I hate writing the words, "another leader has fallen!" |
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However, once again, we hear of another leader that has committed sexual misconduct and harassment. Another leader has abused his power, influence, authority, and control. |
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Will we ever stop hearing these stories? When will these abuses end? When will we say enough is enough? When will we learn? When will our sorrow and righteous anger turn into action and elevated supervision and accountability? |
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I can remember a time in my life when a wise woman challenged me to count the cost of putting my wants and desires ahead of others.
She shared the image of a beautiful egg that we want to cherish and hold on to and not let others even know about it. However, what we may not know is that within that egg is a deadly snake that will destroy not only the holder but everyone around us.
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Once again, we hear of the damage that has been caused by the abuse of power. It is so senseless, so unnecessary, so sad! When a leader falls, this does constitute a crisis. When a leader falls through an act of sexual misconduct, harassment or abuse, there is a victim. The needs of the victim must take precedence. The demands and wishes of the victim must be considered and weighed carefully. Give voice to the victim! Don't silence the victim -- never battle secrecy with more secrecy! Being trauma-informed and victim-centric means not losing sight of the victim and their pain and potential triggers. |
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If you are invited to walk with the victim. It has been a huge privilege for me to walk with some of the victims of the most recent fallen leader. |
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With so many fallen leaders in our midst and so many victim-survivors of abuse in our communities, it is crucial that organizations put safeguarding policies and procedures in place. It is crucial that we define terms like "abuse of power," “clergy abuse,” "power differentials," and "sexual harassment." It is crucial we implement codes of conduct and hold personnel accountable to the Codes of Conduct. |
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NOTE: This is an excerpt of Melodie’s blog...
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Frequently asked questions about the new Plan to Protect® Manual
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Why a new manual? This manual is a result of that learning. The new manual also includes a hugs segment of the vulnerable sector that was missing from earlier versions of the manual, including adults. At Plan to Protect® our team is committed to raising the bar on safeguarding and abuse prevention. As we call you to professional development we place this same challenge to our team, including Melodie and the other senior officers. As part of Melodie’s academic studies, this manual includes components of Melodie’s thesis. This manual also includes content learned from this decade’s fallen leaders.
What is the difference between the two manuals?
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When will the association manual be published? Plan to Protect: A Safeguarding Guide for Children, Youth and Adults (Association Guide for Schools, Camps, Community Centres and Daycares) will be published later in the Fall.
Is this a Canadian manual or an American manual? This manual has been written from a Canadian context. Once this manual is finished, we begin the process of contextualizing the other manuals.
Why the price increase? This is the first time in 15 years we have raised the price of the manual. During this time the cost of printing and paper has increased. This manual also has 150 more pages than the previous version.
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If we are a member of Plan to Protect® do we receive a copy of the manual?
Yes, Church members renewing in the second quarter of 2022 will receive their manual with their membership benefits. All other Church members will receive their manuals in May or June. Association members will receive their new manuals in the 4th quarter of 2022. If you are a faith-based association and would like to receive a copy of the church manual in lieu of the association manual, please email info@plantoprotect.com
If we have already reserved a copy of the manual, when will we be invoiced and receive the manual? If you received a copy of the manual, you will be invoiced within the next two weeks. Your manuals will be the first ones to be shipped.
How do we purchase the manual? The new manual can be purchased on our new storefront. Click Here to check it out! The new store accommodates license discount codes. What for an upcoming email.
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What if my denomination has purchased a manual on our behalf?
Several denominations have purchased manuals for their churches. Please reach out to your denomination office to ask if they have done so or will be purchasing manuals at a deeply discounted price on behalf of your churches and if you will receive a copy from them. Those manuals you will get directly from your denomination. Due to the volume of manuals, we are shipping this Spring, we are not able to track those purchases and where they will be going.
Will we be able to access the word documents of the appendices? Yes, a new download code will be provided with the new manual. This is a different code from previous versions.
Will we still be able to access and use our previous versions of the church manual? The 2022 version of the manual will replace all previous versions of the Canadian manuals. Earlier manuals will be discontinued. The availability of downloading the appendices from those manuals will be discontinued by the end of 2022.
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Will we receive training on the new manual?
Please join us on April 22nd for our one-day Serious About Safety – Book Launch (Register Below). This online event will provide an opportunity to be trained on the manual, to highlight the changes, and to consider how to implement the changes. Also, our special interest webinars during 2022 are doing deeper dives into new aspects of the manual. For example, in April we will be doing a deeper dive into Clergy Misconduct and Abuse.
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April 22, 2022
10:00pm - 5:00pm Eastern Time
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A one day Serious About Safety event that will highlight the new features of Plan to Protect®: A Safeguarding Guide for Children, Youth and Adults (Church Edition).
At the top of each hour, for 15 minutes we will highlight different chapters of the manual, and give away a free copy of the manual!
Please note we will be LIVE on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
You must be LIVE during the giveaway timeframe to win a copy!
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Check out our Training in April! |
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April 05, 2022
7:00pm - 8:00pm Eastern Time
A one-hour seminar designed to raise the awareness of Elder Abuse. During this community event, we will learn what Elder Abuse is, how to recognize and respond to it, and valuable strategies to prevent Elder Abuse from happening. Everyone is welcome! Let's plan to protect!
for details and registration.
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April 12, 2022
12:30pm-1:00pm Eastern Time
This is a complimentary webinar. Register to participate LIVE with Q&A time, or to receive access to an instant replay.
for details and registration.
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April 21, 2022
8:00pm - 9:30pm Eastern Time
This webinar is great for individuals and groups who need to be refreshed in Plan to Protect® policies and procedures.
for details and registration.
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April 23, 2022
1:00pm - 3:30pm Eastern Time
Join us for this 2 hour orientation training covering awareness of abuse and so much more!
for details and registration.
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Join us for a forum and gathering of leaders:
Addressing Clergy Sexual Misconduct:
A Call to Goodness
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April 27, 2022
12:00pm - 2:00pm Eastern Time
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Yet, another leader has fallen! What role do Churches, Missions and Christian Leaders have to reduce the risk of Clergy Sexual Misconduct. |
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Join Melodie Bissell and guest Glenn Smith as they discuss this critical topic that is much needed for today. This two-hour forum will view this topic from different angles including victim advocacy, risk management, theologically, and board oversight. Breakout sessions included. |
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Group rate: $100 plus tax (discounts apply)
Free for GTD members!
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Cost includes:
- Multi-seat access to the forum
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Template of a Sexual Misconduct Policy (add on to Plan to Protect® Policy)
- 30-day access to the recording
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PURCHASE THE 2022 Plan to Protect® Manual (Church Edition) and get free shipping — ($18 value). (See note above regarding discounts. Misuse of discount codes may jeopardize your purchase.)
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Clients that are not churches, reserve your version of the new manual to receive free shipping. |
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