy.
  • Catalysts (ideally the Keeping Spots Safe Lead) hold sessions with all learners at the Spot, using the provided resources.
  • Project Leaders create a locally designed community engagement event to build wider awareness of child safeguarding and protection.
  • All the Keeping Spots Safe posters should be displayed at Spots.
  • Project Leaders complete EduSpots child safeguarding and protection quiz via phone call, with further check on understanding & action on Spot visits.

Sessions with learners 

This video gives you a window into our work with learners, with a training session for Catalysts on facilitating the Keeping Spots Safe session we designed for learners.

Community engagement on Keeping Spots Safe themes 

We also support Catalysts in leading community engagement themes.

Alongside a handbook guide with guidance in relation to planning, engagement, themes to explore, and follow up, we have devices a set of visual resources to promote open discussion.

A sample of the images (they are a pack of 40) are shown below.

 

  • Reduced use of corporal punishment in schools. “There has been a shift from physical punishment to more constructive disciplinary methods.” (Expectation State, 2025) A respondent shared, “We have reduced the use of excessive punishment to correct them and have also developed better and healthier relationships with their teachers than before.”

  • Parents report adopting more positive disciplinary practices. One community member shared, “I used to shout and yell at my children when they did something wrong, but I now speak to them in love when they make mistakes.”

  • Increased community engagement in the project: A Catalyst from Sakasaka reported: “The chief visits the Spot every two weeks to monitor it continually. Community members have taken ownership of the project.”  A community leader in another Spot stated: “EduSpots has brought together people from all occupations in our community. It’s beautiful to see students, teachers, parents, and local leaders working together towards a common goal”.

  • Girls and women have increased confidence: A Catalyst commented “Looking at where I’m coming from, like a girl, it’s not easy for a lady to come out and talk. People always look down upon us ladies, telling us we can’t talk during family meetings or say anything. But now, I will speak and say what I want.” Another Catalyst noted the transformative impact: “These girls were vulnerable but became people who could stand up for themselves.”

  • Students are able to speak up, understand their rights, and voice concerns: A Catalyst noted, “Most students are now confident when speaking in public, using their voices when necessary and participating in advocacy campaigns to fight for their rights and the rights of vulnerable groups.”

  • Spreading a culture of inclusion: A Catalyst noted: “We don’t discriminate against who can access this Spot. All people from all occupations come here. Our community is diverse, like a Zongo community. When we come here, we look beyond our differences and see what we have in common.” Survey data indicated a 52% increase in Catalysts’ self-reported empathy and cultural sensitivity scores.

  • Increased engagement in education: Sixty-eight per cent of parents reported being more engaged in their children’s learning, compared to 30% at the programme’s start.

  • Improved understanding of reporting processes: Continuous training and education have helped stakeholders, particularly learners, understand and report violations of their rights as reported by community leaders. Enumerators were informed that efforts have also been made to communicate these principles to parents, ensuring a collaborative and practical approach to safeguarding. With most community leaders confirming the effective implementation of the safeguarding principles, one leader expressed that: “We communicate the safeguarding principles even to parents.”