Hey Fletch … I would like to bring our staff through some type of sexual harassment training and share our sexual harassment policy. Are you aware of any videos, articles or resources that you would recommend in doing this? Would you recommend just developing my own? What would you include in this time?
Fletch—My thought would be to not develop your own material but use someone else’s. By using industry standard resources you should get an unbiased and comprehensive view.
Brotherhood Mutual has great material online, many on this topic. They have 80 online training courses, all available free to their policyholders. If you use another insurance company, see what they offer.
Christianity Today has Confronting Harassment in the Church that is free and a paid report on Sexual Harassment in the Christian Workplace. CT’s ChurchLaw&Tax also has many articles and resources.
XPastor’s material from the free Predator workshop may be of use. There are videos and downloadable tools on child abuse and screening.
When you do your training, I would include at least these areas:
- Clear definitions of each concept.
- Address child, teen and adult harassment.
- Examine staff and congregational harassment.
- Explain your state mandated reporting for child abuse.
I would walk through your church policies and practices:
- Explain your church’s harassment policy and have staff sign it.
- Describe your whistleblower procedures.
- Teach how to have wise counseling practices.
- Walk through the Code of Conduct issues in the employee handbook.
