Future Asset, part of Didasko Education Company Limited
Code of Conduct for Adults Working with Children and Young people
June 2023

The Purpose and Scope of this Code of Conduct

Future Asset is part of Didasko Education Company Limited (“we”), a charity registered in Scotland which
provides and supports educational opportunities, especially on issues relating to finance and financial
education. We do this through our own projects and by supporting and collaborating with others across all
sectors who have similar inclusive educational objectives. We are a charitable company led by a volunteer
Board of Directors.

Didasko Education Company Limited runs two projects specifically targeted at adults, The Practical History
Financial Markets course and The Library of Mistakes, and one programme, Future Asset, which works
specifically with young people aged 13-18 years of age in Scottish secondary schools.

• A Practical History of Financial Markets is an intensive two-and-a-half-day course for adults focussed
  on lessons from financial history
• The Library of Mistakes was founded in 2012/13 to promote the study of financial history and is
  located in central Edinburgh.
• Future Asset develops and delivers materials, resources and events for secondary school students in
  Scotland and their teachers and advisers. Activities are delivered by a small staff team and volunteers
  from the investment management sector.
• Activities include:
  • Events for school students and teachers
  • National investment competition in which teams of school students are linked with volunteer
    mentors
  • Online and in-person talks and workshops delivered by staff and volunteers

In addition, in the second half of 2023, Didasko will commence working with School Leavers’ Money Skills,
a funded project which aims to promote greater financial literacy, mainly for 16-18 year olds, via in-person
teaching sessions in schools across Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Borders.

Purpose

This Code of Conduct outlines the behaviour Future Asset (Didasko Education Company Limited) expects
from all our staff and volunteers. This includes trustees, volunteers, interns, students on work placement
and anyone who is undertaking duties for the organisation, whether paid or unpaid.

The Code of Conduct aims to help us protect children and young people under the age of 18 years from
abuse and reduce the possibility of unfounded allegations being made.

Future Asset (Didasko Education Company Limited) is responsible for making sure everyone taking part in
our services has seen, understood and agreed to follow the Code of Conduct, and that they understand the
consequences of inappropriate behaviour.

The Role of Staff and Volunteers

In your role at Future Asset (Didasko Education Company Limited) you are acting in a position of authority
and have a duty of care towards the children and young people we work with. You are likely to be seen as a
role model and are expected to act appropriately.

Responsibility

You are responsible for:

• prioritising the welfare of children and young people
• providing a safe environment for children and young people
• ensuring equipment is used safely and for its intended purpose
• having an awareness of issues to do with safeguarding and child protection and taking action when
  appropriate.
• following our principles, policies and procedures including on child protection / safeguarding,
  whistleblowing and online safety
• staying within the law at all times
• modelling good behaviour for children and young people to follow
• challenging all unacceptable behaviour and reporting any breaches of the Code of Conduct to the Future
  Asset Programme Manager
• reporting all concerns about abusive behaviour, following our safeguarding and child protection
  procedures. This includes behaviour being displayed by an adult or child and directed at anybody of any
  age.

Rights

You should:

• treat children and young people fairly and without prejudice or discrimination
• understand that children and young people are individuals with individual needs
• respect differences in gender, sexual orientation, culture, race, ethnicity, disability and religious belief
  systems, and appreciate that all participants bring something valuable and different to the group /
  organisation
• challenge discrimination and prejudice
• encourage young people and adults to speak out about attitudes or behaviour that makes them
  uncomfortable.
  Relationships
  You should:
• promote relationships that are based on openness, honesty, trust and respect
• avoid favouritism
• be patient with others
• exercise caution when you are discussing sensitive issues with children or young people
• ensure your contact with children and young people is appropriate and relevant to the work of the
  project you are involved in
• ensure that whenever possible, there is more than one adult present during activities with children and
  young people
• if a situation arises where you are alone with a child or young person, ensure that you are
  within sight or hearing of other adults.
• if a child specifically asks for or needs some individual time with you, ensure other staff or
  volunteers know where you and the child are.
• only provide personal care in an emergency and make sure there is more than one adult present if
  possible.

Respect

You should:

• listen to and respect children at all times
• value and take children’s contributions seriously, actively involving them wherever possible
• respect a young person’s right to personal privacy as far as possible
• if you need to break confidentiality in order to follow child protection procedures, it is important to
  explain this to the child or young person at the earliest opportunity.
  Unacceptable behaviour
  When working with children and young people, you must not:
• allow concerns or allegations to go unreported
• take unnecessary risks
• smoke, consume alcohol or use illegal substances
• develop inappropriate relationships with children and young people
• make inappropriate promises to children and young people
• engage in behaviour that is in any way abusive including having any form of sexual contact with a child or
  young person.
• let children and young people have your personal contact details (mobile number, email or postal
  address) or have contact with them via a personal social media account
• act in a way that can be perceived as threatening or intrusive
• patronise or belittle children and young people
• make sarcastic, insensitive, derogatory or sexually suggestive comments or gestures to or in front of
  children and young people.

Upholding this Code of Conduct

You should always follow this Code of Conduct and never rely on your reputation or that of our
organisation to protect you.

If you have behaved inappropriately, you will be subject to our disciplinary procedures. Depending on the
seriousness of the situation, you may be asked to leave Future Asset (Didasko Education Limited). We may
also make a report to statutory agencies such as the police and/or the local authority child protection
services.

If you become aware of any breaches of this code, you must report them to the Future Asset Programme
Manager. If necessary, you should follow our Child Protection and Safeguarding policy and procedures.

Contacts

Nominated Child Protection Lead

Name: Helen Bradley
Email: helen@futureasset.org.uk
Phone: (+44) 7932 072 840

Nominated Board Member with responsibility for Child Protection
Name: Tony Foster
Email: tony@didaskoeducation.org

We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.

Code of Conduct updated 5 June 2023

Future Asset is supported by asset management and financial services firms in Scotland who are committed
to informing young women about opportunities and improving diversity in the sector.

Future Asset is a division of Didasko Education Company Limited www.didaskoeducation.org
Company registration Number: 352872 Scottish Charity Number: SC040205
www.futureasset.org.uk
info@futureasset.org.uk