We are so excited to have you as part of the team for ‘Evolving Visions’ this summer.

This year, National Youth Ballet is providing the opportunity for 100 young dancers to work with a fantastic team to develop ideas researched in our 2023 season, ready for four public performances, at the Crescent Theatre in Birmingham (21 and 22 August) and at Sadler’s Wells in London (8 September). 

Alongside this (from 9 – 12 August) we are also running our new ‘Residential Performance Company Intensive’, a brand new programme specially curated by NYB’s Creative Director Jo Meredith, for 26 young people aged 13-16. The programme is designed to run as a mini version of the Residential Performance Company.

We are delighted that you will be joining us for the 2024 season and so grateful to you for generously giving your time.  With this webpage we want to give you some useful information, as well as set out some guidelines that we believe constitute good working practices when working with young people.

We are really passionate about creating a positive experience for all involved and want NYB to be a pioneer of inclusivity, positivity and forward-thinking in our industry; nurturing and supporting young dancers is at the heart of the NYB ethos.

We hope that the information below will be useful. Jules Renahan will continue to be your first point of contact throughout the residency so please do contact her if you have any questions: jules@nationalyouthballet.org – and I and the rest of the team will of course also be there providing support with anything you may need.

With all our best wishes and very much looking forward to working with you!

Louise Bennett and the NYB Team

A note from Jules

Thank you all so much for your commitment to support and be a part of the National Youth Ballet Residential this year. I’m delighted to be working with you all and I hope that together we can ensure that all the young people attending will have a wonderful experience, that they are nurtured and most importantly they are safe whilst being away from home.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, so if in doubt please do not hesitate to ask questions.

If you are arriving for the Senior RPC or the RPCI on Friday 9th August, there will be a full company meeting at 10:15am. This will be followed by a briefing for house parents and a site tour once participants are in their respective studios for class. We will arrange for a briefing on Monday 12th for volunteers arriving for the Junior RPC and will have short, daily briefings throughout the residential. 

We are asking everyone to refresh their Safeguarding training by watching our bespoke suite of online Safeguarding videos (see links below). As last year, there is also a mandatory online safeguarding training session for anyone who will be attending the residential or theatre period to work with the young people. This will take place on Sunday 4 August at 9:30-10:30am, and a link will be circulated nearer the time.

Emergency Contact Details

If you need to contact National Youth Ballet in an emergency during the course the number to call is 07598 827621. A member of our team will have this phone with them at all times. Please do not call prior to the start of the course. Any queries prior to this date should be sent to admin@nationalyouthballet.org.

Lastly, please note that we have several young people in the company who have severe allergies to nuts, therefore NYB is a nut free zone. Please do not bring any products to Elmhurst that may contain nuts.

I welcome you all and look forward to seeing you at Elmhurst.

Jules Renahan

Safeguarding & Support Team Manager

A guide to the NYB ethos and useful things to remember:

We believe passionately in supporting and nurturing young people, and we place their learning and development front and centre of the NYB experience. In previous years we have witnessed the rate at which young people can grow in confidence over their time with us, and we believe that this is down to the excellent work of the team in creating an inclusive and positive company atmosphere. 

We want the young people to feel fully supported to learn about the rehearsal and performance process so that they can fully understand, and develop, the skills that are needed in a professional environment. Please remember that stepping into a company environment may be a little more overwhelming for some students. 

One way we are mitigating the potential feeling of being overwhelmed is with our Moving Minds scheme, taking the students through a mindfulness practice during some of their rehearsal days. This will be developed by Charlie Brittain and Carrie Johnson and delivered by Carrie Johnson at Elmhurst. 

Safeguarding is essential to our work at NYB. We have included on our staff page some informative videos to watch prior to the residency, which will explain and lay out clearly the rules for working with young people both inside and outside the studio setting. It is imperative that these rules are adhered to, for your own protection as well as the protection of the young people.

In the meantime, here is a list of things to keep in mind about the way we work and about what is important to us. We would appreciate it if you would read this carefully.

• Our priority is the learning experience of the young people. Choreographers: please keep this in mind and balance the level of challenge accordingly. Please do push them (they are really really capable!), but recognise the moment when things get overwhelming and adjust accordingly.
• Please remember that the dancers may be away from home for the first time and will get very tired and possibly homesick. Please treat them with sensitivity and communicate any concerns you may have with Louise and with the Safeguarding and Support Team Manager Jules Renahan (jules@nationalyouthballet.org).
• (Trigger Warning: Disordered Eating)
  Use of language around the young people – please be aware that your words are powerful. This is particularly important when we consider any emotions that the dancers may have about their bodies, and how our use of language can impact them. Please do not comment on dancers’ bodies, or say anything that may be interpreted as such. We are developing a new informative video on this which includes information and training regarding the subject of disordered eating. We will send you this to watch before the residency in August. As with all safeguarding training, we understand that the subjects discussed can be triggering, and we want to encourage you to take breaks while engaging with the material, and practise lots of good self care.
• One of the ways NYB is becoming more and more inclusive is in our awareness of the language we use around gender identity. We have asked (or will ask) the students and team members what their pronouns currently are. We ask that you please avoid using gendered language where possible, and when referring to individuals please use the correct pronouns. Examples of non-gendered language can be things like ‘everybody’ or ‘dancers’, rather than ‘boys and girls’. If you are teaching class, please do not separate steps by gender – either give everybody the same steps or give options from which the dancers can choose. If a genuine mistake is made, for example accidentally mis-gendering someone, please treat yourself and others with kindness.
• Social media – it is likely that the young dancers will follow you on social media. Please do not follow them back, interact with them or accept their requests. This is for your own protection as well as that of the young people.
• Punctuality: NYB’s activities very much emulate a professional company atmosphere, and we expect everyone involved to approach the process with professional discipline. Please set an example to the dancers by starting and finishing any session you are responsible for on time. Break times are as important as rehearsal time.
• Lastly, NYB’s activities should be, and normally are, extremely enjoyable for all involved, and we don’t want the guidelines and rules to overshadow what is always a very genuine, warm and welcoming environment for the whole team. We believe that having clear guidelines provides the freedom to enjoy the experience and create beautiful work and beautiful memories for all involved!

