• Communication and Leadership. Essentially the role of the rural/area dean is to ensure that someone from the deanery is nominated to manage a workshop in coordination and cooperation with all ministry units in the deanery. Additionally, rural/area deans are to seek out and encourage suitably qualified members of their deanery to be trained as Child Protection workshop trainers. Training is organised by the diocese and trainers must be authorised by the Bishop before they may conduct workshops. A letter of authority may be obtained from the Bishop’s Office, subject to requirements being met.

•  Oversight. The other important task is oversight, reminding deanery members, at least annually, of their responsibilities with regard to child protection.

The Role of the Workshop Manager

• Arrange suitable location/venue/date/times (Usually 9.00am to 3.00 pm). Note: if the numbers attending exceed 32 it will be necessary to run two groups and thus use two separate rooms or venues. (The Workshop manager and the DSO can negotiate to fine tune later).

• Arrange for the trainer to, on the day, have access to    

  • a whiteboard

  • an overhead projector and screen

  • a TV/video machine

• Arrange for the provision of tea/coffee/sugar/milk on the day. Make such arrangements about lunch that seem most appropriate. (We generally have asked people to bring their own food for lunch as it cuts down costs and effort.)

• Arrange for a trained counsellor or priest-counsellor to be available on the day to act as on-the-spot counsellor. This person should not be a participant but should be present to keep an eye on participants for any signs of adverse reaction and respond sensitively according to their best judgement.

General

• It is helpful to get numbers early so you can arrange trainers and print off materials. Trainers can contact the DSO for support and extra resources.

• Where the diocese provides the printed materials, the trainers will collect $5 per person to cover basic expenses and administration. The money will be remitted to a special account held at the Diocesan Registry. Alternatively a parish or ministry unit might decide to pay with a cheque for all their participants. The cheque should be made out to Child Protection Workshop, Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn.

• Where a parish prints the materials for handouts then they should collect the money and pay the trainer travel and/or out of pocket expenses.