Policies for Safe Church, Safe Communities: Praesidium Training & Modules

All members of our parishes and organizations are strongly encouraged to take the four modules of Safe Church, Safe Communities called Universal Training. Universal Training modules plus any combination of four other modules are required to be in certain roles or positions on parish staffs, as volunteers, or in parish or diocesan lay or clergy leadership.

Please understand the assignment of modules comes from The Episcopal Church’s Task Force on the development of Model Policies and are distributed to all Episcopal Dioceses through the Safe Church, Safe Communities Office of The Episcopal Church.

Appendix A, though approved on March 31st, 2022 by Executive Council, was reviewed by the Safe Church Safe Communities Council of Advice for the Episcopal Church. This review is complete and a new Chart for Course Requirements has been developed from Appendix A to satisfy the requirements for the Diocese of East Carolina’s Policies.

In many congregations parishioners serve in more than one ministry role. For example a volunteer youth leader could have a key to the building so they can open up for youth ministry programming on Sunday evenings. A Lay Eucharistic Minister could also volunteer in the parish food pantry. IN EVERY CASE they should meet the requirements for the role that has the HIGHEST level of training and background check. Parishes should use this chart as a baseline. Parish leadership may choose to add any course to a role requirement if they so choose. Parish leadership may not choose to take off any course from a role’s requirements.

October 2023 – Update on Training Charts and Background Checks

Learner Invitation Templates (Updated Summer 2023)

*Positions here could be staff by paid or volunteer individuals.

Please refer to the updated Chart for Course Requirements for clarification about specific roles or positions.