WBC Ministry Screening Check Questionnaire (Over 18 years old)

PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION FIRST BEFORE COMPLETING THIS FORM

Churches have a responsibility to screen and assess people who serve within a ministry of the church. This a legal requirement, and we see this as best practice, as we create ministry spaces that are safe for all people. Questions within this form are personal, so we want to assure you that this form is only visible to our Safe Church Team. Information is confidential, unless there are certain circumstances that require disclosure to the Elders; or to authorities (in the case of reportable or criminal disclosure). If you have any questions or concerns, our Safe Church Team would love to chat and clear up any queries you may have. Details of our team can be found on our website (https://wyongbaptist.org). You can contact the Safe Church Team at: safechurch@wyongbaptist.org

SECTION 1 - PERSONAL DETAILS

Tip: Please select the date you are completing this questionnaire. This date will be recorded on our Safe Church Register.

Tip: This is required for the verification of WWCC numbers.

Tip: Please note that due to the church being located within the WCC school grounds, it is a policy of WBC that all volunteers have a current Working With Children Check. If you do not yet have one, this will be required before serving at WBC. Please contact a pastor for more information.

SECTION 2 - SAFE CHURCH QUESTIONS

Please select either "YES" or "NO" for each of the following questions. If you answer 'yes' to any of the following questions, please provide details in the box at the end of this section.

NOTE: A 'yes' answer will not automatically rule an applicant out of selection. Please note that your responses on this form will be visible to our Safe Church Team only. However, in certain circumstance our Eldership may need to be notified, and if you disclose any potentially criminal actions, the church may need to report this information to the police or other relevant government authorities.

CHURCHES YOU HAVE ATTENDED IN THE PAST 3 YEARS

When did you start attending Wyong Baptist Church?

If you have attended Wyong Baptist Church for less than 3 years, please add the details of any other church you have attended in the past 3 years:

Most Recent Church (Not Wyong Baptist - if within past 3 years)

Second Church (if within past 3 years)

Third Church (if within past 3 years)

REFEREES

Please provide the details of two referees who are over eighteen years of age and able to give a verbal report on your character and suitability for ministry. Referees may be part of WBC. Please avoid putting family members down.

Please provide the First and Last Name of your referees.

WORKING WITH CHILDREN CHECK AND / OR NATIONAL POLICE CHECK

I consent to:

- verification of my WWCC number (only required if serving in a leadership role or in ministry roles that serves children);

- a National Police Check (only applicable to church staff members who are engaged in leadership, child related work or work with vulnerable adults)

AGREE TO THE BELOW LEADERS CODE OF ETHICS & CONDUCT

As part of our Safe Ministry Policy, everyone who serves in the life of the church is required to acknowledge and agree with a Code of Conduct. Please read this Code of Conduct and record your acceptance at the bottom of this page. If you have any questions or concerns, please email safechurch@wyongbaptist.org or see one of our Safe Church Team Members (Ps Brett, Jacqui Hocking, Bronte Cornwell or Matt Shaw). Thank you for participating in God's kingdom and His mission here at Wyong Baptist Church.

 

Purpose

The Church is committed to creating safe spaces where people can be confident that they will be cared for, nurtured and encouraged as they grow and at the same time, protected from spiritual, physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

 

As part of this commitment, staff and volunteers are required to sign and abide by this Code of Conduct.

 

The Code of Conduct sets out the following:

  • the ministry commitments of staff and volunteers
  • minimum behavioural standards and appropriate boundaries required of staff and volunteers;
  • the obligation of staff and volunteers to comply with Safe Church Policy and Procedures; and
  • the steps to be taken in the event of a potential breach of this Code.

 

The Code of Conduct seeks to reflect the biblical call to godliness and faithfulness in ministry (e.g., 1 Timothy 3) but it is not intended as a replacement for the Bible as a fundamental guide for faith and practice.

 

Scope

 

The Code of Conduct applies to all staff and volunteers.

 

The Code of Conduct should be read in conjunction with the Safe Church Policy and:

 

  • Procedure for Staff and Volunteers
  • Procedure for Responding to Child Protection Concerns
  • Procedure for Handling Complaints against Staff and Volunteers
  • Procedure for Conflict Resolution

 

Staff and Volunteers are encouraged to:

 

Nurture their own relationship with God

 

    • treat others with respect;
    • love and care for their family (including paying attention to the effect of ministry on them);
    • be a team player;
    • be accountable;
    • cooperate with other staff and volunteers;
    • treat every program participant fairly and equitably, paying special care to include those who may find it difficult to participate; and
    • acknowledge when they are out of their depth, or do not possess the required skill set in difficult pastoral situations (such as helping a victim of abuse, or a person who needs professional counselling), and seek help from the Safe Church Team or a Pastor.

