The nationally recognised and accredited Safe Church Awareness Training will be conducted at 2 venues in 2019 –       

Saturday 16 March @ Canowindra UC, and Saturday 4 May @ Dubbo UC;

          from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm. 

This program is an essential tool for everybody across the UCA, especially those in leadership positions in all the congregations.

As communities of faith, we are committed to providing a safe environment for people to encounter God, to develop relationships as part of a community and to grow in faith. The principles that undergird this course guide us into appropriate relationships and provide the basis for safe programs and practices, run in safe environments, by safe leaders in an abuse-free Christian community.

The Synod of NSW/ACT requires all ministry leaders (including Ministers, Deacons and Pastors) in church-run programs/events with direct contact with children or other vulnerable people (including those in aged care contexts), as well as those involved in the pastoral and practical oversight of each congregation (Church Council and Elders) to participate in Safe Church Awareness Training – which consists of an introductory full-day workshop and a refresher every 3 years. This also includes all volunteers and those involved in Special Religious Education (SRE) in schools. 

The courses to be conducted in March and May in the Presbytery will cover

• The foundations of safe churches, 
• Protecting vulnerable people,
• What makes a safe leader, and Safe programs.

Both days will incorporate The Refresher - from 10:00 am to 1:15 pm …. but for those new to Safe Church Awareness , the full day is required.

Even if you don’t think you are due for a refresher, please consider attending one of the sessions – there is a heap of new stuff in the program that has come out of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that we all need to be aware of and putting into practice in our local contexts.

Any queries regarding the Safe Church Awareness Training can be made to Rev Peter Harvey (Presbytery Minister and Resource Officer) by email to peterharvey2016@bigpond.com

Registration for both dates is on-line - Registration