All participants in the OPEN Program can expect a safe learning environment. Safeguarding is our commitment to preventing harm and protecting (or guarding) safety of every program participant. This page explains how OPEN will provide a safe environment, and how you can report harm, if it occurs.
Safeguarding Protections
The OPEN Program cares about each participant’s safety. The following safeguarding principles protect participants from harm:
· FHI 360 staff, partners (including course instructors), volunteers (including mentors or facilitators) and other participants should never threaten, harass or harm you. You can find some examples and definitions of harmful behaviors in the glossary provided at the end of this page.
· FHI 360 staff, partners (including course instructors), volunteers (including mentors or facilitators), and other participants should never send inappropriate texts, emails, social media posts or any material of a sexual nature. Communication from and on behalf of the OPEN Program should be program related and appropriate for a learning environment.
· FHI 360 staff, partners (including course instructors), volunteers (including mentors or facilitators), and other participants should never ask for money, favors, or sex in exchange for program benefits. The OPEN Program is completely free to all participants and the benefits and expectations of the program are shared openly with participants.
· FHI 360 staff, partners (including course instructors), volunteers (including mentors or facilitators), and other participants should never ask for sex acts in exchange for money. This includes requests made through electronic communication like chat messages, discussion posts, email, SMS messages, etc.
As an online program, OPEN follows specific procedures to protect personal information and safeguard participants. These actions include:
· Requiring all program staff, instructors, and volunteers (including mentors or facilitators) to complete training on how to protect participants' safety and personal information.
· Monitoring discussion boards for any posts or comments that violate safeguarding policies.
· Securely storing your personal information, including your full name and email address.
o Your personal information will only be available to authorized users of our systems.
· Only using your personal information, such as your name and email address, for legitimate purposes related to your participation in the program.
o Your personal email address will not be shared with course instructors, volunteers (including mentors or facilitators), or other participants unless you choose to share it directly. Instructors and participants use the Canvas inbox feature in the learning management system to communicate safely while courses are in session.
o Global and Regional course participants who are eligible to join the OPEN alumni Community of Practice (CoP) may continue to interact safely with other instructors and other participants in the CoP, without sharing personal email addresses.
· Providing information about safeguarding to participants and clearly communicating to participants how they can report safeguarding concerns (see below).
Reporting Safeguarding Violations
If you or any participant experience harm during your participation in the OPEN Program, please tell us. We will always listen to you. There will be no retaliation for making a report or for participating in an investigation. You can report the harm in the following ways:
· Submit a report to FHI 360 through the OPEN Safeguarding Complaint formLinks to an external site.:
o You will provide personal information so you can be contacted about next steps. This report will only be shared with FHI 360 staff who are trained to investigate safeguarding incidents.
· Submit a report anonymously to the FHI 360 Office of Compliance and Internal Audit (OCIA) through this form: https://app.convercent.com/en-us/LandingPage/cdf696bd-4358-e811-80da-000d3ab0d899Links to an external site.
o Please note that anonymous reports are more difficult to investigate due to limited information. If you make an anonymous report, please provide as many details as possible, including identifying people who were involved or who witnessed the conduct, unless it will put witnesses at risk of immediate harm.
Glossary - Examples of Harmful Behaviors
Bully (v.): to hurt or frighten someone else, sometimes forcing them to do something they do not want to do
Exploit (v.): to use someone unfairly for your own advantage or benefit
Harm (v.): physical or mental damage or injury
Humiliate (v.): to make someone ashamed or embarrassed or feel that they are in a lower position, often around others
Insult (v.): To speak to or treat someone with disrespect
Manipulate (v.): to have or use harmful influence over others
Mock (v.): to laugh at someone, often by copying them in an unkind way
Name call (v.): to direct insulting words at an individual or group.
Offend (v.): to cause a person or a group to feel hurt, angry or upset by something said or done
Physical Violence (n.): any act that causes physical harm such as hitting, fighting, pushing, shoving, slapping or throwing objects
Threaten (v.): to say that you will cause trouble, hurt someone, or take another negative action, if you do not get what you want.
Yell (v.): to shout something or make a loud noise, usually when you are angry, in pain or excited.