If you work or volunteer with the Diocese of Raleigh, including its schools and parishes, you will notice a new email in your inbox this month.
It’s due to updates to the Safe Environment Training program, which is part of Child and Youth Protection. The update impacts approximately 14,000 Level C personnel, said Dr. John Pendergrass, director of Child and Youth Protection.
Level C personnel are all clergy, seminarians, religious, employees and volunteers in leadership with children and youth. Level C personnel have previously undergone a criminal background screening and completed the initial, introductory safe environment training course.
It's important to note that the initial, introductory safe environment training course remains an in-person, 2.5-hour course. The changes introduced in July 2024 relate specifically to renewals, which are now annual.
Each year between July 15 and Sept. 15, Pendergrass said, those who have completed initial safe environment training will be required to participate in an annual 30-minute renewal. It will be fully online and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, it’s available in English, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese and is formatted for those with visual impairments and hearing impairments.
“An integral part … is that the system will ‘come to you’ when it is time for renewal rather than you looking for the system,” said Pendergrass. “If you have been active in ministry any time prior to Jan. 1, 2024, you will be the first class to begin renewal July 15, 2024.”
If people initially trained in 2023 or earlier do not receive a renewal email, Pendergrass asked for them to email SET.support@raldioc.org with their name and current email address.
“That way we can update your email in the system and get you on the road to renewal,” he said. “Safe environments support faith environments. This annual renewal keeps that initial training alive … that partnership going. Every instructional year we will take a moment to recall this duty that is part of our ministry.”