Thursday, February 25, 2010 | Last Updated Tuesday, May 3, 2011 07:23 Pacific/Honolulu

Safe church trainings

Two different workshops are conducted in the Diocese. These are described below. Different church leaders are required to take one or the other, or both. However, anyone in the Diocese is encouraged to take these workshops.

Safeguarding God's Children

The Diocese uses the curriculum put together by the Church Pension Fund. It describes the program as follows:

"Safeguarding God's Children provides participants with the information they need to protect the children they know and care for in their personal lives and the ministries in which they serve. The program is based on the philosophy that if every adult can protect just one child, they will forever change one life. If we can all change one life, together we will make a difference in this generation of children."

Safeguarding God's Children is required of all clergy, Vestry and Bishop's Committee members, and anyone (paid or volunteer) who works with children. This includes Sunday school teachers, youth group leaders, and preschool and school teachers. Anyone in a church is encouraged to attend the workshop, to increase the awareness of how to watch for warning signs of child abuse.

Safeguarding God's Children workshops are held throughout the year and led by clergy and laypeople in the Diocese who have received special training to lead them. We are currently expanding the team of trainers.

Please click here for the Diocese of Hawaii's Code of Conduct for the Protection of Youth and Children which was most recently updated in April 2011.  Work is currently underway for an on-line component for training, with a roll-out goal by year end 2011.

Preventing Sexual Misconduct

To teach about and guard against sexual harassment of adults and other misconduct, and to teach about appropriate boundaries in general, the Diocese uses the expertise of the Rev. Al Miles, through the auspices of Pacific Health Ministry. Miles is the Chaplain at Queen's Hospital and is a nationally known figure in this area and in the area of preventing domestic violence.

This workshop is required of all clergy, staff, Vestry and Bishop's Committee members, anyone else in a supervisory position, and Eucharistic Visitors (those who take Communion from their congregation to church members at home or in the hospital). Anyone in the Diocese is encouraged to take the workshop.

Trainings are conducted once a year on the islands of Maui, Kaua‘i, and the Big Island and twice each year on O‘ahu. Airfare to travel to another island to take the workshop will not be paid for from the diocesan budget (except for attendees from Moloka‘i, whose airfare to O‘ahu will be paid). For this reason, you are encouraged to make every effort to take the workshop when it comes to your island.

How often do I have to take the training?

Safeguarding God's Children is to be taken annually, with the first time being in person and subsequent trainings either in person or via the on-line courses currently being implemented for our Diocese.  For Preventing Sexual Misconduct, there currently is no requirement for renewal, however, please be aware that the Standing Committee will be reviewing that policy in 2011.  Please check back here for future changes.

Maintaining records

The Office of the Bishop maintains a record of who has taken either of these workshops. Once you take a workshop, you will be sent a letter from the Bishop's Office certifying that you took it. (You will receive a letter only if you signed in when you attended the workshop. If you attended, but did not sign the attendance sheet, you will not be credited with having been there.) Keep your letter. A copy will also be sent to your congregation or other institution (such as a school) that required you have the training.

If you have any questions about either of these workshops, please contact the Rev. Canon Liz Beasley.