The project
Who built Safe Spaces, the partner organisations, and how this Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership works.
find out moreCourse 1
· 45 minutes
· English, French, Romanian and Lithuanian
· Certificate on completion


Safeguarding begins with recognition. This course sets out the six forms of abuse used throughout the Safe Spaces framework, the physical, behavioural and emotional signs that may indicate them, and how grooming develops over time. It also covers why participants often do not tell anyone, and what makes it more likely that they will. Throughout, one rule holds: your job is to recognise and report, never to investigate or to decide what happened.
Everyone who works or volunteers with participants. Together with Course 2, this is the minimum before anyone has contact with young people.
Identify the six forms of abuse and give an example of each in a youth work setting
Recognise physical, behavioural and emotional warning signs, and explain why no single sign is proof of anything
Describe how grooming develops, and the boundary behaviours that make it possible
Explain why a participant may not disclose, and what makes disclosure more likely
Apply the rule that recognising and reporting is your role, and investigating is not
Identify where prevention sits in your own organisation’s documents
A branching scenario following one participant’s situation, a sorting activity on the six forms of abuse, and a final knowledge check. Seven documents are included in the course for you to download as you go.
The course opens in a focused browser player. Allow about forty-five minutes; your progress is kept only while this course page remains open.
Launch course 1You may download, adapt, translate and republish any of these materials, including in your own training. We ask only that you credit the Safe Spaces project.
Safe Spaces is an Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership in the field of Youth, running from September 2025 to September 2027.
Who built Safe Spaces, the partner organisations, and how this Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership works.
find out moreWhat safeguarding looks like across the European youth sector, and where the gaps are.
find out moreSafe Spaces is the work of four partner organisations and a number of people who gave it their time, expertise and honest criticism.
The Safe Spaces Toolkit, the seven eLearning modules and the research underpinning both were produced by:
Renee Wolforth, independent Protection and Safeguarding Consultant, reviewed both the Toolkit and the eLearning modules.
Sian Bagshaw, Expert in Safeguarding Processes and Policy, reviewed the Toolkit and endorses it.
Four organisations across Europe built Safe Spaces together.