Definitions

We distinguish between three types of issue:

• Concerns: Something that causes discomfort, confusion, exclusion, or unease.

• Incidents: events, actions, behaviors, or communications that may have negatively affected an individual, group, or the community, regardless of intent.

• Complaints: formal requests for IHL to review, respond to, or take action regarding a concern or incident.

Issues may be reported for learning, safeguarding, improvement, or resolution purposes and do not automatically result in a formal complaint process.

Scope

This policy applies to:

• Official IHL events, activities and services

• IHL communication channels

• Behaviour that may affect the safety or wellbeing of the IHL community

This policy does not apply to issues that take place privately - even if you met through IHL! However, where information suggests a potential impact on the safety, wellbeing or participation of people within IHL activities, we may, at our discretion, consider appropriate action within our own services and activities.

Reporting issues

Who? Issues may be reported by community members, volunteers, or staff.

What? As defined above, an issue can be a concern, incident or complaint about something that happened as part of official IHL events, activities or services.

How? All issues should be reported via this form and should include relevant facts, dates, locations, and witnesses where known.

You may also report issues verbally to an event host, or IHL staff member, who will then document the issue. As per our Community Guidelines, we encourage you to address issues informally first if possible.

When? Reports should be made as soon as reasonably possible after the issue occurred.

Why? Reports are welcomed even where no formal action is requested. Information may help IHL identify patterns, improve communication, reduce future risks, and strengthen community wellbeing.

Response

IHL's role is to maintain a safe community, not to determine fault or innocence. Our role is to assess risks, support community wellbeing, and determine any action required in relation to IHL activities, services, volunteers, participants, or staff.

IHL will:

• Listen to issues respectfully.

• Keep records of reported issues.

• Take safeguarding worries seriously.

• Take proportionate action to protect participants, volunteers, and staff where necessary, with the information available to us.

• Work as a team to respond to any issues raised.

Possible Actions

Depending on the circumstances, IHL may:

• Take no further action.

• Improve policies, procedures and communications.

• Provide guidance or facilitate a conversation.

• Give a warning or impose participation conditions (e.g. exclusion, training or temporary suspension)

• Involve other authorities, including the police.

• Take other actions specific to the complaint.

Principles

The safety and wellbeing of the IHL community will take priority in all decisions. Reports help us identify communication challenges, barriers to inclusion, process weaknesses, and emerging risks.

All issues will be dealt with sensitively, with an emphasis on cultural curiosity and inclusivity.

IHL may decline to pursue reports that are knowingly false, abusive, repetitive, or clearly outside the scope of this policy.

IHL cannot explore, investigate or respond to issues that arise outside our official services and activities; unless there is demonstrably a direct impact on our events, activities or services.

Timelines

IHL will acknowledge the initial issue report within two working days.

The team aim to:

• Address simple issues within one working week

• Investigate more complex issues within three working weeks

• Make decisions within four working weeks where reasonably possible.

This allows time to learn about the issue, contact involved parties, and take advice from authorities as required. Investigations and decisions may take longer depending on the availability if information and the complexity of the issue.

Privacy

Reports can be made anonymously, but this may reduce IHL’s capacity to investigate or resolve an issue.

Information about the issue will only be shared with those who need it to manage the issue, and will be handled in accordance with applicable privacy and data protection requirements.

IHL may seek expert advice from external sources to ensure the best possible resolution of an issue.

Escalation