Human Resources

Safe Environment Project

The Archdiocese of Winnipeg is committed to creating and maintaining safe environments for children and youth in its parishes and schools. In order to fulfill this mandate we will use time tested safeguards such as criminal records and child abuse registry checks for people who work with children and youth. To supplement these safeguards, and to ensure that all of the people who work with our young people are fully aware of what constitutes a safe environment, we plan to follow up with a training program in collaboration with the Red Cross.

The Red Cross’s Prevention in Motion program deals with all types of maltreatment – emotional, physical and sexual – and is aimed at educating adults who work with youth and children. Participants gain knowledge about barriers and benefits to preventing abuse, and learn ways to proactively build safer relationships within organizations and communities. The interactive workshops also examine how to handle disclosures, the legal reporting requirements and risk management strategies.

We have trained 20 people (a combination of rural and urban) who work within the Catholic parish and school communities as diocesan certified Safe Environments Educators who will deliver the Prevention in Motion program to the 1000+ volunteers and staff who work with children and youth within our organization. Workshops will start in the fall of 2006.

The need for the project and its significance to strengthen the community:

Policies and education provide continuity to an organization and good governance defines procedures used to ensure that the best practices are in place to provide safe environments. Organizations have an obligation to provide safe environments, and to protect participants from harm, including physical and emotional harm, which can result from harassment or abuse. Volunteers and staff within our organization need to comply with child protection legislation and be aware of what constitutes harm to a child.

Organizational policy and screening processes for those that work with the vulnerable sectors are steps required for effective risk management. Methods of risk management include: identifying risks, measuring risks and controlling risks. Screening interviews, criminal records check for vulnerable sectors, child abuse registry checks, and orientation and prevention education promote safe, respectful and supportive relationships for individuals, within the community and within the family. Reinforcing our philosophies around the healthy development of children and youth will help to strengthen the community and empower people with knowledge that is carried forward to all aspects of their lives. Safe Environments Educators, and the volunteers that they train, will not only be able to support the Archdiocesan community, but will also carry the information they gain into the larger community as citizens of the city of Winnipeg and the province of Manitoba. As parents, coaches and volunteers, they will constantly be aware of creating safe environments for the children and youth with whom they work.

We will continue to keep our constituents aware of the progression of the project through our media resources such as The New Wine Press and our Communications Bulletin where information is sent to parishes on a weekly basis and is then inserted into the weekly parish bulletins. For more information please contact Dianna Robson at drobson@archwinnipeg.ca or 452-2227 ext. 227.

© The Archdiocese of Winnipeg