Keeping it safe for our families.
Lighthouse requires all staff members and volunteers working with youth to complete FOUR SAFETY STEPS before ministry work or volunteer placement begins.
Step One: Sexual Abuse Awareness Training
Our church’s policies and procedures require that staff members and volunteers avoid abusive behavior of any kind. Staff members and volunteers are required to report any policy violations to a supervisor or a member of our Safety Committee. Staff members and volunteers should have a basic understanding of the characteristics of sexual abusers and their behaviors in ‘grooming’ a youth for sexual abuse. Grooming is the process used by an abuser to select a youth, win the youth’s trust (and the trust of the youth’s parent or ‘gatekeeper’), manipulate the youth into sexual activity and keep the youth from disclosing the abuse.
To equip our staff members and volunteers with information necessary to recognize abuser characteristics and grooming behavior, we require all staff members and volunteers to complete MinistrySafe sexual abuse awareness training. This training must be renewed every two years.
Step Two: Screening Process
A volunteer must attend our church for six months before being eligible to serve in positions providing access to youth. Staff members and volunteers are required to complete our Screening Process, which requires a staff member or volunteer to:
Step Three: Policies & Procedures
Staff members and volunteers are required to review the policies contained in this manual and sign the last page indicating that he or she has read and understood the material, and agree to comply with policy requirements.
Step Four: Criminal Background Check
All staff members and volunteers working or volunteering in youth activities or programming must undergo a criminal background check similar to how a background check in Oregon is carried out. This is because you may be working with vulnerable people. Differing levels or intensity of background checks may be required based on your role.
Step One: Sexual Abuse Awareness Training
Our church’s policies and procedures require that staff members and volunteers avoid abusive behavior of any kind. Staff members and volunteers are required to report any policy violations to a supervisor or a member of our Safety Committee. Staff members and volunteers should have a basic understanding of the characteristics of sexual abusers and their behaviors in ‘grooming’ a youth for sexual abuse. Grooming is the process used by an abuser to select a youth, win the youth’s trust (and the trust of the youth’s parent or ‘gatekeeper’), manipulate the youth into sexual activity and keep the youth from disclosing the abuse.
To equip our staff members and volunteers with information necessary to recognize abuser characteristics and grooming behavior, we require all staff members and volunteers to complete MinistrySafe sexual abuse awareness training. This training must be renewed every two years.
Step Two: Screening Process
A volunteer must attend our church for six months before being eligible to serve in positions providing access to youth. Staff members and volunteers are required to complete our Screening Process, which requires a staff member or volunteer to:
- Complete an Employment/Volunteer Application
- Complete the Safety Application.
- Complete a face-to-face interview.
- Provide references to be checked.
Step Three: Policies & Procedures
Staff members and volunteers are required to review the policies contained in this manual and sign the last page indicating that he or she has read and understood the material, and agree to comply with policy requirements.
Step Four: Criminal Background Check
All staff members and volunteers working or volunteering in youth activities or programming must undergo a criminal background check similar to how a background check in Oregon is carried out. This is because you may be working with vulnerable people. Differing levels or intensity of background checks may be required based on your role.
