New facilitators trained for safe environment program

By Renée St. Martin Wizeman
By the end of March, 19 new facilitators were trained for the diocese’s Protecting God’s Children training for adults program, according to Safe Environment manager Judy Ober. Additionally, 12 returning facilitators completed a facilitator renewal session.
The new facilitators underwent an intensive two-day training conducted by Patrick Haggarty, Ph.D. In order to train facilitators, one must have an advanced degree and undergo intensive training specific to the task of training facilitators.
The new facilitator training included watching each of the videos shown at adult training sessions and teaching facilitators how to explain the different sections; additionally, question and answer sessions were held and handbooks provided.
For the one-day renewal course, facilitators who have been training since 2003 reviewed everyone’s best and worst experience and saw an additional video that is being shown on trial basis in the diocese.
Ober noted that the diocese now has facilitators available in all of the vicariates. Facilitators are based in Browning, Conrad, Butte, Sheridan, Helena, Bozeman, East Helena, Missoula, Hamilton, Frenchtown, Drum-mond, Kalispell, Libby, Polson and Bigfork. They offer training in their home towns and will also travel to other areas.
The addition of the 19 new facilitators helps the diocese to fulfill the requirements of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, by offering more training sessions so that all adults working with children will be trained in the Protecting God’s Children training for adults, Ober said.
Beyond the initial training session, the program provides monthly bulletin updates to assure a continued awareness and education. Ober said the information provided is useful not only in the context of parishes and the Church, but in the wider society as well.
“These are pro-active programs to address abuse of children and young people, and by training our people we are increasing the awareness of and response to this problem wherever it occurs,” she said.

Published in The Montana Catholic, Vol. 23, No. 4, April 20, 2007.