Safeguarding Adults Week runs from Monday 17 to Friday 21 November 2025, and this year’s theme – prevention – is particularly relevant for the North Tyneside VCSE.
Why Safeguarding Matters in the Charity Sector
Every organisation that delivers charitable activities has a duty to safeguard volunteers, staff members, participants and donors. This isn’t just about compliance – it’s about creating organisations where everyone feels safe and protected.
The Charity Commission has made clear that safeguarding is important for all charities, not just those working with groups traditionally considered at risk such as children and vulnerable adults. Safeguarding is about protecting everyone – beneficiaries, volunteers and employees, and those with more fleeting links to the charity.
For the voluntary sector in particular, this responsibility carries additional weight. An estimated 14.2 million people in the UK volunteered through a group, club, or organisation at least once in 2021/22 NCVO, and many of these volunteers are working in environments where safeguarding awareness is essential.
The Cost of Getting it Wrong
Safeguarding protects your reputation and builds trust with the public to enable their continued support. High-profile safeguarding failures have shown how quickly public confidence can be lost, with serious consequences for funding and sustainability.
The Charity Commission will hold trustees to account if things go wrong and will check that trustees followed guidance and the law. But beyond regulatory compliance, there’s a moral imperative: abuse, harm and neglect are wrong, and we have a duty to do something about it.
Creating a Culture of Prevention
This year’s Safeguarding Adults Week focuses on prevention rather than just response. This means:
- Building environments where people feel empowered to speak up
- Recognising early warning signs before situations escalate
- Ensuring robust policies are not just written but understood and used by everyone
- Creating a culture where safeguarding is part of everyday practice, not an occasional consideration
Every voluntary sector organisation must have key documents that help it manage safeguarding well, and everyone, no matter what their role, must understand the documents and use them in the day-to-day running of the organisation.
Free Training for North Tyneside Organisations
To support VCSE organisations in strengthening their safeguarding practices, VODA is offering free access to our Elements Introduction to Adult Safeguarding course. This online course provides essential knowledge for trustees, staff and volunteers about:
- Understanding what constitutes abuse and neglect of adults at risk
- Recognising signs that something might not be right
- Knowing how to respond to concerns appropriately
- Creating a culture of safety within your organisation
The course is specifically designed for the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, ensuring the content is relevant and practical for your organisational context.
Access the free course here via the Elements Training Portal
Local Events and Resources
Throughout Safeguarding Adults Week, organisations across the North East are running events to support learning and awareness. RISE North East is hosting two key workshops:
Safeguarding Adults Workshop with Andy’s Man Club Wednesday 19 November, 7:00 – 8:00pm (Online) An opportunity to learn about supporting mental health and preventing suicide in adults, and raising awareness of the challenges around male mental health.
Safeguarding Adults in Sport Workshop Thursday 20 November, 7:00 – 8:30pm at Newcastle Eagles, Vertu Motors Arena Led by local safeguarding adults’ teams, learn about spotting signs of concern and supporting adult members in your clubs and organisations.
For more information and to register, visit www.risenortheast.co.uk
The North Tyneside Safeguarding Adults Board is a partnership between public services in the borough, working together to stop the abuse and neglect of adults with care and support needs. Throughout the week, the Board will be sharing resources and information – find out more at www.ntsab.org
Taking Action
Use this week as an opportunity to:
- Review your organisation’s safeguarding policies – have they been updated in the last year?
- Ensure all trustees, staff and volunteers understand their safeguarding responsibilities
- Check that everyone knows how to raise concerns and that they feel confident doing so
- Consider appointing a safeguarding lead if you don’t already have one
Need Support?
VODA’s Core Services Team can provide advice on developing or strengthening your safeguarding procedures. Whether you’re a small community group just starting out or an established charity reviewing your practices, we’re here to help.
Contact us by telephone on 0191 323 2040 or by email at development@voda.org.uk.
For more information about Safeguarding Adults Week and daily themes throughout the week, visit www.anncrafttrust.org
