Safe Environment Certified
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What Does It Mean to Be Safe Environment Certified?
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The Office of Child and Youth Protection supports the Archdiocese of Newark’s mission to be a living sign of Jesus Christ’s presence by fostering a safe environment where youth can build a relationship with God. To this end, the Office will implement and enforce compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.
All clergy, employees, volunteers, members of religious communities, international and temporarily assigned clergy as well as all volunteers who interact with minors as part of their service are required to be Safe Environment Certified. -
Steps for Safe Environment Certification
- Complete your Virtus registration
- Attend a Protecting God's Children certification course (An updated course is required within every 5 years)
- Complete and hand in a Volunteer Application
- Complete and hand in a Code of Ethics
- Complete and clear a background check from Selection.com
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You Need Protecting God's Children
The Protecting God’s Children program is required to be completed by all school volunteers.The Archdiocese of Newark requires that all of our volunteers be Protecting God’s Children (PGC) certified, which includes attending a PGC Workshop, having an application on file, passing a criminal background check, and signing the 2012 Archdiocese Code of Conduct.
All required documentation must be on file in order to volunteer with children. This includes, and is not limited to all class parents, lunch volunteers, chaperones on class trips (whether on the bus or driving on your own), field day volunteers and children’s choir parent volunteers. This program helps keep our kids and our volunteers safe.
The initial certification now lasts 5 years. After those 5 years are up, volunteers must either attend another live workshop to become recertified for an additional 5 years, or volunteers may recertify online and read monthly articles to remain certified annually. Volunteers will be contacted by the PGC Program Coordinator prior to their recertification required date.
Background checks are required to be redone every 5 years. All volunteers will be contacted via email to have background checks redone or to follow up on recertification.
If you have taken the Keeping the Promise Alive class in person, you can recertify using the online (one hour-ish) version of the new Protecting God's Children version 4.0 WITHOUT having to read the articles every month or do the online option every year. As always, if you choose this option, send a note to [email protected] and Newark will set you up. There is a Spanish version of the module as well.If you are interested in volunteering, please go to the Protecting God’s Children website: by clicking the button: Click HERE for Virtus Online Website
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If You Have Any QuestionsIf you have any questions on this program, please email Mrs. Alison Robayo - [email protected]. Thank you for your support in this great initiative to help keep our children protected!!
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