Yorkshire Association Of Change Ringers
Safeguarding Training
April 2021
2021 has seen the Church of England introduce some changes to its syllabus for Safeguarding Training. There are three levels, two of which are applicable to bell ringers, while the third is aimed at clergy and lay leaders. YACR strongly encourages all ringers to undertake the relevant modules.
Module 1 is the entry level course, formerly known as C0. It has been revised and is now called Basic Awareness. It is available online only and takes about 75 minutes to complete. A Certificate of Completion is awarded on achievement of 75%. This is the module that all ringers are urged to complete.
Module 2, formerly called C1, has also been revised and is now called Foundations. This too is online only and takes about 90 minutes to complete. Again, a Certificate of Completion is awarded, and Tower Captains and Deputies, along with Significant Youth Trainers are strongly encouraged to participate in order to obtain the grounding for the bespoke module described below.
Module 3, formerly called C2 is now called Looking For Leadership. Designed for Clergy and Church Leaders, it goes beyond Safeguarding in its remit. Consequently YACR has commissioned a bespoke safeguarding model for Tower Captains and Deputies, and for those ringers with significant youth training roles.
There is no requirement for those who have already completed C0 to undertake Basic Awareness, or for those who have done C1 or C2 to participate in Foundations.
Basic Awareness and Foundations are both available on the C of E Safeguarding Training Portal at: https://safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org
There are additional training needs for Tower Captains and Deputies and Significant Youth Trainers which go beyond the scope of Foundations, but without necessitating the depth of the third level module. YACR has joined forces with a Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser from a Yorkshire Diocese to provide a customised module focussed on the requirements of bell ringing, and it is intended to present this during the latter half of 2021*(see note below) to Leeds & District Branch in the first instance. This will build on the successful event held in Cleveland & North Yorkshire Branch in 2019. It is intended that this module will be presented within a classroom format, hopefully face to face, although it may be that continuing pandemic restrictions will necessitate technological communication. The module will become available to all other Branches in 2022 onwards, all things being equal. Please await details of your Branch events from your Branch Secretary.
There is no definition of Significant Youth Trainer. Branches will need to use local knowledge to identify and support those ringers who are involved in youth training and leadership.
* these are now planned to be held in the first half of 2022.
