Safeguarding in Sport for Development Series

The Safeguarding in Sport for Development series aims to address the critical importance of safeguarding within the Sport for Development (S4D) sector. This series seeks to ensure that all sport-based interventions are conducted in a safe, inclusive, and protective environment for all participants, especially children and vulnerable adults.

To register for the event you first need to register for the Sport for Development Global Community Platform. Register on Global S4D Community. Then, register for this event.

Led by Laureus Sport for Good, the Safeguarding Series started in 2024, with an introduction to Safeguarding in Sport for Development, a crash course for beginners to cover the basics: what is safeguarding and what is child protection, key concepts and definitions about harm and abuse, why having a safeguarding policy is crucial for any organisation working with children, young people, or vulnerable adults.

This session was followed by a workshop that gave participants a more in-depth overview of the International Safeguards in Sport, a set of guidelines to help organisations better embed safeguarding principles across their work.

In March 2025, and in collaboration with Tackle Africa, we went deeper on how to strengthen protocols and procedures to adequately respond, record and report safeguarding cases, as well as the basics to build a solid code of conduct for staff and volunteers.

We would like now to introduce our 4th session: Safeguarding Children and Young People in External Communications. We know how important it is for organisations to be able to communicate the work they are doing. This is paramount to demonstrate impact to the right audiences, secure funding and elevate the profile of the sector widely. In this webinar, we will explore best practices to ensure children and young people are adequately portrayed in our external communications, how to securely share content while protecting privacy, the basics for ethical storytelling, etc.

This session will be hosted by Laureus Sport for Good and delivered by Skateistan, an award-winning NGO, driving a global movement in skateboarding and creative learning since 2008. Bold, inclusive and playful, Skateistan does whatever it takes to create spaces where young people can learn, play, and shape their futures. Its truly-international partnership model delivers programs, training and equipment, and facilitates the Goodpush Alliance network of over 1000 social-skate projects worldwide. www.skateistan.org

Presenters

Oisín Tammas, Head of Communications, Skateistan
Ruby Mateja, Goodpush Program Coordinator, Skateistan
Rhianon Bader, Head of Goodpush, Skateistan
Elena Marin-Yanez, Head of External Services, Laureus Sport for Good

Oisín Tammas

Oisín Tammas is a Creative Director, Writer and Strategist with over a decade of experience in subcultural and social impact communications. In 2013, he co-founded Skateism—the skateboarding magazine not about skateboarding—and has since helped brands, publications, social enterprises and NGOs craft stories that connect on a deeper level. Since 2023, he has been the Head of Communications at Skateistan.

Ruby Mateja

Ruby Mateja has 10 years of experience working in the social skateboarding sector. She co-founded Free Movement Skateboarding in Athens in 2016 and managed the organization for five years, covering all aspects of operations and fundraising. In her current role at Goodpush, she coordinates the ROLL Models program (a seed funding and leadership program for women and non-binary skateboarding leaders) and the Open Boarders Network for projects working with displaced youth. Ruby is based in Athens.

Rhianon Bader

Rhianon Bader has worked for two decades on youth development, social inclusion, and sport for development, specializing in communications, fundraising, leadership training, and network-building. She currently manages the Goodpush Alliance at Skateistan, supporting and connecting over 1000 skateboarding-based social projects worldwide.

Elena Marin-Yanez

Elena Marin-Yanez is Head of External Services at Laureus Sport for Good. With 20 years of experience leading programs for vulnerable children and young people across Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East, she has spent the last 6 years providing tailored safeguarding support, capacity building, and facilitating peer learning among Laureus partners and grantees.