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Leader Conduct and Guidelines


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(revised August 2014)

Personal Life:

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1. Reflect Biblical-based living. 2. Engage in pursuing Jesus through devotional life and Christ centered community. 3. Agree with Heartland’s Statement of Faith. 4. Support the mission of “building a church for the unchurched.” 5. Attend one of the weekly Heartland services. 6. Recognize that teenagers are looking to us as mentors. 7. Refrain from: a. Sexual immorality, drunkenness, illegal drugs or malicious slander. b. If you are under the age of 21 we ask you refrain from the use of alcohol.

Working with Students: Except as otherwise noted, the following guidelines shall apply to all paid and volunteer youth workers, including full-time staff, part-time staff, regular volunteer staff, and adults who occasionally accompany youth on trips and other special activities.

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1. Although contacts and ministry relationships with members of the opposite sex are healthy and inevitable, workers shall concentrate their individual time primarily on youth of the same sex as the youth worker.

2. All meetings involving a worker and an individual youth of the same or opposite sex should occur in a public place where other people are present. Some examples of public places where other people are gathered include restaurants, a park bench, or a sporting event. With planning it is possible to have a confidential conversation without being out of view. 3. On the rare occasion when a worker needs to meet in private with an individual youth of the same sex, parental consent must first be obtained. Care should taken to meet in public whenever possible. Under no circumstances shall any worker meet privately with an individual youth of the opposite sex. 4. When providing rides to youth of the same or opposite sex, youth workers should have a third person in the car whenever possible. Although situations often require the driver to be alone in a car with a student of the same sex (i.e., picking up the first student or dropping off the last student), this should be the exception rather than the norm and parental consent must be obtained. Care should be taken to PLAN AHEAD to avoid finding oneself in these situations. Under no circumstances shall any worker be alone in a car with an individual youth of the opposite sex. 5. As a general rule, youth workers shall not be alone in a room with an individual youth of the same or opposite sex. If the situation becomes unavoidable (e.g., last one out of the cabin or dorm), the adult shall wait outside the room or close to an open front door or window if reasonably possible. 6. In group sleeping arrangements (e.g. Camp, youth group trips, Missions trips) two adults must be present with any number of youth during the stated “lights out” time. Under no circumstances shall any worker share a bed with a youth. 7. Although physical affection can have an appropriate place in ministry, workers shall use discretion as to the frequency and type of physical affection they provide to youth of the same or opposite sex. Specifically, workers should typically refrain from giving a student a back massage or a front-to-front hug. Workers should never have students sit on their laps, or viceversa. 8. An adult/leader:youth ratio of 1:12 (maximum) for overnight events, will be observed. A leader may occasionally be a minor. Any leader who is a minor must be under direct adult supervision at all times. A leader who is a minor must be at least four years older than the other youth in order to be considered a leader.

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9. Touching should be in response to the need of the child and not the need of the adult. It should always be with the child’s permission. A worker shall never touch a student’s breasts, buttocks, or groin or vice versa. 10. Corporal punishment is never permissible. Physical restraint should be used only in order to protect the health and welfare of the student, other students, volunteers or staff. 11. When operating a motor vehicle to transport minors on behalf of Heartland Community Church, volunteers and staff are not allowed to use a portable (cell) phone. 12. Social Networking (IM’s, Facebook, Texting, Twitter, Instagram, Etc.) should be used with care when communicating to children and youth. (See advisory issued in 2012). Youth workers should try to keep digital communication public, during normal waking hours, and appropriate to the student. All digital communication is a permanent record and can be interpreted wrongly. Be above reproach. Heartland Community Church leadership can review all digital communication between the youth worker and children or youth at any time. 13. Seek parental permission when spending time with students outside of HCC activities. 14. Never date a middle school or high school student. 15. Notify a staff person as soon as possible if an accident or questionable situation happens.

Driving Students:

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1. All drivers must be 19 and have a valid driver’s license. 2. All drivers and passengers are required to wear seat belts while vehicle is in operation. 3. All drivers must obey all laws and use safe driving habits. 4. All drivers must carry personal auto insurance. 5. Drivers can not be alone in a car with a student of the opposite sex.

Policies in counseling/caring for a student If you do not feel prepared to handle the situation or crisis, please refer to HCC staff or the Heartland assist line (913) 341.2355 ext 330

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1. Report as soon as possible to a Heartland Community Church staff person any of the following: • physical abuse

• sexual abuse of any minor • suicidal threats • life threatening situations • pregnancy confessed to you • run away situation • confession of a crime • criminal behavior 2. Keep information confidential unless seeking advice from youth staff. 3. Counsel students of the same gender only.

! ! I have read the above and accept the staff conduct and guidelines. ! Prospective leader signature and date !

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2012 Advisory on Social Networking and Digital Communication

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Use Your Brain with Your Online Presence. 
 Due to the quickly changing cultural norms of digital communication, periodic advisories will be issued until best practices are established. When it comes to the use of social media and other electronic communication with students, we should seek to utilize careful judgment. We recognize that many of us have opinions and practices on the use of media that differ from one another. Issues such as the use of media in our ministry are complicated further by the reality that we are in a position of trust and influence in the student ministry.

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Personal liberty is to be set aside when: • Its exercise could hinder a student’s spiritual development • Its exercise could be misunderstood in such a way as to hinder one’s own witness, or that of our student ministry • An action could endanger another person’s safety or well-being

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Although electronic relationships have become the norm and, in many ways, for many students, are as real and personal as face to face relationships, it would be our desire to see our staff and volunteers engaging in face to face relationships with students. We understand that this may not always be possible or convenient, but taking a conversation “off-line” and into a coffee shop or public place where you can be face to face would be our preference.

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Specific Suggestion when using Social Networking and Digital Communication: • Set healthy personal time boundaries for the use of “real time” communication such as texting or chatting (i.e. no texting after 9:00 p.m.). Forms of communication that are picked up at the user’s convenience (email, posting, messaging, etc.) may be utilized at your discretion. • Staff and volunteers are expected to refrain from using online communication tools (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, emails) while participating in a student ministry program or on a student ministry trip or event. 
 During those times, our primary role and energy is to be focused on the students not on social media. • Staff and volunteer are free to “friend” students or accept friendship from students who are of the same gender.

• For students of the opposite gender, staff and volunteers may NOT request their friendship. However, one MAY accept a “friend” request if there is a specific need to be friends with that student. • Whenever possible, “friend” request parents of students who have “friended” you. • Whenever possible, communicate “publicly” with students. Post on their
 wall rather than message them. However, there are times when a private conversation is helpful. Private conversations should be same gender only when at all possible. Should any conversation contain information which the paid staff needs to be made aware, copy and paste the content of your conversation into a word document and email that document to the paid staff over your area of ministry. • Individual pictures of students must be posted on “public” student ministry group pages rather than on individual accounts. • Adults are asked to not have video chats with students. 
 REMINDER: Any material on any site (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc…), whether affiliated with Heartland Community Church or not, that raises suspicion that a child has been or will be abused/neglected/exploited should be immediately reported to the paid staff. • Remember that as soon as you “friend” a student or allow them access to your private digital self, everything you say, post, or do becomes a living testimony to that student and anyone who they choose to share with. We have a profound stewardship in regards to the weak. Digital communication without body language, facial expression, or verbal signals can be greatly misinterpreted.

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