Comhlámh: End Orphanage Volunteering Working Group - Beyond Good Intentions
Beyond Good Intentions: Keeping Children Safe in Volunteering & Development - A Cambodian expert perspective on safeguarding in the Global South.
31st March 2025, The Carmelite Centre, Aungier St Dublin 2, 10.30am-1pm
Join us for an insightful in-person workshop to explore a vital challenge facing the international development sector – ensuring children are protected from harm in development programming. While good intentions are at the heart of global efforts to support vulnerable children, the key question remains: how do we move beyond intentions to create robust safeguarding systems that effectively protect children across our organisations and within the communities we work?
This workshop will offer a unique opportunity to learn from Cambodian expert Im Chetra, the Executive Director of M’lup Russey, a prominent NGO that works on the ground in Cambodia to enhance the lives of children deprived of parental care. Specialising in child protection, family system strengthening and alternative care, M’lup Russey collaborates with local governments, community organisations, and churches to help keep children in safe, loving families instead of institutional care. Whilst reintegration of children back into their families or family-based care is the primary goal, a crucial part of their work also focuses on strengthening safeguarding practices within Residential Care Institutions to reduce the likelihood of harm to children before they make this transition.
Who should attend?
We encourage attendance by those seeking to learn more about how we can strengthen efforts to keep children safe in international development programming and partnerships. We particularly encourage attendance by those active in development, international volunteering, and global citizenship education who have responsibility for safeguarding policy and practice. This event is of relevance to a wide range of stakeholders, including organisational safeguarding leaders, programme staff, and educators.
Join us to learn how we can work together to keep children safe.
This workshop is organised by the Comhlámh End Orphanage Volunteering Campaign, which is co-convened by Comhámh and Tearfund Ireland and includes representatives from Misean Cara, Nurture Africa, and SeeBeyondBorders Ireland. The campaign is endorsed by 45 organisations from across civil society.
The event will take place in the Carmelite Community Centre, 56 Aungier St, Dublin 2. It will be upstairs in the St Therese room (lift access is available). Lunch will be provided. Please let us know in advance if you have any additional dietary requirements.
Date: 31st March 2025
Venue: The Carmelite Centre, 56 Aungier Street, Dublin 2 D02 T258
Time: 10.30-1pm
Tea/coffee and a light sandwich lunch will be provided.