Complaints Procedure

1. Introduction

Teens in AI is committed to providing high quality programmes, workshops, and learning experiences. We recognise that, on occasion, participants, parents, partners, or other stakeholders may have concerns or feel dissatisfied with an aspect of our work. This procedure explains how complaints can be raised, how they will be addressed, and the standards of service that complainants can expect.

We aim to:

Handle complaints promptly, fairly, and consistently.
Resolve matters at the earliest opportunity.
Learn from complaints to improve our services.

2. Scope

This procedure applies to complaints made by:

Participants in Teens in AI programmes or activities.
Parents/guardians of participants.
Partner organisations, schools, or other stakeholders.

Complaints may relate to:

The quality or delivery of our programmes.
The conduct of staff, mentors, or volunteers.
The administration of services.
Health, safety, or safeguarding concerns.

3. Principles

31 Complaints will be taken seriously and treated with respect.

3.2 We will maintain confidentiality, sharing information only with those directly involved in investigating and resolving the complaint.

3.3 Complaints will not result in any disadvantage to the complainant.

3.4 We will provide a clear and timely response.

4. Procedure

Stage 1: Informal Resolution

Wherever possible, complaints should be raised informally with the staff member or programme lead concerned.
We encourage concerns to be raised at the earliest opportunity so that they can be resolved quickly and effectively

Stage 2: Formal Complaint

If the complaint cannot be resolved informally, a formal complaint should be submitted in writing to:

Complaints Officer
Teens in AI
elena.sinel@teensinai.com

The written complaint should include:

The complainant’s name and contact details.
Details of the concern or issue, including dates, times, and names (if relevant).
Any steps already taken to resolve the matter.

Acknowledgement:

Complaints will be acknowledged within five working days.

Investigation:

The complaint will be reviewed by a senior member of the Teens in AI team not directly involved in the issue.
Where appropriate, the complainant may be invited to discuss the matter further.

Outcome:

A written response will be provided within 20 working days of the complaint being acknowledged.
If more time is needed, the complainant will be informed and given a revised timescale.

Stage 3: Appeal

If the complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome, they may request an appeal in writing within 10 working days of receiving the decision.
The appeal will be reviewed by the Executive Director (or a designated trustee if the Executive Director has already been involved).
A final written response will be issued within 20 working days.

5 Safeguarding Concerns

If a complaint raises a safeguarding issue, it will be referred immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead and managed under Teens in AI’s Safeguarding Policy.

6. Monitoring and Learning

6.1 All complaints will be logged and monitored by the Complaints Officer.

6.2 An annual summary of complaints and outcomes will be reviewed by the Teens in AI leadership team to identify trends and improvements.

7. Contact Details

For all formal complaints, please contact: