Main Image Credit: Mario Purisic
"I feel very lucky to have met the rather wonderful team at Intercultural Roots through this strange lockdown world since last March. Not only have I felt incredibly welcomed into a community of artists and practitioners committed to sharing their practices and actively looking to promote a better world for us all to inhabit, but I have also felt encouraged and supported in developing my own practice and offering it to the IR community.
The Intercultural Roots Practitioner Partnership scheme has helped me to develop and focus my online offerings, and supported me in getting those workshops out to the wider community. From help and encouragement with publicity, to managing the ticketing, to open, fair and prompt financial arrangements, to honest and mutually beneficial feedback about the processes and workshops themselves – Intercultural Roots have been and continue to be an amazing team to work with.
This is how Partnership should work – in a mutually beneficial exchange, where both parties are helping to move in the same direction. This is not about sitting back and letting someone else tell you what to do or decide for you – it is about you bringing yourself to the table and working with support to get somewhere you couldn’t have got on your own."
Intercultural Roots is curating partnerships with somatic and artistic practitioners based on principles of integrity, equality and respect for mutual benefit. By opening our horizontal infrastructure, class / course, performance and video production is more cost-effectively delivered, allowing practitioners to focus on what they do best and co-creating opportunities to benefit the public while also generating employment and income income.
Practitioner Partnerships benefit artists and somatic practitioners looking for a platform through which to promote and deliver online, in-person or hybrid classes, workshops, performances and other such activities. Intercultural Roots has been offering Practitioner Partnerships since its new website was born in January 2021 as a sustainable and independent model for mutual benefit that will enable artists to generate income, without reliance on funding, through Intercultural Roots' shared platform of online resources and supportive collaboration. This provides practitioners with an alternative or complimentary way to promote, deliver and share their work while incentivising quality and success.
The project provides freelance practitioners and groups with access to Intercultural Roots' shared back-office resources including our new bespoke website as an online platform for:
- proposing and listing online and, where safe to do so, proximal events;
- promoting and ticketing of events through PR, MarComms and check-out;
- delivery of online events on Zoom Pro with automated invitations and links direct from our check-out
- selling recorded videos to be viewed on our website via Vimeo
The practitioner will receive an agreed % percentage of the net income of all event and video sales after costs for production, promotion, payment platform fees and administration.
80% of the net income* from ticket sales goes to the practitioner. The 80:20 model is ideal for practitioners who are confident that they can promote and attract participants to purchase tickets for the event with much support from Intercultural Roots. They may already have a large community of followers and be skilled at promotion. Otherwise IR recommends the 65:35 model that will provide Intercultural Roots with further incentive to promote the event using all means at its disposal.
65% of the net income* from ticket sales goes to the practitioner. For practitioners who do not yet have a following or are not skilled at promotion, IR recommends the 65:35 model that will provide Intercultural Roots with further incentive to promote the course using all means at its disposal. Promotion is never an exact science and there are no guarantees regarding the effectiveness of marketing.
* Net Income is calculated as Gross Income from ticket sales for the event minus a £60 Publishing / Listing Fee, 5% Payment Platform Fees and Any Other Agreed Costs such as venue hire or placed adverts that Intercultural Roots has paid for.
This project has been developed collaboratively by practitioners within the Intercultural Roots community and is based on principles of integrity, equality and respect for mutual benefit. It was piloted at the end of 2020 with several practitioners and their experience, and that of new practitioners, will continue to inform the best ways of working together collaboratively.
A Legal Agreement (last updated 13 January 2023) between Intercultural Roots and freelance practitioners or legally constituted groups, provides the terms and assurances for both parties related to activities and expectations, quality, health & safety, safeguarding, copyright, finances as well as our organisational Policies & Procedures.
After a successful initial discussion with qualified and experienced practitioners about proposals, you will be invited to submit a Practitioner Proposal Form. This editable Google Form invites detailed information about you as the practitioner and your proposals. Support will be provided to refine and complete this, and submission will include the legal agreement between partners. This information will then be used to build the infrastructure needed to list, promote and sell tickets and videos to the public. It takes a minimum of 4 weeks from when the Practitioner Proposal Form is agreed for an event to take place. This is because of the length of time needed to add events and videos to our website and for subsequent PR, promo, sales and communications.
As part of our procedures for quality assurance, practitioners are required to help gather information useful for monitoring and evaluation and to contribute to regular collaborative discussions and trainings as necessary to ensure continual improvement and success.
Intercultural Roots is an ethically motivated partnership and we will ensure that this is reflected not only through our policies and procedures but in how all aspects of our collective and partnership work is carried out and received by the communities we reach. We expect all partners we work with to be consistent with these principles and values.
Intercultural Roots is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and in that respect, openness, recognition, and empowerment are crucial to our values. These contribute to the mutual trust, respect and understanding we strive to stand for. This is reflected in the diversity of Intercultural Roots' trustees, volunteers and staff and within the partnerships we form including people from minority ethnic, LGBTQI+ communities and those disabled by society, both in our workforce and activities.
Intercultural Roots understands the importance of opening up the organisation and partnership workings to all sections of the community and is aware that is not only illegal, but also immoral to discriminate and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment or victimisation on the basis of an individual’s status or perceived status in any of the following respects, whether directly, indirectly or by association:
Together we will nurture diversity and create an inclusive working environment in which all people are treated fairly and with dignity and respect and in which they are able to give of their best, where there is no harassment, bullying or victimisation and all decisions are based entirely upon merit. This will be supported by agreed strategy, policies and procedures relating to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Dignity and Respect.
