Successful applicants wishing to accept the offer of a place on an LSE WP activity will be asked to read and formally confirm that they agree to follow the expectations outlined in this Code of Behaviour. Failure to do this will result in the offer of the place on the LSE WP activity being withdrawn.
General expectations
Whilst participating in any in-person or online LSE WP activity, I will:
- act responsibly, recognising that I am an ambassador for the LSE WP team and behaving accordingly. I understand that acting responsibly includes, but is not limited to, following the expectations outlined in this Code of Behaviour
- engage with all activities, listening and contributing at appropriate times
- show respect and consideration to all participants, staff and volunteers
- use appropriate language with all participants, staff and volunteers
- recognise and respect individual differences and not engage in offensive actions or language towards participants, staff or volunteers (including, but not limited to, those based on appearance, background, disability, gender, sexuality, race, religious or lack of religious beliefs)
- not form, nor seek to form, personal or intimate relationships with staff or volunteers
- not share, nor request, staff, volunteers or external organisations’ contact details, including LinkedIn details
- ensure all communication with staff, volunteers and external organisations goes through the appropriate central LSE WP channel
- tell WP staff, a parent/carer or trusted adult if I am contacted by staff (outside the central WP channels), volunteers or external organisations through my personal email or social media, or I feel uncomfortable about the behaviour of a participant, staff or volunteer
- follow any additional rules or requests set by LSE staff.
In-person activities
Whilst participating in any in-person LSE WP activity, I will:
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not purchase, bring on to university campus or consume any alcohol or smoking products (which covers all types of smoked products including tobacco and herbal cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and other devices or substances which may be used for the purpose of smoking) at any point
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not purchase, bring on to university campus or consume any illegal substances at any point
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follow housekeeping instructions and emergency procedures, such as fire drills or evacuations, as directed by LSE staff
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act safely and responsibly when participating in activities both on and off campus, carefully following the instructions of staff or volunteers
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take care of valuables and respect others’ property, including LSE property
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understand that LSE does not accept responsibility for loss or damage of personal property during activities and that valuables are brought to activities at your own risk.
Online activities
Whilst participating in any online LSE WP activity, I will:
- register individually and not share the invitation link with anyone else
- turn all other devices off/on silent whilst taking part
- be aware of my surroundings and ensure I have nothing personal, sensitive or offensive in view or audible when I have my camera or microphone turned on
- not record, screenshot or photograph activities or share images or activity content with anyone else
- not have private or one-to-one conversations with participants or volunteers
- not share, nor request, phone numbers, email addresses or social media accounts in online channels, such as chat functions or mentoring platforms.
Attendance and punctuality
Whilst participating in any in-person or online LSE WP activity, I will:
- attend activities on the communicated day(s)/time(s) once I have confirmed my place and attend the entire activity unless I have explicit permission from a member of the WP team in advance
- inform the WP team at least 24 hours before if I am no longer able to attend, with relevant consent from my parent/ carer where necessary
- arrive on time, taking into consideration travel delays or technical issues. If I am late (or lost for in-person activities), I will contact the WP team as soon as I can to explain and/or ask for help.
If you are absent without an explanation, WP staff will try to contact you and your parent/carer. If after several attempts we cannot make contact, your absence will be escalated following our safeguarding guidance. Unauthorised absences may lead to removal from the activity or programme.
Serious incidents of misbehaviour
If a participant breaches the Code of Behaviour, LSE WP staff may first give a warning. In the event of serious incidents of misbehaviour, you will not be allowed to continue on the activity and may be withdrawn from your programme. For in-person activities, arrangements will be made for you to be sent home. For online activities, your access will be withdrawn. We reserve the right to contact your parent/ carer and where appropriate inform your teacher. Where necessary, we may also report the misbehaviour to relevant authorities.
Safeguarding
LSE has robust safeguarding processes in place to keep you safe during LSE Widening Participation activities. Our Child Protection Procedure for both online and in-person activity can be found on the LSE website.
All staff and volunteers involved in the sessions receive appropriate training before activities. Staff regularly working directly with young people receive specific training on working with children, in line with our Child Protection Procedure. They also undergo the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service check.
For advice about keeping safe as a young person both online and in-person, please see the NSPCC website. If you have experienced online abuse or are worried about the way someone has been communicating online, you can report this to Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP).
Contacting us if you have a concern
If you have any concern, believe that someone has broken the Code of Behaviour or have a question, please contact the WP staff running the activity. Alternatively, you can email the central WP team: widening.participation@lse.ac.uk.
If you feel uncomfortable about something at LSE, but don’t feel able to tell WP staff, please talk to a trusted adult (this might be your parent/carer, someone in your family or a teacher at school) and ask for their help.