Alden Arnold, Head of Commercial and Projects at the Association of Event Venues (AEV), discusses the importance of a consistent approach to safeguarding.
Creating safe, inclusive environments at events doesn’t happen by chance – it requires clear planning, shared standards, and the right expertise. At AEV we provide this through our eGuide, a vital event industry- specific resource for venues, organisers, exhibitors, and suppliers.
Continually reviewed, the eGuide creates common ground for event professionals and we’ve recently added a safeguarding section providing guidance the industry can adopt to create safer spaces. To protect our delegates, it is essential that we use the eGuide to guarantee that we’re putting safety and best practice at the heart of all our events.
The new section draws on the knowledge and expertise of our safeguarding partner, X2Consult, representing an important step in strengthening safeguarding awareness and ensuring that event environments remain safe and inclusive for children, young people, and vulnerable individuals.
X2Consult is a specialist safeguarding and child protection consultancy, supporting events across the UK and Europe, ensuring standards are actively managed in complex live environments rather than simply documented. Concisely translating statutory guidance into practical systems makes the new eGuide section extremely helpful in guiding members to strengthen their safeguarding culture, fostering a safer, more inclusive, and well-governed experience.
The eGuide is available via the AEV website, offering a version with highlighted changes and the option to download sections independently for added convenience.