Friday, October 19th, 2018
“Why do I, a respected member of this organization, need training about protecting children? I’ve been working around kids for 15 years!” You have probably heard this in your church or organization many times. Or maybe you’ve said it a couple of times yourself. As a leader, you are trying to encourage best practices and […]
Read More >>Monday, July 23rd, 2018
Imagine this scenario: The church where you work is expanding, and they are considering moving the children and youth ministry to other areas within the large facility. The good news is that the growing ministry will now have bigger classrooms, more space, and separate restroom areas. However, the new space is in a basement area […]
Read More >>Monday, July 23rd, 2018
Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Instant Messenger … the social media options are endless and constantly evolving. Not only do children and teenagers have more access to technology than ever before, but also you can bet that many of your staff and volunteers spend a fair amount of time on social media. Social media can be positive […]
Read More >>Monday, April 23rd, 2018
If you’ve ever worked or volunteered with children or youth, you know the job is not just about teaching, childcare, or giving parents a break. Unfortunately for many children, school or church is the only place they get a good meal or even a snack. Though staff and volunteers may be unaware, this may be […]
Read More >>Monday, April 23rd, 2018
Imagine this scenario: It’s the end of a night of volunteering with youth, and you are busy cleaning up outside while youth are wrapping up indoor activities. When you go back into the building to lock up, you notice one youth still there—and everyone else has gone home. The teen has his cell phone in […]
Read More >>Monday, April 23rd, 2018
If you’ve taken the Safe Gatherings training, you’re familiar with the term “mandatory reporting.” You might be in a position at your school, church, or organization that designates you as a mandatory reporter, and maybe you’ve reported abuse in the past. But many people are unsure about mandatory reporting. Who is required to report? Does […]
Read More >>Monday, April 23rd, 2018
Have long lists of applicants in the Safe Gatherings system and someone you can’t find? We have added a new feature for administrators to help in this process! Previously, it was possible to sort applicants by first name only. This is manageable for a short list of applicants, but many groups have dozens, or even […]
Read More >>Monday, January 29th, 2018
When an abuse situation becomes breaking news, it is often accompanied by interviews with neighbors, family, friends, or others in the community who “wish they would have said something,” or saw the signs but, “weren’t sure,” and didn’t want to violate anyone’s privacy. Sometimes, people knew something was “off,” but failed to say anything. Such […]
Read More >>Monday, January 29th, 2018
If you look up the term “grooming” on a dictionary website, you’ll find a definition that sounds like this: “to get into readiness for a specific objective.” As it applies to those who prey on children and youth, you’ll find that word to be particularly disturbing. What exactly does grooming mean when it comes to […]
Read More >>Monday, January 29th, 2018
Imagine this scenario: You are a staff member at a youth camp, and a parent approaches you with questions about your showering policies. You look through your policies but can’t find anything related to the topic. What do you do? First, don’t panic. It’s not unusual for policies to be incomplete in one area or […]
Read More >>Monday, January 29th, 2018
We’d like to share some good news with you about a new feature you can share with your applicants. They now can recover their username if they have forgotten it! All they have to do is click on the “Forgot your username?” link and they will receive an email with the correct information. In addition, […]
Read More >>Wednesday, October 25th, 2017
“Love one another” and “forgiveness” are at the heart and core of the message of churches and other faith-based organizations. But one of the greatest challenges for a church can happen when someone in the congregation has been cast out from society because of wrongdoing. In particular, many churches struggle with what to do with […]
Read More >>