Discipleship and mentorship involve trust. The Academy should operate with clear standards that protect children, young people, adults, mentors, volunteers and visitors from abuse, exploitation, harassment and unsafe conduct.
Core safeguards
- Safe recruitment and screening for relevant staff, mentors and volunteers
- Clear supervision arrangements
- Parental or guardian consent for minors where required
- Appropriate one-to-one mentorship boundaries
- Controlled access to studios and private rooms
- Photography, video and recording consent
- Rules for overnight or off-site mission activities if ever offered
- Incident reporting and complaints pathways
- Confidential handling of personal information
- Anti-harassment and anti-bullying standards
- Equipment and electrical safety
- Event crowd and emergency procedures
Mentorship boundary
Mentorship should strengthen a learner’s growth without creating dependency, secrecy, financial exploitation or inappropriate personal relationships. Concerns should be reportable through a designated safeguarding channel.