Monday, October 24th, 2016
As someone who works with children and youth, you probably know the basic definition of sexual abuse. According to childhelp.org, sexual abuse occurs when an adult (or older/more powerful child) uses a child for sexual purposes or involves a child in sexual acts. In addition to the physical aspect, sexual abuse can also involve non-contact […]
Read More >>Monday, October 24th, 2016
Imagine this scenario: You are a volunteer at your church, school, or organization’s Trunk or Treat event. Your main task is to make sure that kids are following the path of cars to keep the line moving. You notice a man walking around with a camera, taking photos of children. You don’t recognize the guy, […]
Read More >>Monday, October 24th, 2016
Kind behavior and bullying behavior have one thing in common: they both have lasting effects. A kind word or smile can make a young person feel good for the rest of the day. Name-calling and other bullying behaviors will not only make a child feel bad in the moment—it can have effects that range from […]
Read More >>Tuesday, October 18th, 2016
Halloween can be a magical night for children and youth. It’s the one day of the year when young people use their imagination to dress up as someone or someTHING else and fill their bags with treats! But as you invite the community in for trunk-or-treat or other Halloween-related activities, it’s important that your staff […]
Read More >>Friday, September 30th, 2016
Whether you call it your “sixth sense” or listening to your gut, you know when something doesn’t seem right. Your responsibilities put you in a good position to observe children and be alert to unusual changes in behavior or moods. Unfortunately, you may even see an adult acting irresponsibly with a child or youth under […]
Read More >>Wednesday, September 14th, 2016
Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016 was the 15-year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City and beyond. The day left us thinking about safety in general. As you enter your school, church, or organization, is safety on your mind? The nearly 3,000 victims of 9/11 were nearly all adults, either workers in the Twin […]
Read More >>Tuesday, July 26th, 2016
Imagine this scenario: You are a volunteer at a camp and you are instructed to be there at 8 a.m. to be ready for the kids coming at 8:30 a.m. Your co-volunteer called to say she’s running late. Soon after, a mom pulls up to drop off her son early. You know from your training […]
Read More >>Tuesday, July 26th, 2016
Pokemon GO: It’s a gaming phenomenon like no other and currently, the most popular phone app in U.S. history. Many people are quick to dismiss the game, whether because of long-held ideas about Pokemon (a successful video game franchise from the 90s), or resistance to social media, technology, or kids using cell phones. But let’s […]
Read More >>Tuesday, July 26th, 2016
Some people are born leaders, and others work their entire lives to get there—but everyone can use some reminders about what it takes to be a good leader. Here are some tips for effective leadership: 1. Be a good listener. Open your ears to those around you. A good leader listens to ideas, feedback, and […]
Read More >>Tuesday, July 26th, 2016
Is your church, school, or organization experiencing delays in your application processing? The delay could be something really simple. When people are applying for Safe Gatherings approval, they enter information about their references. However, an application will be delayed if this information is not correct. For example, if a reference email goes to the wrong […]
Read More >>Tuesday, July 26th, 2016
This spring, we announced our sister company, CongregationU. Have you had a chance to check it out yet? CongregationU provides e-learning courses designed specifically for the church environment. You can educate and train your staff, volunteers, and members on topics such as safe driving, first aid, church marketing, parliamentary procedure, kitchen safety, social media, and […]
Read More >>Monday, July 11th, 2016
In the easy days of summer, a child’s imagination runs wild: invisible water and sharks outside their pirate ship, or monsters lurking in the big woods. But outside of their imagination, the reality is that the dangers are often those that children never see coming. Statistics show that 90% of children and youth know their […]
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