Unity Institute · Prepared Academy · Youth Pathway

Youth Safeguarding Policy

Effective 29 July 2026 · Version 1.0 · Applies to all participants under 18

The safety, dignity, and wellbeing of every young person in our programs comes before every other consideration. We build young people up to a higher standard — and we protect them while we do it.

1. Purpose & Scope 2. Parental Consent & Involvement 3. Vetting & Screening of Adults 4. Adult Code of Conduct 5. Supervision & Boundaries 6. Communication Boundaries 7. Online & Virtual Sessions 8. Photography & Media Consent 9. Privacy of Minors 10. Handling Disclosures 11. Reporting & Escalation 12. Not Clinical Care 13. Designated Safeguarding Lead

1Purpose & Scope

This Policy sets the standard by which Unity Institute protects participants under the age of 18 across its youth offerings, including Prepared Academy, YouthVision, the Youth Clarity Accelerator, and student-athlete programs. It applies to all staff, facilitators, contractors, volunteers, and expert-network partners who deliver or support any youth program (each, an "Authorized Adult").

Every participant under 18 must be enrolled by a parent or legal guardian, who accepts our Terms of Service and this Policy on the participant's behalf.
Parents/guardians are informed of the program's format, schedule, and the platforms used.
A parent or guardian may request information about their child's participation and may withdraw consent for participation at any time, subject to any program-specific terms.
Consent for participation, communication method, and media use is obtained in writing at enrolment.

3Vetting & Screening of Adults

Every Authorized Adult who works with youth must be screened before they begin. At minimum this includes:

A current criminal record and vulnerable sector check appropriate to the jurisdiction, renewed every 3 years.
Reference checks and confirmation of relevant experience.
A signed acknowledgement of this Policy and the Code of Conduct before any contact with participants.

No adult may be left in a position of trust with youth until screening is complete and on file.

4Adult Code of Conduct

Every Authorized Adult agrees to:

Treat every young person with respect and dignity, and hold high standards without belittling, shaming, or humiliating them.
Never engage in, encourage, or tolerate any form of abuse, harassment, discrimination, bullying, or inappropriate physical contact.
Never be alone with a participant in an unsupervised or unobservable setting, in person or online.
Never form or pursue a personal, romantic, or private relationship with a participant.
Never give gifts, money, or special private attention that could be used to build inappropriate influence.
Never be under the influence of alcohol or non-prescribed substances while responsible for youth.

5Supervision & Boundaries

Youth activities are conducted in observable, supervised settings. Where practical, a two-adult standard applies to live sessions.
One-on-one contact, where genuinely necessary for the program, takes place in an observable setting with parental awareness and, for virtual contact, in a recorded or parent-visible format.
Physical contact, where unavoidable (for example, in athletic instruction), is appropriate, minimal, and in view of others.

6Communication Boundaries

Communication with participants happens through approved program channels only — not personal phone numbers, personal social-media accounts, or private direct messages.
Parents/guardians are copied or have visibility on individual communication with a minor wherever reasonably possible.
Authorized Adults do not solicit or exchange private contact details with participants.

7Online & Virtual Sessions

Virtual youth sessions use approved platforms with appropriate settings (waiting rooms, controlled access, no open public links).
Sessions may be recorded for safeguarding and quality purposes; participants and parents are informed where recording occurs.
Authorized Adults maintain a professional environment and appearance on camera and do not conduct sessions from inappropriate settings.

8Photography & Media Consent

We do not photograph, record, or publish images or footage of a minor for marketing or public use without the prior written consent of a parent or guardian. Consent can be declined or withdrawn. Where a young person is featured with consent, we avoid publishing information that could identify their location or routine.

9Privacy of Minors

Personal information about participants under 18 is collected and handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy, with parental consent and added care. We do not knowingly collect information from a child under 18 without verifiable parental consent, and we limit access to a minor's information to those who need it to deliver the program.

10Handling Disclosures

If a young person discloses that they are being harmed, or an Authorized Adult observes signs of possible harm, the adult will:

Listen calmly, take it seriously, and not promise confidentiality that cannot be kept.
Not investigate, interrogate, or lead the young person — record only what was said, in the young person's own words, as soon as possible.
Report the concern immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

11Reporting & Escalation

Duty to report. In Canada and the United States, any person who has reasonable grounds to believe a child is being abused or is at risk of harm may have a legal duty to report directly to the appropriate child-protection authority or police — a duty that exists regardless of internal process. Where there is a concern that a child is in immediate danger, contact emergency services (911) first.

Internally, all concerns are escalated without delay to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, who is responsible for ensuring the matter is reported to the relevant authorities as required by law in the applicable jurisdiction and that the young person's safety is prioritized. Retaliation against anyone who reports a concern in good faith is prohibited.

12Not Clinical Care

Our youth programs are educational and developmental. They are not therapy, counselling, or medical or mental-health treatment. Where a young person needs support beyond the scope of our programs, we direct the parent or guardian to appropriate licensed professionals or services.

13Designated Safeguarding Lead

Concerns, questions, or reports relating to this Policy should be directed to:
Designated Safeguarding Lead — Unity Institute Inc.
Ian France, CEO
[email protected] · unityinstitute.ca