Safeguarding Training Visit - Methodist Church of Southern Africa

The British church is sharing in safeguarding training and learning across the world.  This work is supported by the World Mission Fund.  To support this and similar work please give here.

Tim Carter (Safeguarding Director) and Karen Allen (Safeguarding Casework supervisor) travelled to South Africa to carry out safeguarding workshops with our Methodist colleagues. Tim commented "This was a follow up to a visit we made in early 2022 and was an opportunity to build on these links and further develop our mutual understanding and sharing of good practice in relation to safeguarding."  The last two and a half years have seen the British Safeguarding team engage more fully with the Global Relationships team and safeguarding work with international partners and this visit offered an important opportunity to undertake further field work in a way that is so very different to working virtually as we have begun to do with a number of Methodist churches in other countries.

You can read the full report of this way in which the British church shares its expertise in this area, but also learns so much in the exchange.

Participants in South Africa were given the opportunity to express their thoughts about the training and some of their comments are detailed below:

‘I’ve learnt a lot and there’s a lot I can take. I can ask how we can move forward and implement these things and definitely a workshop.’

‘The idea of confidentiality has changed. I used to think it was like a patient/doctor but now learnt you can share and I will take it to our circuit.’

‘It is important that we convey the message and inform people it is now time to stand up and do something, we cannot just watch.’

‘I feel equipped and have an idea of what is expected of me and I know about child protection and safeguarding and that children’s rights are respected.’

‘The workshop has become something as a go ahead for me. In preparation for 2023 I can start with a workshop. It has helped me personally to grow.’

‘This has been a very interesting course and I have learnt a lot and I am worried about the reality and sustainability. I feel the church is not doing enough. For me it was thought provoking. How much of this is in our control?.’

‘The past two days have opened up my eyes to see it is not just children. We can always start small in one of the circuits and it will then naturally cascade.’

‘This is a revival on my side. In my district this programme is already there and my Bishop likes it and I think is already going well. Safeguarding is new.’

‘It was an eye opener and blessing in disguise in a way to be part of this. I say this because my intention is to try and teach the young boys about what has been affecting us. I realised with the role-play we don’t listen to children. I have been opened that you need to listen to children and give them time. Its high time children were given a platform.’

As the participants completed the course they were awarded with a certificate, see picture below.