http://www.commonpurpose.org.uk/home/programmes/yourturn/schools.aspx

 

What schools need to know about Your Turn

Duration of the Your Turn programme

The Your Turn programme consists of three programme days time-tabled across a two-week period. Common Purpose sets and agrees the dates of the programme days in advance with the participating schools.

The Your Turn programme day

  1. Your Turn programme days are delivered within school hours.
  2. Your Turn programme days are held at sponsored venues in the region. More than one venue may be used on a single programme day. Venue providers are required to agree to a set of terms and conditions. These include fire and safety procedures.
  3. Your Turn programme days can include site visits to pre-arranged venues across the region.

The Your Turn Programme Director

The Your Turn Programme Director (YTPD), is responsible for delivery of the Your Turn programme. Common Purpose policy is to carry out police checks on the YTPD, as part of a vetting procedure normally used for adults who work routinely with young people.

Additional adults

Additional adults attend programme days, acting under the direction and supervision of the YTPD. These include:

  1. members of Common Purpose staff, assisting with the coordination and arrangements for the day
  2. graduates of the Common Purpose programme and other adults invited to act as advisors to the participants and who will accompany groups on site visits
  3. site visit hosts
  4. external speakers invited to give presentations or to take part in debate.

The YTPD is responsible for briefing additional adults on their role and responsibilities on the programme. This includes briefing them to the effect that at no time on a programme day should one adult be alone with a single participant.

It should not be necessary for any participant to have contact with any of the adults outside of programme days. Schools must brief their pupils to this effect.

Staff concerns

Where the YTPD or any additional adult is made aware of information in respect of a participant which gives rise to concern, that information will be passed to one of the teaching contacts in the school.

First aid and emergency arrangements

  1. The YTPD will ensure that a first aid kit and accident book is available on each programme day. Where an entry is made in the accident book, this will be communicated to the school at the end of the programme day.
  2. The YTPD will ensure that the contact name and location of a qualified First Aider is available at every venue.
  3. In the event of accident, illness or other emergency, the YTPD will contact one of the named school contacts supplied by the school. It is then the responsibility of the school to contact the parent/carer of the participant. At no time will the participants be left unaccompanied and all reasonable steps will be taken to ensure their safety.

Publicity

Involvement in a Your Turn programme may attract media coverage. This is covered in the Your Turn Programme Parent/Guardian Consent Form, which is available on request.

Financial contribution

  1. Fees start from £50 per student (plus VAT) and there are typically between 3-6 students per school on a programme.
  2. Attendance on a Your Turn programme is conditional on receipt in full of the school contribution by Common Purpose prior to the introductory programme day at the start of the Your Turn programme.

Cancellation and refunds

Notice of cancellation must be received by the Your Turn Programme Director in writing, by post or fax and is subject to the following terms:

  1. Where notice of cancellation is received 21 days or fewer prior to the introductory programme day, the school will be liable for 100 per cent of the school contribution.
  2. Where notice of cancellation is received more than 21 days but fewer than 42 days prior to the first day programme, the school will be liable for 50 per cent of the school contribution.
  3. Where notice of cancellation is received 42 days or more prior to the first day of the programme, the school will receive a full refund.
  4. No refund of school contribution will be made to the school for absence due to illness nor for withdrawal from the Your Turn programme by any of the young people for any reason.

Selection of Your Turn participants

  1. The school will work with the YTPD to select participants in accordance with the criteria set by Common Purpose.
  2. The school will complete the selection of participants by the date prescribed by the YTPD.

Commitment

  1. The school agrees to release the Your Turn participants to attend the Your Turn programme days.
  2. The school will assist the Your Turn programme participants in feeding back to the school / year group on their experiences.

Briefing and parental consent

  1. The school will ensure that the participants are briefed on the details of the Your Turn programme and the responsibilities of the participants on the programme.
  2. The school will brief the participants that all contact with the YTPD or any other adults involved on the programme must be carried out through the school.
  3. The school will brief the parents/carers on the details and arrangements for the Your Turn programme and will obtain parent/carer consent in relation to each pupil's participation using the attached consent form.
  4. The school will give the YTPD a copy of the consent form received from each parent/carer.

Contact names and information

  1. The school will act as the point of contact for the YTPD and the participants on all matters relating to the programme.
  2. The school will provide contact names and telephone numbers of three members of staff (two teaching and one administrative) who must be available to be contacted on each programme day "named school contacts". In the event of illness, accident or other emergency, the YTPD will contact one of the named school contacts.
  3. The YTPD will set and agree in advance the procedure for registration and reporting absences to one of the named school contacts.
  4. The school will also provide the contact name and telephone number of a parent or guardian for each participant. The YTPD will only contact the parent/guardian in the event of being unable to contact one of the named school contacts.