Children's Ministry Application - VANGUARD CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Phone number *

Which program(s) are you interested in being a part of? *

(check all that apply)

Apple Orchard (0-3 Years Old)

Kids Church (4-11 Years Old)

Junior High (Grades 6-8)

Verve Youth (Grades 8-12)

Wherever needed!

Other

Why do you want to be a part of this ministry? *

What experience do you have working with children and/or youth? *

Have you been certified in any of the following?

(check all that apply)

First Aid

CPR

AED

Do you have a medical background (doctor, nurse, first responder, etc)? If yes, please describe.

Churches You Have Attended

Please list the churches you've attended in the past 5 years.

Church #1: Church Name *

Church #1: Membership *

Church #1: Pastor's Name *

Church #1: Pastor's Email or Church Email *

Church #1: Pastor's Phone or Church Phone *

Add a Second Church?

Vanguard Church Member Reference

Reference may not be a family member.

Name (Vanguard Church Member Reference) *

Phone Number (Vanguard Church Member Reference) *

Email (Vanguard Church Member Reference) *

Address (Vanguard Church Member Reference) *

Street Address, City, State, Zip Code

Non-Church Reference

Reference may not be a family member.

Name (Non-Church Reference) *

Phone Number (Non-Church Reference) *

Email (Non-Church Reference) *

Address (Non-Church Reference) *

Street Address, City, State, Zip Code

Children's Ministry Child Protection Agreement

We believe it is our responsibility to protect the children in our care. Children and parents need to know that we have taken every reasonable step to ensure children’s safety in our ministry. We also believe it is our responsibility to protect staff and volunteer workers in our ministry from being exposed to false accusations of misconduct. To this end, we have screening and supervision policies in place to protect both our children and our ministry workers.

SCREENING PROCESS

Written Application: We require a written Volunteer Service Application to be sure we're selecting the best candidates possible for our ministry programs.

Reference Checks: Applicants are required to provide prior service references, preferably from a youth organization, plus contact information for previous churches. Additionally, at least two personal references (one from church and one outside) must be provided. We will contact all references.

Personal Interview: We use the interview time to explore more fully why a candidate wants to work with children or youth. We also review our ministry’s policies and procedures regarding the supervision of children.

Background Check: We conduct a background check for all pastors, staff, and volunteers who have access to our children. If you are driving as part of your ministry service with minors, a copy of your driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance will need to be on file in the church office.

Six-Months Regular Attendance & Membership: Six months of regular attendance and membership at Vanguard provides time for individuals to become better known, and gives an opportunity to evaluate their suitability for volunteer service. In some cases, this length of time is reduced based on a person's ability to provide positive character references from other youth- serving organizations, and a person's prior history working with children in a previous faith community.

POLICIES

Training: All staff and volunteers are required to successfully complete our Youth & Child Protection Training. Additional training in curriculum implementation and classroom management will be provided throughout the year.

Team Supervision: We require a minimum of two background-checked adults to be with the children in our care at all times. To protect both our children and our volunteers, no adult should be alone with a child unless he or she is the parent of that child.

Appropriate Physical Contact: No one should ever feel uncomfortable in the way they are being touched. Appropriate touching may include a gentle touch on the shoulders, hands, arms, head, or upper back. Kissing, touching of the chest, waist, stomach, bottom, or private areas, or any physical contact that feels uncomfortable or violating to the child, is prohibited. Toddlers and older children should never be allowed to sit in your lap, covering your private area. Instead, have a child sit beside you.

Discipline: We endeavor to create a loving, welcoming, inclusive environment for all children, but occasional situations arise where discipline is needed. Methods used should be constructive, positive, and reflect our values as disciples of Jesus. Yelling, name-calling, and corporal punishment are not permitted.

Reporting Suspicious Behavior: All staff and volunteers must report any inappropriate or suspicious behavior to both the Children’s Ministry Director and a Pastor immediately. This includes reporting any suspected abuse being committed by another worker, as well as any child who presents signs of abuse. No one will ever be in trouble for reporting suspected abuse.

Our policies are designed to prevent abuse by reducing isolation, increasing accountability, and reducing the disparity of power between a worker and a child in our program. We expect all children & youth ministry workers to follow the supervision policies we have in place to accomplish these goals.

I have read and understand the above ministry protection policies. *

Signature *

Type your full legal name as your signature.

Date of Signing *