Residential Events

6.5 Residential Events

6.5.1 Consent

All children under 18 must have expressed parental consent before they can attend a Jesus Youth event. This will be verified before admittance. A signed permission form must be produced by the child on arrival in order for:

• the child to attend the event and participate in activities offered
• permission for photography and videography
• confirmation that the child will adhere to the guidelines outlined in the Code of Conduct

Parents will also be provided with relevant information regarding the location of the event and contact details of a Responsible Person In Charge in case of any concerns leading up to or in the duration of the event. During the event, the Responsible Person In Charge will also be responsible for contacting the parents regarding any issues concerning their child.

For recurring events, a single parental consent form will be used. This form will remain valid for future events unless an update is made by the organisers or requested by the parents.

6.5.2 Accommodation

• Male and female participants will be roomed in separate assigned accommodations. Where possible, these rooms should be located within single sex corridors.
• Volunteers ( same gender) will be roomed adjacent to the children’s room or if this is not possible, on the same floor as children.
• Careful attention is to be given to individual needs when allocating rooms. Children within a similar age range should be grouped together where possible.
• No child will be accommodated in the same room with an adult unless it is their parents.
• Each night of the event, designated male and female volunteers will assume responsibility for night supervision. Children will be made aware of these individuals and their location to facilitate a prompt response in case of issues that may arise in the night.
• If volunteers need to enter a participants room, this should be done in pairs to ensure accountability, safeguarding of both the volunteer and the participant, and to maintain a safe and transparent environment. Volunteers will always ask before entering accommodation, changing rooms or washing facilities (except for emergencies) and only enter the accommodation or changing rooms of young people of the same biological gender.

6.5.3 Visitors on Site

Where possible, day visitors of residential events should notify program coordinators, prior to the event, of the date and time of their arrival. Where advance notice may not be possible, visitors are required to sign in and out.

Visitors must not have unsupervised access to children.

6.5.4 Online Safety/ Social Media Policy

• Jesus Youth will ensure that all online content produced is appropriate for audiences of all ages when streamed. Parental permission will not be sought for viewers under 18, as internet permissions remain the responsibility of parents or guardians.
• As a general rule, volunteers should refrain from direct interaction with children whom they minister to at Jesus Youth events, via social media platforms. This includes not accepting friend/ follow requests from children. Volunteers must also refrain from sharing personal information such as mobile numbers, home addresses, or email addresses with children.
• Volunteers should not engage in private communication with children online or through phone.
• Communications prior to and following events should be made through parents/ carers. If in certain situations, it is required that a volunteer contact a child, this should take place with consent from the parent.
• For online gatherings, one-to-one contact may occur. Such interactions will be facilitated through secure platforms, ensuring transparency and safety of the child. Prior to engagement, prearranged schedules and timings will be communicated with parents, and consent will be obtained.

6.5.5 Ratios

Guidance recommends having at least two adults present when working with or supervising children. In line with guidance, Jesus Youth groups will adhere to the following adult-to-child ratios as the minimum requirement: