Safeguarding Policy Update with New Training Requirements & Dates

After prayerful discussion, the diocesan office and Safeguarding Facilitator, Stacy Dowdy, will provide online Safeguarding God'sChildren courses for all individuals who work or volunteer with children and youth in the Diocese of West Texas, including church, school, and ministry employees, volunteers, and leadership.

Any person who will need to take a Safeguarding God's Children class in order to work or volunteer with children and youth in the diocese will be required to

• complete three online Safeguarding God's Children modules,
• pass the test included at the end of each one, and
• attend a one-hour presentation via Zoom, that will cover the newly updated diocesan Handbook.

To introduce the new procedures for online Safeguarding and new diocesan policies, Stacy and the diocese will host several, new Safeguarding God's Children Policy Update sessions via Zoom. All churches, Episcopal Schools, and other diocesan institutions are encouraged to register at least one person (a priest, Head of School, trainer, etc.) to attend one of the Safeguarding God's Children Policy Updates. These free, two-hour presentations will replace previously announced trainer sessions. Individuals will need to have access to a computer with a camera or smartphone to participate in these video discussions.

The updated Handbook for Those Work with Children and Youth will be available online, at dwtx.org/safeguarding, on August 1, 2020. Look for additional mid-August Policy Update dates to be released soon.

Please contact Melissa Soderberg, Executive Assistant to the Bishop's Office, at melissa.soderberg@dwtx.org, with questions. Thank you for your commitment to the safety of our children and youth. We look forward to seeing you in the upcoming meetings.

Canon Caroline Mowen
Canon for Administration and Ministry Support
caroline.mowen@dwtx.org
o. 210-547-4009

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Safeguarding God's Children Policy Update Zoom Session Dates

Each Safeguarding God's Children Policy Update session will be a two-hour, live introduction to the online Safeguarding procedures and new diocesan policies. All churches, Episcopal Schools, and other diocesan institutions are encouraged to register at least one person (a priest, Head of School, current trainer, etc.) to attend one of these online, free sessions.

Requirements: Registration, available online at dwtx.org/events. Participants must have access to computer with camera or smart device to participate in the video training.

Schedule: All introduction sessions will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

• Thursday, July 30
• Monday, August 3
• Thursday, August 6

Questions? Contact Melissa Soderberg, Executive Assistant to the Bishop's Office, at melissa.soderberg@dwtx.org or 210-824-5387.

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