The Wisconsin Conference Council on Youth Ministries will again be sponsoring a series of Safe Sanctuaries and Boundaries Workshops throughout 2004. These workshops are designed for all paid staff, volunteers in children and youth ministry, senior pastors, and staff parish committee members. It is important to get the leaders of the church involved in the awareness of creating "Safe Sanctuaries" for all of God's people.

This year the Safe Sanctuaries trainers have clearly identified the different levels of Safe Sanctuaries training needs for different churches. Several churches experienced the regional training events last year and are ready for the next step. Therefore, we have identified what some of those next steps would be. Trainers are available to work with individual local churches at any of these levels. We are also seeking new trainers as we continue to strive to have every church in the Wisconsin Conference be a "Safe Sanctuary."

The list of current Safe Sanctuaries trainers is below. If you are interested in inviting them into your church, please contact the Conference Youth Office and we will help make individual church arrangements. We encourage all of you to attend whichever level training meets the needs of your church.

Levels of Safe Sanctuaries trainings:

• SSB Level I: (4-5 hour session)
  Overview and basic understanding of what Safe Sanctuaries is and how do churches protect their children and youth. This session seeks to answer the questions, "Should we have policies? Why?" Developing a Safe Sanctuaries Team.

• SSB Level II: (4-5 hour session)
  What next? This is specifically targeted at Safe Sanctuaries teams. The session seeks to help teams develop congregational support, and identify a church's needs according to their sizes and respond to "How To..." questions. This session also seeks to give teams resources in developing their own policies for their church.

• SSB Level III: (consultations with churches)
  This level in Safe Sanctuaries is primarily targeted for churches who have developed and implemented their Safe Sanctuaries policies and are looking to keep updated to the law changes, etc. Consultants will be available to do "Audits" with churches and walk through their spaces to ensure that they are properly implementing their policies. Consultants will also work with various questions or challenges that local churches have.

• SSB Level IV: (2-3 hour session)
  EDUCATIONAL RESOURCING: A primary component of Safe Sanctuaries is prevention and education. Level IV seeks to offer training and educational resources for parents, children and youth, staff and new core leaders in the church. Because churches can be constantly changing leadership, it is important for churches to develop a core group of leaders who are able to provide educational resources to new volunteers and staff throughout the year.

• SSB Training of Trainers/Consultants: (4-5 hour session)
  SSB trainings consist of equipping volunteer leaders to be able to lead any or all of the four levels of training in the church. Training Sessions usually consist of sample workshops and providing resources and supporting documents and information for trainers and consultants. Because Safe Sanctuaries is a constantly changing realm, trainers and consultants will have regular training updates and workshops.

Did you know that a young person is abused every ten seconds? Did you know that over 8,000 children/teens are abused every day? Did you know that The United Methodist Church Book of Discipline says that, "Each local church should:

1. Develop and implement an ongoing education plan on the reality of abuse, risk factors leading to child abuse and strategies for prevention.
2. Adopt screening procedures for workers directly or indirectly involved in the care of children and youth.
3. Develop and implement safety procedures for church activities.
4. Carry liability insurance that includes sexual abuse coverage!"

If your church hasn't taken these guidelines into consideration, then your church is at risk. Litigation for an abuse charge for the church can cost thousands even millions of dollars. Dollars that could have been used for ministry. It can take many years and worst of all it can destroy lives.

The Conference Council on Youth Ministries is seeking ten trainers to be trained to help churches become "Safe Sanctuaries," in Wisconsin. These trainers will lead a series of workshops across the regions. Trainers will also be available to assist churches as they begin to develop their safe sanctuaries procedures.

If you are interested in becoming a "Safe Sanctuary Trainer," please contact Amy Barker.

We who are in ministry cannot afford to ignore the realities of abuse in our world. It doesn't just happen in the "Catholic Church!" It happens in UM churches too!

Jesus said, "Whoever welcomes a child...welcomes me!" (Matt 18:5)

Jesus also said, "If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones...,it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matt 18:6)

Become a Safe Sanctuary!