How to act
A student may come to you, confide in you and tell you about an unsafe situation. Or you may suspect a student is dealing with a socially unsafe situation. This may have taken place:
- Within the educational context of Fontys
- Work placement or minor outside Fontys
- During the study abroad (related to your study at Fontys).
Your role here is twofold: on one hand, you are a safe haven and point of contact for the student; on the other hand, you are the person who helps the student contact the right people. Together, you examine whether extra guidance is needed and whether Fontys can provide this. But you can also contribute to making the educational environment safer. This handling guideline supports you when a student comes to you and confides in you.
- Review the information available on this website and the referenced information, regularly and accurately at a quiet moment.
- Draw your colleagues' attention to this Social Safety website.
- Discussing this topic at team meetings is essential: Does everyone know how to act when unsafe situations are suspected or reported? To whom to refer?
- Within Fontys, we have a code of conduct for staff interacting with students. It also applies to internships, graduation places and other places of learning with which Fontys has an agreement—more information.
When a student confides in you, the steps below will help you with your guidance:
Empathetic listening attitude
The most important thing is to engage with the student and adopt an empathetic listening posture. It's not immediately about weighing the situation or forming a judgment but about allowing a student to discuss the event. It is about the student feeling heard and supported.
Referral based on the situation
The student's story will reveal the environment in which the event took place. It partly determines who the student can contact best and what you can do internally. So, check whether the situation relates to an educational or private context.
If the student has (had) to deal with (sexual) violence or experiences psychological problems because of the situation that has arisen, it is essential to refer the student appropriately:
- Advise the student to contact the general practitioner as soon as possible.
- Advise the student to contact the police as soon as possible.
If the student has (had) to deal with (sexual) violence or experiences psychological problems because of the situation that has arisen, it is essential to refer the student appropriately:
- Advise the student to contact the general practitioner as soon as possible.
- Advise the student to contact the police as soon as possible.
Domestic violence
N.B. If you have questions about your duty of care based on your role within the educational environment, don't hesitate to contact your team leader and/or director. The duty of care is legally defined ("is regulated by law"). You can also contact Legal Affairs for further questions about this.
N.B. Heb je vragen over de zorgplicht vanuit jouw rol binnen het onderwijs, neem dan contact op met je teamleider en/of directeur. De zorgplicht is juridisch bepaald (“is bij wet geregeld”). Je kunt ook contact met Juridische Zaken opnemen voor verdere vragen hierover.
Directe links naar:
- “Handreiking: Hoe je een gesprek kunt voeren over een seksueel geweld".
- Handelingsrichtlijn seksueel geweld
- Aandachtsfunctionaris huiselijk geweld
- Vertrouwenspersonen
- Fontys Helpt
The student has confided in you; therefore, following up on the situation is essential.
- Ensure you and the student have the same view on the requested help.
- Make clear agreements with each other: what steps will the student take, which ones will you, when will you be in contact, and what are the possibilities and what aren't.
- Check together with the student what contact details the student needs.
- Make a follow-up/update appointment to ensure completion.