Safety Training for FUMC Volunteers

FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS WORKING IN ANY CAPACITY FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME WITH CHILDREN, YOUTH, OR VULNERABLE ADULTS:
Rio Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church requires (every 2 years) a background check, application and approval process, and safety training through Safe Gatherings and Trusted con Confianza to ensure abuse prevention for those we serve and best practices for volunteers and staff in ministry.  These are some of the areas of ministry in which background checks and training must occur: Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, Kings Kids, camps/retreats, Advent & Easter festivals, Lord’s Supper, Chrysalis, meal delivery, taking communion, home-church visitations, Confirmation Friend in Faith, 5th Quarter, H.O.T.T. Days, Faith In Action Children & Youth work, Nursery, God’s Kids Choir, Stephen Ministry, etc.
 
STEP 1
Go to www.safegatherings.com. Click on the red “Get Started” button to register and create an account that you may access at any time or location.
 
STEP 2
Fill out the online application. Be sure to have 1 non-current clergy and 1 professional reference on hand.
 
STEP 3
Access and complete the Safe Gatherings online abuse prevention and boundary awareness training. It’s about one and one-half hours in length and covers best practices, how to recognize signs of abuse, and how to handle reporting. You may log in and out as needed if you do not have time to complete the course in one sitting. A short test is given at the end. This is all completed on your Safe Gatherings website account. If you do not pass, you will have opportunity to review and re-take the test.
 
STEP 4
Attend a Trusted con Confianza safety training held by Rio Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Two dates are currently available to attend at FUMC Uvalde: Saturday, May 12th from 9:00-11:00A.M. & Saturday, June 16th from 10:00A.M.-12:00P.M. in Cox Conference, Room 105 of the Christian Life Center. If you are unable to attend one of these trainings, you may access the Rio Texas Conference site to find a date for an online webinar that is suitable to you. Simply go to this address: www.riotexas.org/safetrainings/ and click on a date/location to register.
 
Please note that all four steps must be completed prior to working with children, youth, or vulnerable adults (per conference and church policy). Thank you for partnering with us to share the light of Christ. Your gifts, talents, prayers, resources, service, and love are needed and appreciated!  ~FUMC Uvalde