Being part of Waymakers: our shared agreement
At Waymakers CIC, we’re building a community of mutual support, trust and curiosity. We ask that all facilitators, volunteers, parents and participants are prepared to share in our commitment to the values and safety principles as outlined in this document.
Our guiding values
Support us in upholding the guiding values of Waymakers. This includes:
Honouring our own and others’ needs and boundaries
Encouraging autonomy and curiosity in a collaborative environment and providing structure where it's wanted
Being aware of what we and others need to communicate well
Supporting each other through mistakes and growth
Modelling consensual agreement
By consensual agreement, we mean making space for people to express what they are comfortable with and respecting what they communicate. This includes everyday choices about participation, activities, personal space and physical contact. We recognise that people can change their minds, and that consent can be withdrawn at any time.
We encourage children and adults to notice and communicate their own boundaries and to respect the boundaries communicated by others. Silence, uncertainty or difficulty communicating should not be assumed to mean agreement.
Adults have additional responsibilities for safeguarding children and young people. Where there is a safety or safeguarding concern, an adult may need to intervene even when this is not what a child or young person would choose.
Safeguarding and Supervision
Parents, unless otherwise agreed, please make yourselves known to facilitators at drop off and pick up and share on the WhatsApp group if their child is going to be absent.
When children attend a session without their parent or carer present, Waymakers takes responsibility for their supervision and safety for the duration of the session.
Staffing and supervision arrangements are planned according to the number and ages of participants, the activity, the environment and any individual needs or risks. We ensure that appropriately trained and safeguarding-checked adults are present and that there is appropriate oversight and support for the children and young people attending.
Participants may sometimes be in a small group with one lead facilitator. Where this happens, our staffing and safeguarding arrangements are designed to ensure that facilitators are appropriately supported and that children are not placed in situations that create an avoidable safeguarding risk.
We will offer flexibility on the presence of parents at sessions in response to individual needs, but generally drop-off sessions are intended for children who feel ready for and want that type of setting.
We follow safer working practices and ensure that our team are appropriately DBS-checked and trained in safeguarding.
Any parents working directly with children, either voluntarily or in a paid capacity, will be appropriately supported and, where required, trained and checked for the role they are undertaking. For less formal involvement, e.g. temporary settling in for Tinker Lab, parents are still asked to be aware of this shared agreement and relevant guidance on parent involvement.
If a safeguarding concern arises, this will be dealt with in accordance with our Safeguarding Policy. Safeguarding concerns should be raised directly with a Waymakers safeguarding lead rather than through the WhatsApp group.
In the event that a session has to be cancelled at short notice, e.g. due to facilitator sickness, this will be communicated by WhatsApp in the first instance, so please ensure you are part of the relevant groups in the Waymakers WhatsApp community. Please 'thumbs up' to indicate you have seen the message.
In Case of Emergency
In the event of a fire, accident, medical emergency or evacuation, parents and young people will follow facilitator instructions to ensure everyone's safety.
Facilitators will ensure they are aware of the locations of fire exits, meeting points and first aid supplies, keep track of headcounts, and delegate appropriate checks, such as checking toilets, in the event of an evacuation.
Parents onsite, whether as formal volunteers or accompanying their children, may be asked to assist in an emergency situation.
Where necessary, Waymakers may contact the emergency services and take immediate action to protect a child or another person. Parents or carers will be informed as soon as it is appropriate to do so.
We regularly signpost and discuss our procedures so that all members of our community know what to do if something unexpected happens.
Arrivals
Our sessions work best when we balance individual needs with those of the wider group. Just as too much structure can be restrictive, too little can make it harder for young people to feel secure, connected and ready to participate. We aim to strike this balance flexibly, recognising that different young people thrive with different levels of support, predictability and freedom.
We know punctuality can sometimes be challenging, while others put considerable effort into arriving on time and appreciate sessions beginning as expected.
When possible, sessions will include a brief soft start (for our core groups this can be longer, but for most Deep Dives that can be harder due to time constraints), giving young people time to settle in and prepare to engage. Facilitators will generally begin the main session at the advertised time, or shortly afterwards, once those present are ready.
We encourage families to arrive in time for the start of the session. However, we understand that occasional delays happen. Late arrivals are welcome, but the group may already have moved into activities or discussions and we may not be able to revisit what has been missed. Starting on time helps create a predictable and respectful experience for everyone.
If circumstances that day mean your young person arrives late and needs support to join the group, please stay briefly to help them settle and there will always be a friendly face to welcome you.
Health and individual needs
Please make sure we have accurate and up-to-date information about any allergies, medical conditions, medication, additional needs or other information that may be relevant to your young person's safe participation.
Please let us know promptly if anything changes.
We will work with families to understand individual needs and, where appropriate, agree reasonable adjustments or additional safety measures.
Our detailed arrangements are set out in our relevant health, allergy, medication, safeguarding and risk assessment policies.
Working together
Our shared agreement is about creating a community where children, young people and adults can participate in ways that work for them while also taking account of the needs and safety of others.
We recognise that people make mistakes and that needs can change. We aim to approach these situations with curiosity, compassion and a willingness to communicate and repair where appropriate.
If something does not feel right, we encourage children, young people, parents and adults to speak to us.
All our policies and guidance documents are available on this website and we ask all staff, volunteers and parents to refer to them as needed. By being part of Waymakers, you agree to support your child(ren) in participating in line with these values and practices.
Thank you for co-creating this space with us.