Important Update About Volunteer Requirements (Corrected Sept. 1)

CORRECTION: Previous versions of this post incorrectly stated that the adoption of “Safe Church, Safe Communities” “render all previous Safeguard training invalid, even if it was completed less than five years ago”. This is not accurate. If you have completed “Safeguarding God’s People” training within the past five years, you must complete the new modules only when your previous training expires. If you have never completed “Safeguarding” training or completed it more than five years ago, you must complete the Safe Church, Safe Communties modules before continuing to serve. To check the expiration date on your certificate, email Kathleen Burgess at burgessk@stpaulcathedral.org

In response to our Baptismal call to seek and serve Christ in all persons and to respect the dignity of every human being, all Cathedral volunteers, regardless of serving role or frequency, are required to complete new modules of “Safe Church, Safe Communities” training. Additionally, we have adopted a new volunteer screening process for those who wish to serve our children and youth and will require all volunteers who handle food in any capacity to attain a California Food Handler’s Card. Those who lead teams of volunteers in any kitchen facility on site must also attend a brief kitchen orientation. Continue reading to learn about these new requirements and upcoming opportunities to fulfill them.

Safe Church, Safe Communities Training

As recommended by the General Convention’s Task Force to Develop Model Anti-Sexual Harassment Policies & Safe Church Training, the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego has recently adopted new modules and requirements for all volunteers in all churches/ These modules were designed by Episcopalians nationwide to address the changing needs of our communities, especially in the age of social media and digital communication.

Safe Church, Safe Communities Quick Facts:

• Eight mandatory modules for ALL volunteers. 
• Takes approximately three to five hours to complete. 
• After each module is completed, you will receive an email from Praesidium Academy with a link to your certificate. Please download each individual certificate (7 total) as a PDF file and send the file in an email to Kathleen Burgess at burgessk@stpaulcathedral.org.

  To Get Started, Go to 

  https://www.praesidiumacademy.com/redeem

1. Fill in your contact information including First Name, Last Name, Email Address, and desired Password.
2. Copy/paste the St. Paul’s Registration Code: reg-episdioceseofsandiego-619-paulcathedral
3. Click Validate to confirm registration code.
4. Click the checkbox to agree to the Terms & Conditions.
5. Click Redeem.
6. Write down your user login and password for future reference.
7. Answer the Registration Questions about your status and role within the organization.
8. Click Save & Continue.
9. To begin taking training immediately, scroll down and click a course to start the content.

The eight required modules are: Introduction & Theological Background, Healthy Boundaries, Inclusion, Bullying, Power & Relationships, Organizational Rules and Policies, Abuse & Neglect, and Anti-Harassment (this module has yet to be released on Praesidium, but will be required once it is available). 

Food Handlers Card Requirement

 To protect the health of our community, all volunteers who handle food must have a valid San Diego County Food Handlers Card on file, to be renewed every three years. Cards can be attained for about $13 here. If cost presents a barrier to serving, please contact our Facilities Manager Apprentice Xavier Vasquez vasquezx@stpaulcathedral.org

Those who lead teams of volunteers that use our kitchen facilities must also attend a brief Kitchen Orientation, presented by our Facilities Team. The first Kitchen Orientation will occur at the end of our community training event on August 27th. Check our calendar and St. Paul’s communications for upcoming orientation dates.

new family ministry volunteer screening process

To protect the physical, emotional, and spiritual safety of the children and youth entrusted to our care, all Family Ministry volunteers must undergo a thorough screening process which is to be repeated every five years. This process includes an application,  a background check, and other measures to make sure prospective volunteers are able to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children and youth. 

Scroll through the document below to view the full family ministry screening process or click here.

We understand that implementing these requirements will take some time and patience. For now, all inquiries pertaining to these new standards may be directed to Maya Little-Saña at little-sanam@stpaulcathedral.org 

Ultimately, the safety and care of our community is all of our responsibility. Thank you for taking the necessary steps to care for one another.