Safe Environment Program Requirements
CYO Coaches/Volunteers
The mission of the NY Archdiocese's Safe Environment Program is to insure the safety of children and young people who have been entrusted to our care in our parishes, schools, religious education classes, CYO, and other programs.
The NY Archdiocese Safe Environment Program requires that all CYO Coaches/Volunteers who work with minors submit the following to their Parish Safe Environment Administrator for CYO:
1. Authorization for Background Check
2. Safe Environment Questionnaire
3. Certificate of Completion of Safer Spaces Training
REQUIRED FORMS
Please print, complete and submit the two forms listed below to your Parish Safe Environment Administrator for CYO
1 Authorization for Background Check Form.
The Background Check Authorization Form must be completed by all volunteers before they start working with minors. It authorizes the Archdiocese to conduct a background check to verify an applicant's identity and to determine if he/she has a criminal record. A new background check is required every six years, or sooner, if new information deems it necessary.
2.) Safe Environment Questionnaire
The Safe Environment Questionnaire must be completed by all volunteers before they start working with minors. This questionnaire requires the signer to provide information and acknowledge that he/she received and understands the Archdiocese of NY's Policy on Sexual Misconduct Summary and the Code of Conduct.
The Parish Safe Environment Administrator for CYO, typically the CYO Coordinator, will send the forms to the Archdiocese Safe Environment contact for processing. A CYO Coordinator can find more information on the Coordinators Only page on this website.
REQUIRED TRAINING
1.) Safer Spaces Training
Each CYO Coach/Volunteer must complete the Safer Space Training one time before engaging in CYO. The training may be available in a classroom environment or conducted during a Coach/Volunteer meeting. If that is the case, each attendee must sign the official Safer Spaces Training Video Sign In Sheet as evidence of compliance.
If classroom training is not available, the training may be taken online. After completion of the training a Certificate of Completion should delivered to the Parish Safe Environment Administrator for CYO.
2. Review Annual Child Protection Briefing
In order to keep the principles and policies of child protection fresh and up-to-date in the minds of Parish staff and volunteers, the Archdiocese Safe Environment Program develops the Annual Child Protection Briefing in October of each year. Each CYO Coach and Volunteer is asked to read the most current issue.