For Leaders of Ministry to Young People
The Bishop has conveyed the importance of health and safety responsibility in our Parishes and has asked Parish Priests to encourage and support the Parish’s attention to proper Health and Safety practice. As leaders of ministry to young people we ask that you pay due attention to the health and safety of the young people that you minister with and to. It is best practice for all those who are leaders in youth ministry to have an understanding about Hikoi Tahi and the Volunteer Standards in Youth Ministry. This document is based on and builds on the National Code of Ethics for Church Volunteers promulgated by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference in 2003. There is an expectation that all leaders will be familiar with this documentation which is available from our below.. It is also best practice for all leaders who are working with young people to complete a Police vet check form. Please complete this and send to Teresa (teresam@cda.org.nz) or Joey (joeyb@cda.org.nz) in the ACYM Office. We will arrange for our HR Manager to process the request for checking.
On this page our goal is to provide leaders with practical forms that they can use to ensure that together we can achieve a safe and healthy environment for ministry with young people. These forms have been provided by the Diocesan Consultant for Health and Safety and adapted from school use for youth ministry.
Guiding documents:
Journeying Together – Hikoi Tahi | standards for Catholic Youth and Young Adult Ministry.
Standards for Volunteers and Employees in Ministry – for all ‘workers’ whether paid or unpaid – minister, volunteer or employee
Code of Conduct | For employees and volunteers in the Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand
Standard forms (in Word format):
Forms Matrix | what form(s) to fill out for what activity – check this document before you get started
Form 1 – External Event Proposal and Approval | planning and approval of an event away from your usual meeting place
Form 2 – External Venue – Facility Safety Assessment | complete once per venue and review prior to each visit, at least annually
Form 3 Checklist for Letter to Parents | checklist for what to cover in a letter to parents/caregivers
Form 4 – Parental Consent and Risk Disclosure | parental consent form to be completed for all youth participants
Form 5 – Staff/Volunteer Competence | records competence of staff and volunteers (driving license, first aid etc)
Form 6 – Transport Safety | one form to be completed by each staff/volunteer driver (not participant drivers – see below for separate form)
Form 6A – Transport Safety – Participant Drivers | one form to be completed by each participant driver (eg young adults with their own vehicles)
Form 6B – Travel Permission Slip | permission form to be signed by parent/caregiver for each child participant
Form 7 – Swimming Consent | permission form to be signed by parent/caregiver for each child participant
Form 8 – Participant and Volunteer Medical Information | collated information from forms 9 and 9A (health profiles)
Form 9 – Health Profile for child participants | one form to be completed for child participants
Form 9A Health Profile for adult participants and volunteers | one form to be completed for each adult participant and volunteer
Form 10 – Agreement between parish/community/group and outside provider | complete this form when an outside provider is supplying services to you eg you are contracting them to take participants kayaking
Form 11 – Emergency Numbers | complete all relevant numbers before event and ensure all leaders have a copy of this sheet
Form 12 – Sample Participant Contract | sample contract that you might get participants to sign as preparation for a camp or some other away activity. At ACYM we would often do this in a group setting with participants coming up with what they think is acceptable and not acceptable (what they would expect from other participants) etc and then we would write this up and invite them to sign.
Form 13 – Post Event Report and Evaluation | best practice operations includes a review that allows all staff, volunteers and contractors to input into the process – use this form as a starting point for that review
Forms 14 – Risk Assessment and Safety Action Plan and Form 14 – Outdoor Safety Action Plan | RAMS forms – complete for all events. This document includes a guide for how to identify, assess and control hazards. If in doubt when completing this form please check with a full-time staff member from the ACYM Office.
Form 15 – Local Day Trips | Use this form for any local day trip that does not involve any water activities and where the risk is no greater than a child walking from home to school.
Examples of completed Form 14s – Risk Assessment and Management Forms (in Word format):
Example of completed H&S System for WYDAK17
Need more information or guidance completing the forms?
For Parish Health and Safety Guidelines, sample forms, sample hazard registers etc please click here.
For any queries about these forms please contact a full-time staff member in the ACYM Office.
