SAFE CHURCH
The Episcopal Diocese of NC requires many ministry positions and volunteers to complete Safe Church Training every three years. Those required to take Safe Church Training are listed below.
All Safe Church Training is now done through online modules by Praesidium Academy or diocesan Zoom trainings. Both satisfy the diocesan Safe Church Training requirement for three years.
Please note the diocese no longer schedules individual trainings at congregations. However, congregations are welcome to sign up as a group for a diocesan Zoom training and take the training together at their church.
The Zoom training can be done as a group as long as the Zoom meeting can be projected for all to see. Let the trainer know at the start of the meeting that you have a group and you will all be in one breakout room during the training. This is a good way to do the training in community where you can discuss Safe Church topics relevant to your worshiping community or preschool.
If you need assistance with taking the training, or if you’re not sure whether you or your employee are current on required Safe Church training, please be in touch with Leah Dail.
THOSE REQUIRED TO TAKE SAFE CHURCH TRAINING
- Clergy
- Church staff – Anyone on the payroll of the church (does not include contractors)
- Vestry members and anyone elected to a governing body
- Anyone who works with children or youth (including tutors and VBS volunteers)
- Anyone who makes at-home or other visits on behalf of the church
- Lay Eucharistic Visitors, Stephens Ministers, etc.
- Jail ministry visitors
- School and preschool staff
FOR ADMINISTRATORS
Congregational Safe Church administrators should contact Leah Dail when registering their church for the first time or if they have any questions.
Each year you will be required to submit an audit to the Diocese. Your records should be kept in some sort of spreadsheet form. You may use this document to track Safe Church Training records if you wish.
FOR PRAESIDIUM TRAINEES
- You will get an invitation email with a link once your church’s administrator has added you to the system.
- Click the link and set up a password.
- Complete the modules individually.
- Training modules will require approximately 5-20 minutes each, and about 2 hours total to take all the modules available.
- Let your Safe Church administrator know when you have completed your assigned modules.
- Praesidium Academy will send reminders every 3 years when training needs to be updated.
The Anti Harassment modules are not up yet; skip them for now. We will let everyone know when they are available. The reporting module you will take is called Duty to Report.
FOR DIOCESAN ZOOM TRAINEES
- Register for your preferred training.
- You will receive an email with the Zoom link.
- The training will start on time. Please log in a few minutes early and have your camera on. This is required to receive credit for the training.
- The training will last the entire two hours.
