Review finds YMCA has ‘very good’ safeguarding policies as police probe continues

Police investigations into allegations of abuse by officials of the NGO YMCA are still ongoing, the Voluntary Organisations Commissioner has told MaltaToday.

Jesmond Saliba said he cannot pronounce himself on the investigations, adding they had reached “a delicate stage”.

But the organisation, which runs homeless shelters, has been given a clean bill of health by the VO Commissioner over its internal safeguarding policies and procedures following a review by an independent overseer.

Last March, Saliba had asked the police to investigate YMCA after receiving allegations of ‘incorrect behaviour’ among the association’s senior officials. The allegations also concerned operational aspects concerning the safety and protection of employees, and the treatment of people receiving services from the association.

No details have so far emerged as to the nature of the allegations but the VO Commissioner has since restored YMCA’s compliance after a review of its safeguarding policies.

VO Commissioner Jesmond Saliba

“Police investigations are still ongoing and I understand that they reached a delicate stage. I would like to thank the police for their efforts. I have full confidence in the police. As a guardian of the voluntary sector, I can attest that the police force is committed to safeguard the voluntary sector and societies’ vulnerable. Their work is truly appreciated,” Saliba said when asked on Saturday about the police investigations.

When the story broke in March, the Commissioner had appointed Dr Charles Cassar to act as YMCA administrator with executive administrative powers to cooperate with the authorities while ensuring that the organisation continued to offer its usual services.

Cassar was also tasked to carry out an operational review at YMCA and the findings have now been presented to the VO Commissioner.

The review showed that YMCA had very good policies in place on several areas, including safeguarding issues Jesmond Saliba

“The Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations is currently analysing the outcomes of the operational review carried out at YMCA. While the police investigations are still underway, the OCVO review focused on an analysis of the various operational aspects, governance structures and management processes adopted by the organisation to carry out its important role in society,” Saliba said.

The review aimed to identify the strengths and give recommendations on how not-for-profit service providers in the social field can strengthen their operations to fulfil their purpose.

“The review showed that YMCA had very good policies in place on several areas, including safeguarding issues, both in terms of taking care of victims and in terms of establishing the veracity of allegations. These measures and their effective implementation were key for us to re-instate the organisation’s compliance and look beyond the original claims,” Saliba said.

It is understood that in the coming days, Saliba will be visiting YMCA’s shelter to confirm his confidence in the organisation’s administrative management. 

Saliba said the recommendations will be evaluated further so that a framework is introduced to support not-for-profit service providers in achieving their objectives. 

There are more than 50 not-for-profit NGOs which carry out work in partnership with government through public-social-partnerships.

Saliba said the challenges NGOs like YMCA face are the same as those faced by similar organisations and the country as a whole.

“These include the shortage of skilled vocational workers and professional workers… these realities create new vulnerabilities which need to be addressed to avoid a situation where the noble aims of the sector are abused by individuals who have different intentions and possibly be of a detriment to the sector’s credibility and the service users,” Saliba said. 

The VO Commissioner added that over the past weeks his office found cooperation from the various entities it sought information from, including foreign entities.

“The zeal, enthusiasm and commitment shown by anyone involved is a true reflection of how much everyone values the voluntary sector and organisations. This could also be attested by those entities which ensured that the work carried out by YMCA’s dedicated workers, operationally led by the organisation’s CEO, other senior management at administrative level and volunteers keeps going,” he added.