Training
Safe Church Training educates, supports and equips employees and volunteers of the church for safe ministry practice and godly governance.
Training is mandatory by law for all those who work in policy making and relational trust. Training must be completed in person within 12 months of appointment or role commencement, with yearly updates completed online.
Through its training programme the Presbyterian Church of Victoria (PCV) champions and models Christian child safe culture at all levels of the church, top down and bottom up. Training is delivered via congregational in-house training events at no individual cost.
📞 Phone: 0435 417 283
📧 Email: scu.compliance@pcv.org.au
In-House Training
Advanced Training and Basic Training may only be held as official congregational events approved by the session and run in coordination with a Safe Church Representative (SCR).
- Training events must be registered with the Safe Church Unit (SCU) prior to occurring to be Safe Church compliant. [Form]
- Training videos are on YouTube and will require an internet connection to play. They can be mailed on request if internet access is unavailable. They will need to be paused at designated times as prompted in order for participants to discuss scenarios and complete questions in their booklets.
- A 5-minute break at some point during the training is recommended to allow people to stretch their legs and re-focus again afterwards.
- SCRs are not expected to answer questions in relation to the training content. Questions about the material covered are to be referred to the SCU.
- The Advanced Training Kit and Basic Training Kit contain participant workbooks, scenario materials and legislation fact sheets. These will need to be printed and distributed to attendees.
- The kits also contains promotional material, attendance record templates, video timing guidance, optional opening/closing prayers, and summary points for SCRs running training events.
- After training, the SCU must be notified of the event's completion and the names of attendees. [Form]
Basic Training
Safe Church Basic Training is for all employees and volunteers across the church who hold leadership positions, minister to children under 18 or are involved in pastoral care. Basic Training is a two-hour course covering the implementation, procedures and practice of the Safe Church Policy and Safe Church Code of Conduct in all child-related ministries and operations of the denomination. It is completed first and once only.
- Basic Training is not required or recommended for children under 18, as the training content includes material relating to child abuse. If a person under 18 wishes to attend they must be at least 16 years of age and a signed Basic Training Parental Permission Form must be completed and returned to the Safe Church Representative prior to attendance.
- There are two scenarios available for section 2 of the Basic Training. SCRs are to select whichever scenario is preferred for use (A or B) and go through the Scenario Response Information sheet with the attendees after they have completed the scenario task. Allow ~15 minutes for discussion.
Advanced Training
Safe Church Advanced Training is for designated senior leaders in congregations and organisations with particular responsibility for leading and delivering ministries. Advanced Training is a two-hour course on understanding and preventing risks. It is not a repeat of Basic Training. Advanced Training is completed after Basic Training, once only.
Online Refresher Course
The online refresher course must be completed every 12 months following Basic Training or Advanced Training, or recognition of external training via the transfer process, by all employees and volunteers across the church who hold leadership positions, minister to children under 18 or are involved in pastoral care.
Safe Church Representatives promote refresher training in their congregations/organisations and will direct all mandated people to view the presentation. The course is available as a brief online presentation on YouTube or in written form below. This can be mailed on request for those without access to the internet.
Privacy Policy Training
Safe Church Privacy Policy Training is recommended for all employees and volunteers who handle personally identifiable and/or sensitive information about individuals in the course of undertaking their role in the church. This can be viewed at any time and does not need SCR supervision.
