Introducing My Church People

Rhondda Ministry Area is the first to pilot My Church People - the new safeguarding procedure from Church in Wales. Fr Philip Leyshon, Ministry Area Leader, tells us about his experience of using My Church People.

Why is safeguarding important to your Ministry Area?

At the very centre of our faith there is an understanding of our need to care for each other as we would wish to be cared for (Mark 12:30-31). Belonging to a community of faith where we feel safe to worship and serve Christ alongside others is essential.

‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:31

A healthy safeguarding environment, and accompanying attitude to its importance within our Ministry Area, allows us to be a community of faith where all are welcome and all are kept safe.

What has been your experience of using My Church People?

My Church People provides a comprehensive real-time picture of where our Ministry Area is with regards to all aspects of safeguarding. My Church People ensures we are implementing the Church in Wales Safeguarding policy. It has helped us take someone through the DBS procedure and provided clarity about arranging training for safeguarding.

Can you explain My Church People to someone who hasn’t heard of it before?

My Church People is a website that allows the Ministry Area safeguarding co-ordinator, safeguarding officer(s) and Ministry Area Leader to have an oversight of all aspects of safeguarding that a Ministry Area needs to enable the efficient and effective delivery of safeguarding commitments. With a database of volunteers, employees and office holders, My Church People provides information on the role they undertake in church life, where they are in terms of DBS checks and training related issues.

Has My Church People made safeguarding compliance easier to manage?

The site is easy to use, secure and very intuitive. The way it has been developed allows for an ease of understanding of where to look for the information you are seeking. By providing a ‘real time’ picture of where a Ministry Area is in relation to its safeguarding obligations, it allows for detailed accuracy in ensuring compliance with the Church in Wales Safeguarding Policy and the law.

My Church People provides the information the church needs to welcome, grow and flourish safely.

My Church People adheres to GDPR regulations which should allow for confidence in how necessary safeguarding information is retained and used (e.g. names, addresses of a volunteer).

What are the benefits of using My Church People?

Understanding clearly the safeguarding position of your Ministry Area is key to being the safe community of faith we wish to be. My Church People allows for that desire to be faithfully and comprehensively undertaken.

Simply put, it provides clarity for the Ministry Area in knowing where it stands in relation to its safeguarding commitments. Through an easy to use and secure website, My Church People provides the information the church needs to welcome, grow and flourish safely.