|
Photo courtesy of Neil Riley
|
 |
Jesus Christ calls us to loving relationships that are healthy and helpful to each other, not taking advantage of those who are weaker or putting people in situations that are inappropriate for their age or maturity. All persons involved in ministry, whether receiving or giving care, deserve to be treated as Jesus Christ would treat them, with love, respect, kindness.
We are to seek God’s purposes for one another and not our own selfish purposes. All participants in ministry (all men and women, children, youth, adults, helpers, Sunday School teachers, nursery workers, adult supervisors, the poor, those of diverse cultural backgrounds, etc.) deserve to be in a safe environment; which includes, but is not limited to, an environment that is free from harassment, abuse, and misconduct. The Bishop and Diocese of Colorado are committed to creating such environments and have designed policies to reflect that commitment.
Safeguarding God's Children
Workshops
Workshop Leader Training
Online Workshops
Background Checks
Trak-1
Secure Search
Parish Policies for Ministries with Children and Youth
Safeguarding God's People (formerly Prevention of Adult Misconduct)
Safe Church Resources
The Safeguarding God’s Children program was designed by the Church Pension Group, and is aimed at preventing childhood sexual abuse. This curriculum is taught regularly throughout Colorado. It is generally a half-day training, and consists of two video presentations, information and discussion. For an up-to-date schedule of training dates and locations, please check this page, and see the News section of this website or contact the Office of Faith Formation.
Those who are required to attend this workshop (once every four years):
- All clergy
- All persons who regularly work with children or youth
- All persons who regularly supply transportation for children or youth
- All employees or those adults whose living quarters are on the grounds of the church or school
- All persons who supervise children or youth on an overnight activity
Those who are recommended to attend the workshop:
- Wardens
- Vestry and Bishop's Committee members
The Office of the Bishop encourages all congregations to host regular Safeguarding God's Children workshops to train those working with children and youth. Hosting congregations have a few basic responsibilities:
- Hospitality/Support Person for Workshop Leaders and Contact for Diocese
- Name Tags
- Television
- VCR or DVD
- Snacks
- Reimburse Workshop Leaders for mileage or incidentals if NOT members of hosting Church
Please contact Meg Stern in the Office for Faith Formation to inquire about scheduling a workshop. If you do not have your own “in house” workshop leaders, we will work with you to find leaders for your workshop.
Saturday, July 11, 9:00 am - noon, St. Stephen's, Aurora. For more information or to RSVP, please call 303-364-3186.
Saturday, July 11, 9:00am-12:00pm, Grace and St Stephen's Episcopal Church Colorado Springs. For more information or to RSVP, please call 719-328-1125
Sunday, July 12, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, St. Aidan's, Boulder. Participants will be provided with lunch. For more information or to RSVP, call 303-443-2503. Please RSVP by July 6.
Wednesday August 12 5pm – 9pm, Christ Church, Denver. For more information or to RSVP, please call 303-758-3674.
Saturday, August 22, noon - 4:00 pm, St. John's, Breckenridge. For more information or to RSVP, call 970-453-4264.
Tuesday, August 25 9am – 12:30pm Transfiguration, Evergreen. For more information or to RSVP, please call 303-674-9253
Sunday August 30, 12:30-3:30pm, Intercession, Thornton. For more information or to RSVP, please call 303-451-8085
Sunday, September 27, 1:00-3:30pm, St. John's Cathedral, Denver. For more information or to RSVP, please call 303-577-7703
Saturday, October 10th 9am – 12pm St. John’s, Boulder. For more information or to RSVP, please call 303-442-5246. Please RSVP by Oct. 3.
The Episcopal Diocese of Colorado is pleased to announce the availability of Safeguarding Online™ Internet-based abuse risk management training.
Completing Safeguarding Online™ or a Safeguarding God’s Children Workshop is a mandatory condition for employment and for volunteering with children and youth in the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado.
PLEASE NOTE:
The online version of Safeguarding God’s Children is only intended for use by those who need to be re-certified (every four years).
First timers to Safeguarding God’s Children must do a face to face workshop.
To complete the online requirements you will be required to finish each of the following four courses:
Meet Sam
It Happened to Me
Keeping Your Church Safe (or Keeping Your School Safe or your Camp Safe, depending on your area of ministry)
A review of the Diocese of Colorado Parish Policies for Children and Youth
Each course takes between 30-45 minutes to complete and ends with a brief quiz on key elements. You must successfully complete the quiz to receive credit for the course.
To complete your courses, follow the instructions below
1. Register by calling or e-mailing Meg Stern with the following details: Your full name; whether you are full or part time; employee or volunteer; which church/organization you are employed by/volunteering with; your e-mail address. Upon registering you will be provided with your login ID and a 4-digit password.
2. Using a high-speed Internet connection, go to www.SafeguardingOnline.org Click on “Click here to login and begin Safeguarding Online”.
3. Enter your login ID and password and click “Submit.” Click on the title of a course to begin the training.
4. Once you have completed the courses, you will be e-mailed a Certificate of Completion and a report will be made to the Diocese of your completion of the course.
To register or if you have any questions, please contact your Safeguarding Online™ Administrator, Meg Stern at 303-837-1173 or mstern@coloradodiocese.org.
There are no trainings scheduled at this time.
The Workshop Leader Training runs all day from 9am to 4pm with lunch provided. Authorization Forms from your Rector are required for those wishing to take this – please select the appropriate form (for the date you need) and either mail or fax it (303-837-1311) back to Meg Stern once it is completed.
Anyone wishing to take just the morning Workshop may attend that from 9am to 12pm.
To register for either of the above, please call (303-837-1173) or e-mail Meg Stern in the Faith Formation Office.
Back to Top
This is a four-hour workshop that covers the issues of sexual misconduct in employment, mentor, and colleague relationships and is required by those who are in supervisory and leadership roles within parish ministries. These include:
- Clergy
- Church employees (clerical and maintenance staff are exempt but encouraged to attend),
- Those who are responsible for screening, selection, and supervision of adult church workers in programs with children or youth (i.e. youth ministry coordinators, Sunday School directors)
- Lay pastoral care providers (paid or volunteers)
- Spiritual Directors or those in mentor positions
- Senior Wardens (Vestry members are exempt but encouraged to attend)
The Office for Faith Formation of the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado, under guidance of the Bishop and Chancellor of the diocese, is announcing that we are delaying further workshops on the Prevention of Adult Sexual Harassment and Exploitation until the new policies for the diocese are reviewed and approved by the Bishop and Standing Committee.
We are planning to review model policies presently being developed through the Church Pension Group and the Nathan Network and then adapting them for use in Colorado. After such policies are adopted by the Bishop and Standing Committee they will be distributed and a new training program (presently in the final stages of development by the Church Pension Group, the Nathan Network, and Presidium Corporation – the groups who developed the Safeguarding God’s Children program) will be implemented throughout the diocese. At this time, we intend to have the new workshop implemented in Spring 2009.
Therefore, until such a time as the new training program is offered, all licensed ministries that require attendance at the Prevention of Adult Sexual Harassment and Exploitation Workshops will be able to be licensed but must agree in writing to take it within 90 days after initially being implemented. Those who are so licensed, but do not take the new training will have such license revoked in the diocese.
Please note, this does not affect the Safeguarding God’s Children workshops. That program will continue.
Please watch for further information as it becomes available. For more information please feel free to contact the Office for Faith Formation or the Canon to the Ordinary’s office.
Back to Top
Many churches neglect to screen those working with Children and Youth
More to come...
|
|
