Creating Safe Environments

STRENGTHENING OUR PARISH COMMUNITIES is a core standard of care embraced by all clergy, religious orders of clerics, sisters and brothers, employees and volunteers working in parishes and ministries of the Archdiocese of Winnipeg. The core standard of care involves policies and procedures designed to create and maintain a safe environment in our parishes and programs.

This standard of care includes assessing all activities in parishes and ministries of the Diocese to identify all positions especially those which could put children, youth or other vulnerable persons at risk of being harmed. The goal at all times is the protection and safety of our children, our vulnerable people, our volunteers, our clergy, religious, employees, volunteers and our Church.

In order to ensure the greatest care it is essential that all positions are assessed, assigned appropriate risk levels and that appropriate screening, management practices and follow up are maintained consistently throughout the Diocese.

The policies that are part of the Safe Environment Program for the Archdiocese of Winnipeg are:

• Archdiocese of Winnipeg Policy for Protection of Children, Youth and Vulnerable Adults, which includes The Archdiocesan Response to a Complaint of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Volunteers or Employees 
• Archdiocese of Winnipeg Protocol - Protecting Minors from Sexual Abuse & The Pastoral Response to Abuse Complaints (September 16, 2021)

The purpose of the Safe Environment Handbook is to assist parishes in making their own successful programs by incorporating best practices in the areas of child, youth and vulnerable person safety, policies of the Archdiocese of Winnipeg and Ecclesiastical Insurance standards.

If you have any questions or concerns, or you would like to schedule Safe Environment training in your parish, please contact Ben Schneider, Archdiocese of Winnipeg Human Resources Coordinator, at bschneider@archwinnipeg.ca. 

Handbook Appendix Form for Parishes

Acknowledgment Form 

Reference Check Form 

Volunteer Application Form 

Confidentiality Agreement 

Computer, Email and Internet Usage Policy 

Volunteer Tracking Sheet 

Volunteer Performance Evaluation Template 

Standards and Boundaries When Working With Children 

Volunteer/Visitor Incident Report 

Volunteer/Visitor Accident Report 

Criminal Record Check Information:

To make a request for the Winnipeg Police Service to perform a Criminal Record Check for Employment or Volunteer purposes, to apply online,

here is the new link: Winnipeg Police Service - PIC (ePIC - the Electronic Police Information Check online system)

Please be informed of the 2022 Fee Schedule:

Access the Child Abuse Check Form here:

Child Abuse Check Form (Link to PDF)