We are committed to safeguarding adults with care / support needs from abuse and neglect during this next phase of Covid-19 and beyond. We are aware that vulnerable people have disadvantages that that increase risk of being exploited. Factors include needing assistance with tasks, help with technology, being more welcoming of new contacts and, for many older people, being wealthier. Those who are socially isolated have increased risk. While much of our work is delivered online, our activities include regular contact with people who are potentially vulnerable. Training will be provided to practitioners ensure vigilance in trying to pick up on any types and indicators of abuse or changes in behaviour. At interactive talks we will ensure that the dangers of financial scams and fraud are pointed out with advice on being wary of strangers, non-response to requests for personal information from unidentified sources. If abuse is suspected, in line with our Safeguarding Policy & Procedures, our safeguarding lead and Trustee Dr Ian Kenvyn will be alerted, who will oversee liaison with the person to try and gain consent to alert external authorities or call 999. For those in a state of heightened anxiety we have joint developed with the Evexia Foundation a four page resource for referral.
We are committed to safeguarding adults with care /support needs from abuse and neglect during this next phase of Covid-19 and beyond. We are aware that vulnerable people have disadvantages that that increase risk of being exploited. Factors include needing assistance with tasks, help with technology, being more welcoming of new contacts and, for many older people, being wealthier. Those who are socially isolated have increased risk. While much of our work is delivered online, our activities include regular contact with people who are potentially vulnerable. Training will be provided to practitioners ensure vigilance in trying to pick up on any types and indicators of abuse or changes in behaviour. At interactive talks we will ensure that the dangers of financial scams and fraud are pointed out with advice on being wary of strangers, non-response to requests for personal information from unidentified sources. If abuse is suspected, in line with ourSafeguarding Policy & Procedures, our safeguarding lead and Trustee Dr Ian Kenvyn will be alerted, who will oversee liaison with the person to try and gain consent to alert external authorities or call 999. For those in a state of heightened anxiety we have joint developed with the Evexia Foundation a four page resource for referral.
Safeguarding vulnerable adults is a part of the wider role of safeguarding and promoting welfare. This refers to the activity which is undertaken to protect specific vulnerable adults who are suffering or are at risk of suffering significant harm. As adults and/or professionals or volunteers, everyone has a responsibility to safeguard vulnerable adults and promote their welfare.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults – and in particular protecting them from significant harm -depends upon effective joint working between agencies and professionals that have different roles and expertise.
Some of the most vulnerable adults and those at greatest risk of social exclusion, will need co-ordinated help from health, education, social care, and quite possibly the voluntary sector and other agencies, including justice services.
For those vulnerable adults who are suffering, or at risk of suffering significant harm, joint working is essential, to safeguard and promote their welfare and – where necessary – to help bring to justice the perpetrators of crimes against them. All agencies and professionals should:
- be alert to potential indicators of abuse or neglect;
- be alert to the risks which individual abusers, or potential abusers, may pose to vulnerable adults;
- share and help to analyse information so that an assessment can be made of the individual's needs and circumstances;
- contribute to whatever actions are needed to safeguard and promote the individual's welfare;
- take part in regularly reviewing the outcomes for the individual against specific plans; and
- work co-operatively with parents and/or other carers unless this is inconsistent with ensuring the individual's safety.
As one of its major activities the charity seeks to serve the needs of vulnerable adults, promoting holistic development.
In doing so the charity takes seriously the welfare of all vulnerable adults who come onto its premises or who are involved in its activities.
The charity aims to ensure that they are welcomed into a safe, caring environment with a happy and friendly atmosphere.
The charity recognises that it is the responsibility of each one of its staff, paid and unpaid, to prevent the neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse of vulnerable adults and to report any abuse discovered or suspected.
The charity recognises its responsibility to implement, maintain and regularly review procedures, which are designed toprevent and to be alert to such abuse.
The charity is committed to supporting, resourcing and training those who work with vulnerable adults and to providing supervision.
The charity is committed to maintaining good links with the statutory social services authorities.
For reasons of consistency and practicality, the charity's procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults will be the same as those for safeguarding children and young people except where the law, or the specific circumstances of an individual's need require otherwise.
We follow the procedures set out by the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) and take account of guidance issued by the Department for Education to:
· Ensure we have a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for child protection and safeguarding who has received appropriate training and support for this role.
· Ensure every member of staff (including temporary, practitioners, and volunteers) knows the name of the DSL responsible for child protection and their role.
· Ensure all staff and volunteers understand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse and responsibility for referring any concerns to the DSL responsible for child and vulnerable adult protection.
· Ensure that parents, guardians and carers have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the charity and staff for child protection by setting out its obligations on the charity website.
· Develop and then follow procedures where an allegation is made against a member of staff or volunteer.
· Develop effective links with relevant agencies and co-operate as required with their enquiries regarding child protection matters.
· Ensure all records are kept securely and in locked locations.
· Keep written records of concerns about children, even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately.
· Ensure safe recruitment practices are always followed.
The Safeguarding Policy will be monitored on an on-going basis; however, a full evaluation will take place on a yearly basis.
This Policy was updated on 7 September 2022
This Policy will be reviewed September 2023