WORKING WITH CHILDREN/YOUTH

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN VOLUNTEERING WITH OUR CHILDREN AND/OR YOUTH!!

**Safety within our GraceChurch community is of utmost importance. Therefore, the following these steps must be completed before you can help with our children and youth.

Step #1 GraceChurch Children's/Youth Policies, Procedures and Guidelines Handbook

Reading through this handbook is part of the required training for all potential children and youth volunteer and staff workers. The handbook gives an overview of the GraceChurch of Columbia Children's Ministry and Youth Program Workers Screening Policy.  CLICK HERE FOR THE HANDBOOK

Step #2 Online Application/Authorization for Criminal Background Check

All adults (18+) interested in serving in our children's and youth ministries (as staff or a volunteer), regardless of your level of involvement, must submit this online application for a criminal background check. Please have ready previous addresses and your personal information, including any other churches you have have regularly attended in the past 5 years, in order to complete the application. This will be done at no cost to you and any information you provide will be kept confidential. 

**IMPORTANT**  Please make sure you read the GraceChurch Policies, Procedures and Guidelines from Step #1 first. You will be asked to verify that you have reviewed the document during the application process. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE APPLICATION AND AUTHORIZATION FORM

Step #3 Training Video and Quiz

After completing your application for a background check, you will receive an email invitation from ProtectMyMinistry.com for an online Child Safety Training course. Please view this video (a 45 minute video, which can be viewed in segments) and complete the 25 question quiz following the video. (Note: Google Chrome is the recommended internet browser for the video training. The training also works on mobile devices (apple and android) that are using more current updates. We are also happy to schedule a computer at church for your training. E-mail us at contact@gracechurchcolumbia.org to set up at time.)

Step #4 Approval - Let's Get to Work! 

After you have finished the first three steps and your background check is finalized, you will  meet briefly with the Volunteer Coordinator before being added to the schedule. 

NOTE: Although you can volunteer to work with our children and youth after completing these first three steps, you will not be considered an "Authorized Adult" until you have been a regular attender for 6 months. This is true for all staff members and volunteers.

Thanks so much for being willing to serve our great God here at Grace. We are glad to have you on board. There are a few documents below which may be beneficial to you as you serve here at Grace.  

If you have any questions, please email contact@gracechurchcolumbia.org

FORMS and DOCUMENTS

Children/Youth Parental Permission & Med Release Form

A parental permission form for off campus children's/youth activities.