Safety and Risk Management--Youth Ministry and Events Policy
Youth
Ministry and Events Policy
This document falls under the Children and Youth Protection Policy. Therefore, all workers and volunteers involved it youth ministry within and outside the church are required to understand and abide by the Children and Youth Protection Policy.
Definitions of Ministry Personnel
Ministry Lead - An individual age 23 or older who has successfully completed the recruitment and screening procedures of MPAC and is now deemed to be a person who can be put in a position of trust with youth. Ministry Leads are intentionally identified with this title. The Board of Elders do have the discretion to approve a younger Ministry Lead in exceptional circumstances.
Ministry Assistant - An individual age 17 or older who has successfully completed the recruitment and screening procedures of MPAC. They are now deemed to be a person who can be put in a position of trust with children under the direct supervision of a Ministry Lead.
Youth Ministry Personnel Standards
For the protection of our youth, ministry personnel are to be committed to maintaining a consistent spiritual life including prayer, Bible reading, attendance at youth events, planning meetings and worship services. Ministry personnel are to be role models of integrity at all times. Ministry personnel are to refrain from activities that could be considered morally and biblically questionable.
Ministry personnel are encouraged to meet with youth in small group settings and in teams to help build mentoring relationships.
The Senior Pastor must pre-approve the conducting of any one-on-one mentoring with the information being documented and filed.
One-on-one mentoring must be done in public settings and only under the following conditions:
The Senior Pastor is informed of the time and place of the meeting prior to the meeting and,
Parental permission is granted and,
Separate transportation is arranged to the meeting place
A public-setting could include a room at MPAC facilities where the door remains open or a door with an unobstructed window into the room. The ministry personnel must be visible from the open door or window.
Ministry personnel working with youth may not pursue a dating relationship with any youth.
Ministry personnel are aware of the following forms of appropriate touch:
one-arm hugs
shoulder-to-shoulder hugs
touch on the back or shoulder
Ministry personnel must refrain from the following inappropriate touch at all times:
chest-to-chest hugging
extended hugging
over-exuberant affection
lap-sitting
kissing
touching of thighs, knees or inappropriate spots of the body
prolonged touching of any kind
Ministry personnel must be cognizant of conduct that could be misinterpreted, such as:
horseplay
tickling
extended backrubs
1. For programs and event taking place at the MPAC facility and grounds.
All youth and ministry personnel will sign in and sign out for all events (see Appendix 16). If unregistered youth attend the event then signing in will include their name, contact person(s), phone number(s) and any health issues that the ministry personnel needs to be aware of.
Minimums
We recognize the best practice of the “Two Unrelated Adult” rule. We also recognize and acknowledge that youth ministries are a very important part MPAC vision and mandate. Therefore, in order to maintain youth ministries, it is understood that circumstances may arise when only one adult may be present or the ministry personnel overseeing a program may be related. All programs will include at least one ministry lead. The following is a guide to ministry personnel minimums, in order of priority for all events.
All Events: A minimum of two unrelated ministry leads or one ministry lead working with an unrelated ministry assistant will be present for supervision, except in the event of an emergency that develops at the event, or
For events at the MPAC facility not during worship services, related Ministry Leads and/or assistants or
If the event is taking place during worship services, one ministry lead is present with windows having clear lines of visibility in place and/or the door open, with designated hall monitors circulating periodically from room to room.
B. Ministry Personnel to Youth Ratio
Remember Section A above still applies.
One ministry personnel for every 7 youth under 16 years old
One ministry personnel for every 10 youth 16 years or older
2. Field Trips
All activities off church grounds will be pre-approved by the Church leadership with parents being notified at least one week prior to the outing.
All youth and ministry personnel will sign in and sign out for all events (Appendix 16). If unregistered youth attend the event then signing in will include their name, contact person(s), phone number(s) and any health issues that the ministry personnel needs to be aware of.
When planning local special events, it is preferred that parents/guardians drop off and pick up their youth at the event location.
Youth may not be transported one-on-one by Ministry personnel without written parental consent. The written consent will be kept on file permanently.
All ministry personnel drivers transporting youth during church activities must be pre-approved by the church leadership, provide a copy of their valid Class 5 driver’s license, current automobile insurance in accordance with the church insurance policy, a drivers abstract and have had a minimum of five years of driving experience.
The number of occupants in the vehicle will not exceed the number of seat belts. Seat belts must be worn by everyone and remain fastened while the vehicle is running.
A. Minimums
A minimum of two ministry personnel with at least one ministry lead (preferably unrelated) will be present for field trips.
B. Ministry Personnel to Youth Ratio
Two ministry personnel with up to and including 14 youth.
One additional ministry personnel for each additional 1 to 7 youth.
3. Overnight Trips and Out of Town Events.
All overnight and out of town events will be pre-approved by the MPAC Board of Elders at least one month prior to the outing. Parents will be notified of the event at least two weeks prior to the event.
Proper written consent and medical release forms (Appendix 9) are required for each youth participating in each event. Forms must be kept in the ministry lead’s possession during trips and events with a photocopy of the completed forms filed in the church office. The originals are to be kept on file permanently.
All youth and ministry personnel will sign in and sign out for all events using the Travel Form (Appendix 11).
Male and female youth will sleep in separate quarters or at separate ends of a larger space if separate quarters are not available (eg. Gymnasium).
Male and female youth are not allowed in each other’s sleeping quarters for any reason.
Male adults will supervise male youth and female adults will supervise female youth.
A .Minimums
A minimum of two adult ministry leads (preferably unrelated) will be present for all overnight trips and Out of Town events.
There must be at least one adult male and one adult female accompanying overnight and out of town events involving mixed genders.
One of the male and one of the female adults ministry leads must to be at least 25 years old.
B. Ministry to Youth Ratio
Two ministry personnel with up to and including 14 youth.
One additional ministry personnel for each additional 1 to 7 youth.
4. Billeting and Hosting
For the protection of our youth, it is required that all adults residing in a home where billets are provided must complete the following screening process prior to hosting. Screening includes:
Recommendation from the Senior pastor, and,
Police records check
Information guidelines distributed to host homes no less than one week in advance of the youth arriving at their home.
Any allergies and medications for youth should be communicated to the host home prior to arrival, with clear directions on how to manage allergies and/or medications.
Youth must always be billeted in small groups of the same gender.
Youth should have distinctly separate sleeping arrangements from the other household members and be under the supervision of a ministry lead.
Curfews of 11:00 p.m. should be enforced when youth are being billeted.
All youth staying in host homes are informed of proper etiquette and curfew guidelines. (Appendix 13)
5. Transportation
Our first concern in transportation is the safety of our youth. Drivers must have a minimum Class 5 license. Drivers must obey all the rules of the road including the speed limits. Reckless or unsafe driving will not be tolerated.
For church related activities, it is preferred that parents/guardians both drop off and pick up their youth at the event location. For out-of-town events, priority will be given to making use of a commercial carrier or a bus with a qualified driver.
All ministry personnel drivers transporting youth during church activities must complete the following prior to the event:
• Be pre-approved by the MPAC Board of Elders,
• Provide a copy of their valid driver’s license,
• Provide a copy of their current automobile insurance policy,
Provide a driver’s abstract and
• Have had a minimum of five years driving experience.
Sign the Drivers Contract (Appendix 14)
The number of occupants in the vehicle will not exceed the number of seat belts. Seat belts must be worn by everyone and remain fastened at all times while the vehicle is running.
The original trips and off-site Travel Form (Appendix 11) will accompany the group on their trip. A copy of the form will be left in the church office for the duration of the trip. After the trip, the original form will be filed permanently at the church.