The Diocese of Toronto is committed to ensuring that our church is a holy place where the love of Christ can be modeled and learned. We have a fundamental obligation to the welfare of all members of our community but especially those who are vulnerable through age, infirmity or particular circumstances of dependency. This is a sacred trust which must be responsibly and safely managed. From this commitment was born the Responsible Ministry: Screening In Faith Policy.
It’s purpose was to ensure that those whom we place in positions of power and trust be selected, trained and supported so that their ministry may be life-giving, and that we ensure that everyone conducts themselves in a manner which does not cause damage to other people or their property.
Screening Workshops
In order to assist parishes with the implementation of the Responsible Ministry: Screening in Faith program, this topic is covered annual at the Parish Leadership 101 workshops. Occasionally, there will also be introductory workshops offered. The workshop covers:
- Why the screening program is important
- Each parish’s responsibilities
- The 10 Screening Steps
- How to get started with Screening implementation
- Resources available to you
To hold a workshop in your parish, there is a Screening Workshop Presentation in PowerPoint available on this website – Note: for the full information go to the View menu and select Notes Page, for the presentation alone select Slide Show.
Sexual Misconduct Policy Training
Sexual Misconduct Policy Training is a key component of the Responsible Ministry: Screening in Faith program, and is required for all medium and high-risk positions.
A Sexual Misconduct Policy workshop is to be conducted in every parish once a year for those who are new to a ministry role, and repeated every 3 years for all parish leadership. Each parish is responsible for holding their own training workshop. To assist you parish with the training, the Diocese has developed the following resources:
- Parish Workshop (Red) Kit
- Sexual Misconduct in our Churches: Learn to Spot it, Learn to Stop It Training Video available from the Anglican Church of Canada’s Vimeo website.
- Sexual Misconduct Policy Training Case Studies (New in 2013) Training Video available on the Diocesan YouTube Channel.
- Case Studies Discussion Guide (New in 2013)
- Sample PowerPoint Presentation
For the full list of resources available to help with the implementation of the Responsible Ministry: Screening in Faith program, please see Forms and Resources.
- Human Resources Manager: Phone 416-363-6021 ext. 241 (1-800-668-8932)
- Responsible Ministry: Screening in Faith Policy