 

Nurture healthy relationships:

 

    • treat others with respect;
    • love and care for their family (including paying attention to the effect of ministry on them);
    • be a team player;
    • be accountable;
    • cooperate with other staff and volunteers;
    • treat every program participant fairly and equitably, paying special care to include those who may find it difficult to participate; and
    • acknowledge when they are out of their depth, or do not possess the required skill set in difficult pastoral situations (such as helping a victim of abuse, or a person who needs professional counselling), and seek help from the Safe Church Team or a Pastor.

 

Staff and Volunteers commitments:

 

As a staff member/volunteer of the Church, I will:

 

    1. respect and support the mission, beliefs and values of the Church and any other doctrinal statements of the Church (as may be outlined in the Church Constitution or other Church documents);
    2. uphold, support and abide by the Safe Church Policy;
    3. respond to reasonable directions from the person with responsibility for the ministry I am involved in;
    4. communicate with integrity, including wise and accountable use of electronic communication, including in accordance with Guidelines for Activities with Children and Young People;
    5. not knowingly make false, misleading, or deceptive statements;
    6. not engage in bullying, harassment, emotional abuse, spiritual abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, of any person including my own family;
    7. not engage in sexual misconduct involving children;
    8. not act violently or intentionally provoke violence;
    9. uphold confidentiality; not disclose any confidential information without the consent of the person providing the information (except where there is a legal or ethical obligation to disclose);
    10. report concerns about misconduct and/or abuse according to the Church’s Safe Church Policy and relevant procedures;
    11. disclose all relevant information as part of completing the Screening Check Questionnaire if I have not already done so;
    12. disclose to the Church Leadership if I am investigated for any criminal offences or have any knowledge of serious unlawful activity within the church context as soon as practicable.
    13. act with sexual purity, meaning I will:
        • express my sexuality in healthy and God directed ways;
        • restrict sexual intimacy to the confines of the marriage relationship:
          • (where marriage has the same meaning as in the Marriage Rites of the Baptist Union of Australia i.e. ‘the union between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life’);
          • (if an individual is unwilling or unable to commit to this requirement, church leaders may choose to endorse them as a volunteer for non-leadership roles);
        • recognise that it is inappropriate to access any type of pornographic material and, if I struggle with this addiction, I will seek professional help;
        • ensure that romantic interactions are meaningfully consensual; and
        • give consideration to any power imbalances in intimate relationships.
    14. act with financial integrity, including:
      • having accountable and transparent systems in place for financial matters; and
      • not seeking personal advantage or financial gain from our position (other than in wages, recognised allowances and deductions).
    15. not take or use property belonging to others without express consent, including intellectual property (copyright);
    16. not use any prohibited substance and be responsible in my use of substances that may be addictive (e.g., prescriptions, alcohol);
    17. avoid ongoing counselling of people with whom I have pastoral relationships; and
    18. make alternative arrangements for pastoral ministry for any person with whom I may develop a romantic or intimate relationship.

 

I understand that if there is a complaint against me relating to a breach of this Code of Conduct:

 

    1. and it is a plausible complaint relating to serious misconduct and/or abuse (including child sexual abuse), the Church may ask me to step aside from my duties while the complaint is being considered; and/or
    2. if the complaint relates to serious misconduct and/or abuse (including child sexual abuse) it will be reported to relevant government authorities in accordance with relevant legal requirements; and/or
    3. I agree to participate in any process initiated under the Procedure for Resolving Conflict, Procedure for Handling Complaints against Staff and Volunteers and/or Procedure for Responding to Child Protection Concerns and agree to be bound by the outcomes of any such process, which may include termination of my employment/engagement as a staff member or volunteer with the Church.

 

If I am a Pastoral staff member, I: 

 

    1. agree to uphold and be bound by the Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT Code of Ethics and Conduct;
    2. understand that a breach of the Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT Code of Ethics and Conduct will be considered a breach of this Code of Conduct; and
    3. (if I am an Accredited or Recognised Minister) agree to participate in, and be bound by the outcomes of, any process initiated under the Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT Procedures for Handling Allegations.

 

CONSENT TO HOLD INFORMATION

I consent to the information contained in this application, including any subsequent pages/documents, to be kept by Wyong Baptist Church. I understand that this information will be kept in a confidential file and used only for screening purposes.

 

By entering my name and the date below, and clicking the check box, I declare that:

- the information I have provided in this application is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief

- I understand that if I provide false or misleading information or withhold relevant information from this application, the church leadership may determine that I am unsuitable to serve in any role in the church

- I have read and received a copy of the Code of Conduct as part of this form and am willing to uphold it.

- I am aware that I have access to WBC's Safe Church Policy and Procedures via the church office or by going to the Policy tab on Elvanto