Facilitators sought for safe environment program

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
July 17, 2003

The Diocese of Sioux City is currently seeking individuals to serve as facilitators of training sessions for a new safe environment program adopted by the diocese.

According to Kevin Vickery, every diocese was required to create or adopt such a program in accord with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People that was approved by the U.S. bishops last year in Dallas. The Diocese of Sioux City opted to go with the VIRTUS program called Protecting God's Children that was developed by the National Catholic Risk Retention Group. Many other dioceses throughout the country including the other dioceses in Iowa are using this same program.

VIRTUS - which is Latin for virtue and moral strength - is a program begun in the 1990s to promote the awareness and prevention of sexual abuse and other forms of inappropriate behavior by church personnel.

"Their materials provide us with the ability to understand how to create an environment that can identify inappropriate behaviors. It will allow us to understand the kinds of things that we as employees should be looking for in how we operate. It also empowers us to understand more about how people become victims - both children and families," he said.

It trains church workers including clergy, paid parish and school personnel as well as volunteers about the warning signs of abuse and stresses the importance of promptly reporting suspicious behavior to appropriate authorities.

Vickery pointed out that the diocese is looking for 15 to 16 people to serve as a team of facilitators. They will go out to parishes, schools and clusters to offer training at the local level.

"We are looking for people who have a strong understanding as to the issues surrounding the need to provide a safe environment, people who are good communications, people who know how to work with parents and adults and those who are comfortable in talking about sensitive subject matter," he said. "The facilitators role is not to identify potential abuse victims and is not to counsel, it is simply to facilitate training that can make people aware of how to make schools and parishes safe."

Facilitators must be willing to make a commitment of time. The training session for facilitators is slated for July 29, 30 and 31 in Des Moines. The diocese will provide the cost of training, lodging and meals. These individuals must also be willing to facilitate about two two-and-one-half to three-and-one-half hour sessions a month.

Vickery said church workers and volunteers who have regular contact with children, such as catechists, must be trained. He expects this to be done within six months. From there, a second phase of training would include presenting this program to parents and other interested parishioners.

Primary objectives of the program are to develop and maintain a system of workable policies and procedures, provide education and open the channels of communications.

In addition to initiating a child safe environment program, the Dallas Charter also required that dioceses create a sexual abuse policy and create a professional code of ethics for all church employees and volunteers. Both of these are completed and are available on the diocesan Web site - www.scdiocese.org.

These two items will also be addressed at the training sessions.

Persons interested in becoming a facilitator should call Kevin Vickery as soon as possible at (712) 233-7589 or by e-mail at kevinv@scdiocese.org.

While people will have the opportunity to attend a Protecting God's Children training session in their area, some may wish to go to a session in Des Moines on July 31 that is taught by VIRTUS representatives. A morning and afternoon session will be offered in order for the newly-trained facilitators to see first-hand the type of sessions they will soon be providing out in the field.

Up to 250 people from this diocese can attend a session on July 31 with parishioners from the other three Iowa dioceses. To reserve a spot, contact Jeanne Piechota at (712) 233-7527.

"The ministry of providing a safe environment for the children of our parishes and schools is one of the most important ministries that we can give to the church," said Vickery.