VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS
PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN™
INFORMATION FOR VOLUNTEERS SERVING THE YOUTH OF OUR LADY OF ANGELS PARISH
In 2004 the Diocese of Cleveland began implementing Protecting God’s Children™, also known as Virtus, a program aimed at the prevention of child sexual abuse. This program seeks to safeguard our children by educating school and parish staff, volunteers and parents about ways to prevent and maintain sexual abuse, methods of properly reporting suspicions of abuse, and the proper way to respond to allegations of abuse.
In order to do all we can to keep children safe, Our Lady of Angels Parish and School is committed to ensuring that everyone meets and fulfills the requirements of the Virtus Program.
For the purposes of Protecting God’s Children, a volunteer is anyone who interacts with youth more than once a month and/or more than four hours a month.
Examples include (but are not limited to): Clergy (Priests/Deacons), Teachers, Cafeteria Aides, Playground Monitors, those who routinely assist in the Library, Art Room or Technology Lab, Coaches, Team Managers, Scout leaders, and Children’s Liturgy of the Word volunteers.
VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS
The following information must be submitted to and approved by the OLA Virtus Coordinator or the OLA Principal before an individual will be allowed to serve in parish/school activities involving minors:
- Virtus Training Certification – verification of your attendance must be submitted to Our Lady of Angels after you have completed this three hour training.
- For information about where Virtus training sessions will be held and to register, click here.
- Once you have completed the Virtus training, you will receive periodic email lessons which you will need to read. These are very brief articles which require answering only one question. A record of your ongoing progress will be kept with your files.
- Background Check – A Background Check can be performed electronically on www.virtusonline.org at your personal account site. Go to the Toolbox tab and then select the Background check tab and follow the prompts. There is a $25 charge for this service.
- Acknowledgement Forms – Return forms to the parish office to acknowledge that you have read the two required policy booklets. You will find Acknowledgement Forms at the end of each document. Print that page and return.
- Diocese of Cleveland
- Policy for the Safety of Children in Matters of Sexual Abuse, published June 2016
- Diocese of Cleveland Standards of Conduct for Ministry, published June 2016
- Diocese of Cleveland
Thank you for your generous service to the families of Our Lady of Angels.
RESOURCES FOR VOLUNTEERING
PolicyfortheSafetyofChildren-June2016 >
