Hartlepool College continue to lead the way with Prevent and Safeguarding

A new approach to helping organisations understand and improve safeguarding techniques has been launched by Hartlepool College of Further Education. Following the success of a first Safeguarding & Prevent Seminar delivered in line with the Government’s Prevent strategy, Hartlepool College will now work with more local and regional employers in that area.

More than 20 organisations attended the first employers’ seminar following the College’s decision to build on the success of its major counter-terrorism seminar, that was held in November when education centres from all over the country were welcomed to Hartlepool.

Gary Riches, Assistant Principal, said: “We want to help employers know their duties for safeguarding, and know what to look out for in line with the Prevent strategy. “If employers see a learner, an apprentice or one of their employees acting differently or suspiciously then that should be a red flag. We want those employers to know what they are looking out for, to highlight the key information needed in coping with the regional threat and risk. Not everyone has the policing in place that we have at the College and that is why we think it is important to help.”

Ronnie Bage, the College’s Education Welfare Officer and Prevent lead, is working closely with other colleges and employers to pass on messages of good practice in an area Hartlepool College does well. Ronnie is also supporting the College’s employer-partners by helping them to create and implement the correct policies and procedures needed for safeguarding and prevent.

Police sergeant Peter Lucas, of the National Project Servator Team, contributed to the first seminar by video link. He said: “It is important to engage with businesses to educate them on the threats they may face and what they can do about them.
We believe the See, Check and Notify (SCaN) training programme is the future of security awareness. It can be the difference between an organisation being considered a target for hostile activity, or it being perceived as too difficult.
“Events like this give us a chance to share our expert knowledge with businesses and highlight how SCaN training can help make workplaces safer.”

If Hartlepool College and other education centres can work well with employers then it is believed that it will help to keep students and the community safe. Chris Sybenga, the Department of Education’s Prevent Coordinator, said: “Prevent is about safeguarding individuals from the risk of radicalisation. “As the regional Prevent Coordinator. I am delighted to work with Hartlepool College and their partners to safeguard staff/students and our communities.”

Under the leadership of Principal Darren Hankey, Hartlepool College has become a leading light nationally in safeguarding and Prevent.

The date for the next seminar will be posted on the College’s website and across all of their social media platforms with a link to attend.  The College will be delivering this four times a year.