Effective Screening and Management for Staff and Lay Ministries

1
Effective Screening and Management for Staff and
Lay Ministries

• Vestry Presentation

2
Objectives

• Provide a brief introduction to the Screening and
  Management Program
• Outline main benefits of the program
• Outline the process for implementation of the
  program in our Parish

3
Introduction

• March 2001 Synod Council passed the following
  policy
• The Diocese of Niagara undertakes to ensure
  that our Church be a safe and holy place for all
  whom our ministry affects.
• It is therefore our policy that all staff and
  volunteers, lay and ordained, who come into
  contact with children, youth and vulnerable
  people be screened in a manner appropriate to the
  ministry or job being undertaken.

4
Introduction

• With input from Volunteer Canada, the Diocese of
  Ottawa, and the United Church of Canada the
  policy has been expanded to better define
  appropriate
• The Bishop expects every parish in the Diocese to
  take part in a training day by the end of April
  2002 and to have developed a program of Screening
  and Management by December 31, 2002

5
Terminology

• Please dont be thrown off by some of the
  language
• Screening involves the proper matching of
  individuals with positions. It is an attempt to
  ensure that people are appropriate for the
  ministry they will be engaged in

6
Terminology

• Management involves proper training,
  supervision, support, and recognition for
  individuals as they perform their ministry. It
  is an attempt to ensure that the individual, the
  participants, and the parish all benefit from the
  ministry
• Police Records Checks are a small part of
  Screening and Management, and will be used only
  for the highest risk positions - relatively
  infrequently

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Why Screening?

• People within our churches hold positions of
  trust with children, youth, and other vulnerable
  people
• Unfortunately, there have been cases in the past
  where this trust has been violated and abuse has
  occurred
• We have a moral and legal responsibility under
  the Duty to Care Principal to protect
  vulnerable people from harm
• And all of us are vulnerable to varying degrees
  at different times in our lives consider those
  grieving, those going through marital separation,
  those experiencing job loss, those who are
  lonely, etc.

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Why Management?

• To ensure that people are well-suited to their
  ministries in terms of skills, interests,
  attitudes, and abilities
• To give people the training, support, and
  recognition that they deserve so that their
  ministries are life-giving to themselves and
  others

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Outline of Process

• Establish a position of Volunteer Coordinator
  who can oversee the implementation of this
  program
• Make a list of all positions within the parish
  (Clergy and Lay, Paid and Unpaid)
• Write preliminary job descriptions for all
  positions (Ask the people currently in those
  positions to help!)

10
Outline of Process (Cont.)

• Perform a risk-assessment for each position.
• Based on the risk-assessment, establish
  appropriate level of screening for each position.
  Positions of higher risk will require more
  stringent screening requirements.

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Outline of process (Cont.)

• Based on the risk-assessment, establish
  appropriate training, supervision, and follow-up
  procedures for each position. Positions of
  higher risk should include more in-depth
  training, higher levels of support, and more
  direct supervision or monitoring.
• Finalize job descriptions for each position

12
Outline of Process (Cont.)

• Apply the screening procedures to each position
• Provide necessary training, supervision,
  follow-up, and evaluation
• Provide proper recognition and thanks

13
Main Benefits

• Meets our moral, ethical, and legal
  responsibilities to try to protect those we
  minister to from potential harm or abuse
• Brings us in line with community standards and
  the standards of other organizations Boy
  Scouts, Girl Guides, Minor Hockey Associations
  etc.

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More Benefits

• Good ministry management gets the right people
  into the right positions and guides people away
  from positions for which they are ill-suited
• Job descriptions provide clear, objective
  standards and boundaries for open, honest
  discussions

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More Benefits

• By providing people with clear guidelines and
  expectations we give them a better chance of
  being successful in their ministry
• Proper training and management helps protect
  people from false allegations
• Happy, successful volunteers lead to a healthier
  parish

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The Bishop Says

• I expect every parish to comply with this policy
  for the good of the church

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How and When?

• Every parish in the Diocese is expected to send
  at least One Clergy and Two Lay People to a
  training day by April 30, 2002
• All parishes are to develop a Screening and
  Management Program using the outlined process and
  provide documentation to the Diocese by December
  31, 2002

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Schedule for Regional Training Days - 2002

• January 19 Christ Church, Flamborough
• February 2 Incarnation, Oakville
• February 9 - Resurrection, Hamilton
  (Special Focus on Small Parishes)
• February 23 St. Georges, Guelph
• March 2 Grace Church, St. Catharines
• March 23 St. Marks, Orangeville
• April 6 St. Andrews, Grimsby
• April 13 St. Johns, Niagara Falls

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Training Will Provide

• A more in depth explanation of the proper
  application of the steps of the Screening and
  Management Process
• Hands on exercises in applying some of the steps
• An opportunity to discuss questions and concerns
• A chance to hear how other parishes are
  approaching the task
• A computer disc with sample job descriptions

20
Questions

• Wont screening turn people off and make it
  harder to get volunteers?
• For some people it may. But if approached with
  sensitivity along with clear explanations of
  exactly what is involved, why it is necessary,
  and the benefits to be realized, it doesnt need
  to. Over time, good ministry screening and
  management will make it easier to recruit and
  retain good lay ministers.

21
More Questions

• Who will need to have a Police Records Check
  (PRC)?
• All licensed clergy, active honorary assistants,
  and licensed lay workers will need to have a PRC.
• Also, those who minister to vulnerable people,
  and who are deemed to be in the high-risk
  category, where the risk level cannot be reduced
  by another method, such as supervision, team
  ministry etc.
• Examples Those who run residential
  programs with children, youth, or vulnerable
  adults. Those who provide individual counseling
  in closed settings.
• If the parish wants to insist on PRCs for
  lower levels of risk, its up to the parish.

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More Questions

• How long does the PRC last?
• A PRC that is more than 3 years old will be
  deemed invalid and need to be updated
• Who will have access to the information
  generated, and how will it be used?
• The PRC will remain the property of the
  individual. Where a PRC is required for a
  particular position, it will be reviewed by an
  appropriate supervisory person and returned to
  the individual. Confidentiality of all
  information will be given highest consideration.
  A Police Record does not necessarily exclude
  someone from ministry.

23
More Questions

• How does this program affect Scouts and other
  groups that use our facilities?
• The Church could be held vicariously liable if
  the groups that use our facilities minister to
  vulnerable people and do not properly screen.
  This is an opportunity to start a dialogue and
  help other volunteer organizations.
• Scouts, in particular, are very aware of the
  need to screen and have an active program in
  place.

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More Questions

• Could I be held personally liable if I become
  involved in screening and management and
  something goes wrong?
• The Diocesan insurance policy provides coverage
  for any employees, unpaid officials and church
  workers doing volunteer work while acting within
  the scope of their duties.