DIANA SLABU

Safe environment for personal growth

Diana Slabu

National Organisation of the Romanian Scouts

Why is safety so important to all of us?

Because having a safe environment is a prerequisite for personal growth and quality learning experiences. Whenever we, humans, feel afraid, ashamed, hurt, scared, unsure of the future, or uncertain that we are safe, our main focus is protection and doing what is most relevant for us to survive, heal and be healthy and safe again. Therefore, in order to ensure that our members benefit from the learning experiences we are offering, we must first make sure they feel safe at all times, so they can step out of their comfort zone and into the learning zone.

Facing cross-domain challenges

We are living in uncertain times when the pandemic has been overshadowed by the war in Ukraine, the refugee crisis in Europe, as well as the financial instability, and the impact of climate change on all of us. In these situations, being able to provide a safe environment for children, youth, and adults is not only more important than ever but also a constitutional requirement of WOSM, after the last WSC in 2021.

Putting it into practice

In this quest, the main topics that we should have in mind and provide support on are:

Updating our Safe from Harm policies and procedures and making sure that they are well understood and implemented
Peace education and Dialogue for peace as values, concepts, and abilities that can be applied at all levels and in many conflict management processes.
Clear, empathic, and constructive communication, as a way to build a culture of trust and transparency inside our organisations and with our partners