Committee Responsibilities regarding Protecting God’s Children
A volunteer is any person who has contact with children while they are volunteering. This includes anyone who has occasional contact. Any volunteer who is in the building while children are present must comply with the requirements.
All volunteers must:
These rules apply to events on parish grounds as well as off parish grounds. For example: boy scout campouts.
A Review of Policies and Standards
St. Michael the Archangel is committed to creating an environment throughout our parish that encourages and supports the dignity of others. In such an environment, conflicts of interest, harassment, sexual misconduct and any inappropriate conduct cannot be tolerated.
Children are a precious gift from God. As Church, we strive with families, friends and societal institutions, to secure a healthy environment designed to nurture our young people and to assist them in developing to their fullest potential as people of faith and as productive citizens.
11. Volunteers should not use sexually explicit or vulgar language.
12. Volunteers are responsible for the safety of the children they are supervising (this includes student volunteers they are supervising). Youth should not be leaving an event unattended. For instance: if a sports team is in the gym, they should never be outside the volunteer’s sight. If a student needs to leave the gym 2 other people should go with that student. Youth on the premises for an activity may not go to the playground unattended.
13. The lead volunteer, employee or supervisor of an event should know where all volunteers are at any time.
14. Volunteers should safeguard the confidentiality of other volunteers and minors.
All volunteers must:
- Complete a Protecting God’s Children Session prior to volunteering
- Complete all paperwork prior to volunteering (Code of Ethical Standards, Child Protection Policy and Sexual Harassment )
- A criminal background check must be completed by the parish prior to volunteering
- Once an event or activity is planned contact the Parish Office and make sure all volunteers have completed Protecting God’s Children. You can email volunteer names to [email protected]
- If you know someone has not completed Protecting God’s Children do not ask them to volunteer.
- Report any abuse of the above policy to Lisa Ragan.
- Report any suspected abuse to proper civil authorities and to Lisa Ragan and/or Fr. Brian Schieber.
- Report any concerns to Lisa Ragan and/or Fr. Brian Schieber.
These rules apply to events on parish grounds as well as off parish grounds. For example: boy scout campouts.
A Review of Policies and Standards
St. Michael the Archangel is committed to creating an environment throughout our parish that encourages and supports the dignity of others. In such an environment, conflicts of interest, harassment, sexual misconduct and any inappropriate conduct cannot be tolerated.
Children are a precious gift from God. As Church, we strive with families, friends and societal institutions, to secure a healthy environment designed to nurture our young people and to assist them in developing to their fullest potential as people of faith and as productive citizens.
- Report all concerns to the appropriate responsible authority. Everything is not a child abuse call but that does not mean it should not be brought to someone’s attention.
- Volunteers should not be subject to harassment by others and should not harass other volunteers or others.
- Volunteers should exercise concern for any person who may be isolated, harassed, alienated or the target of inappropriate conduct.
- Report any instance of abuse, sexual assault or sexual exploitation to the proper authorities.
- All volunteers should witness to chastity in all relationships to their state of life.
- A team approach to all ministry should be in place. There should be no instance where 1 adult and 1 child are left alone.
- Proper ratio of adults to young people should be maintained.
- 1 adult to 6 children (under 3)
- 1 adult to 8 children (3-5)
- 1 adult to 12 children (5-16)
- Any overnight should be 1 to 6 children
- All drivers for a field trip must have a valid driver’s license and insurance. All children must have a seat belt. An approved driver is someone age 21 or over.
- If an adult is meeting with a student 1 on 1 – the meeting should be in an open room. An open door or a window is acceptable.
11. Volunteers should not use sexually explicit or vulgar language.
12. Volunteers are responsible for the safety of the children they are supervising (this includes student volunteers they are supervising). Youth should not be leaving an event unattended. For instance: if a sports team is in the gym, they should never be outside the volunteer’s sight. If a student needs to leave the gym 2 other people should go with that student. Youth on the premises for an activity may not go to the playground unattended.
13. The lead volunteer, employee or supervisor of an event should know where all volunteers are at any time.
14. Volunteers should safeguard the confidentiality of other volunteers and minors.