If you have any questions about any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact Louise on louise.bennett@nationalyouthballet.org.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Please make sure that you have read the NYB safeguarding policy. 

Training
NYB has prepared a suite of bespoke safeguarding videos for working with children and young people, which bring safeguarding to life and will remind everyone of their safeguarding responsibilities. These videos are the mandatory whole team safeguarding training for all staff and volunteers. We ask that everyone working at RPC and in theatres watches them carefully and completes the feedback forms by Friday 2 August 2024.

Video Link                                                                               Feedback Form

1. Types and Signs of Abuse (22m 18)                                      Video 1 feedback

2. Code of Conduct (21 m)                                                         Video 2 Feedback Form

3. Psychological Safety (11m 47)                                               Video 3 Feedback Form 

4. Reinforcing positive messages for growth  (16m 05)       Video 4 Feedback Form

Disordered Eating Resource and please find feedback form here.

There will then be a 1-hour safeguarding meeting carried out over zoom on Sunday 4 August, 0930-1030. This is also mandatory for all members of the team who will be present at the residential and in theatres, and will also include essential training on how to safely administer an Epipen, as we have several young people in the company who have severe allergies. If you are unable to attend the meeting, it is mandatory that you watch the recording before your arrival at Elmhurst.

Key staff

Our Safeguarding and Support Team Manager is Jules Renahan. She will be on site in person throughout the residential and in theatres and is the first point of contact for any questions about safeguarding and pastoral care and can offer guidance and support.

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is Barbara Palczynski. The DSL is the first point of contact for the staff and volunteers if there is a safeguarding concern or advice is needed on a confidential safeguarding issue. Do not discuss your concerns with other staff members. She will be contactable throughout the residential and in theatres by telephone on 07884 312808 if there is a safeguarding concern. As per the Safeguarding Policy, when sharing a safeguarding concern with the DSL please ensure:

Boarding allocations

The Support Team includes an onsite medic, Surya Gupta-Wright, and a visiting Soft Tissue Therapist (2-hours daily). Medication will be collected from participants on arrival at registration. Surya Gupta-Wright will lead on administering medication centrally. During the daytime, please report any medical concerns or injuries to Surya and inform the Safeguarding and Support Team Manager, Jules Renahan.

If a participant becomes ill during the night, the House Parent will be the first person to investigate the nature of the illness. If the House Parent has any concerns, the House Parent will contact the onsite medic to assess and inform the NYB Safeguarding and Support Team Manager.

All young people and staff should contact their House Parent or the onsite medic immediately if they develop any symptoms that could indicate an infectious disease – this includes but is not limited to diarrhoea; vomiting; respiratory symptoms such as coughing or sneezing; fever; unexplained rash.

• NYB Medical Phone (carried by Surya Gupta-Wright) 07376721142
• In a medical emergency, always call 999.

Nut Free Zone
The Residential Performance Company is a NUT FREE ZONE. Please do not bring food containing nuts to our residential or the theatres. This includes pine nuts, peanut butter, cashew nut butter, almond butter and hazelnut spread (Nutella). Please also be aware that some food items might also contain nuts like cereal bars.

NYB will provide Epipen training on Sunday 4 August 9.30-10.30am as part of the online Safeguarding meeting

For further information please read Anaphylaxis and EpiPen Guidance

As a House Parent volunteer you will work as a team from a rota, providing pastoral support and supervision of young dancers throughout the residential. House Parents are the backbone of pastoral support, and look after the day to day social and emotional needs of the young dancers, from waking until bedtime, during leisure time and at meal times. During studio time, dancers are supervised by NYB practitioners. Your role is:

• to supervise participants outside of their scheduled timetables
• to know the whereabouts and timetable of each participant allocated to your house
• to ensure participants have a routine in the mornings and evenings in the house, general hygiene and getting ready for day
• to be responsible for the students overnight and be their first point of contact should they
  have any fears or worries (Surya, our onsite healthcare practitioner and Jules are contactable if needed).
• to ensure participants are participating in meal times (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
• to ensure participants are drinking a good amount of water throughout the day, reminding them where possible
• to ensure participants attend their timetable activities throughout the day
• Supervise the students after rehearsals in the evenings.
• to supervise evening snacks – Please note, toasters are never to be used in the houses
• to report any concerns or questions re wellbeing to Safeguarding and Support Team Manager Jules Renahan and to report any safeguarding concerns directly to Barbara Palczynski, NYB’s Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• to participate in daily check ins with other house parents and support team to ensure effective information sharing
• to report any medical concerns or injuries to the onsite medic, Surya Gupta-Wright and inform the Safeguarding and Support Team Manager, Jules Renahan
• to direct participants to the onsite medic, Surya Gupta-Wright for medication if required
• to provide a daily head count/register of the participants you are responsible for in your house
• to ensure fire safety drills are followed should this arise
• Please note it will not usually be possible for you to watch your young person rehearse in the studio.

We will give you clear guidance as to what is expected of you each day. Your busiest times will be during the mornings and evenings after rehearsals. At all other times you should be able to work, or have some quiet time as per the support team rota. There is wifi in the Elmhurst building should you need it.