Chaperones
For all youth travelling to and from FSY every step should be taken to ensure their safe travel.
Whenever possible, chaperones should be provided (ideally one Male and one Female) especially for larger groups travelling to the FSY venue by coach.
This is in accordance with General Handbook Section 20.7 - Safety Policies and Guidelines for Activities . Within this section it refers to the ‘Protecting Children and Youth’ training video, this is for all adults working with children and youth.
You will find it gives clear guidelines on all church sponsored activities and calls for 2 adult members to be present when serving our young people on all church events.
Adult Supervision
"At least two adult supervisors must be present at all Church-sponsored activities attended by children, youth, and young single adults.
Additional adults may be needed depending on the size of the group, the skill level of the group (for activities requiring certain skills), anticipated environmental conditions, and the overall degree of challenge of the activity. Parents should be encouraged to help.
All adults participating in activities for children and youth are to complete children and youth protection training (ProtectingChildren.ChurchofJesusChrist.org) before the activity."
(General Handbook Section 20.7.1)
Adult supervision policy
“At least two adults should be present at all Church-sponsored activities attended by youth or children. To protect youth and children, leaders should always avoid one-on-one situations with a youth or a child unless the leader and young person are clearly visible to nearby adult leaders."
(“Safety in Church Activities” [First Presidency letter, May 6, 2019], ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
Please bear in mind there will always be circumstances where ‘Best Practice’ solution will be adopted. Such circumstances may include youth travelling to FSY by scheduled flights where it would not be practical for 2 chaperones to be in attendance. Every effort should be made to ensure that all youth reach the session safely, this may require a discussion with the Bishop and Parents to find the most practical and safe solution.
For youth travelling to and from FSY by car, we would ask that 2 adult chaperones are present when they are transporting youth. If parents or siblings are providing transport for their own children one adult is perfectly acceptable, but a second adult would be required when transporting children from another family.
Counsellors
On FSY sessions where counsellors have previously shared a room with the youth they must now combine groups so that 2 counsellors (or 1 assistant coordinator and 1 counsellor) are always present.
The following guidelines apply to FSY: -
Overnight Activities Policy
“On Church-sponsored overnight activities, leaders arrange sleeping accommodations so that male and female participants do not sleep in immediate proximity to each other. Male and female leaders must have separate sleeping facilities. Married couples may share the same quarters if appropriate facilities are available.
On Church-sponsored overnight activities, a child or youth may not stay in the same tent or room as an adult unless (1) the adult is his or her parent or guardian or (2) there are at least two adults in the tent or room who are the same gender as the children or youth.
If adult leaders and children or youth share other overnight facilities, such as a cabin, there must be at least two adults in the facility, and they must be the same gender as the child or youth.
All Church-sponsored overnight activities must include at least two adult leaders”
(General Handbook Section 20.5.5)