X
Version 1.0
Ratified by the State Trustees of Victoria on 5 February 2023.
CICV refers to the Christian Israelite Church of Victoria.
Officers refers to judges and judgesses of church bodies within Victoria, and the male and female state trustees of Victoria. It also applies to interstate judges, judgesses, and trustees who may temporarily perform a role within the CICV.
Other leaders refers to those who lead a church program, service, or activity, such as preachers, door keepers, Sunday School teachers, choir directors, and any such leaders as have contact with children within the CICV.
Members refers to any person who is a registered member of the CICV.
The purpose of this policy is to demonstrate CICV’s commitment to promoting and protecting the safety of children. It outlines the fundamental expectations as to the treatment of children who come into contact with CICV’s officers and members, or who attend CICV’s facilities and activities
CICV has no tolerance for child abuse or maltreatment of children. We are committed to ensuring children and young people are empowered to participate in decisions that affect their lives and that they are given every support to be safe from harm.
We are committed to the cultural, spiritual, emotional, sexual, and physical safety of all children from all backgrounds and communities. We understand our legal and moral obligations to treat any child safety concerns seriously, including reporting any allegations and wellbeing concerns to authorities. We are furthermore committed to regularly reviewing our implementation of the Victorian Child Safe Standards.
This policy applies to all people associated with the CICV, including officers, other leaders, and members.
Children’s Rights
We are committed to:
Officers and Program Facilitators
We are committed to:
Reporting Allegations and Incidents of Child Abuse
We are committed to:
Record Keeping
We are committed to:
Risk Management
We recognise the importance of managing risks to minimise the potential for child abuse or harm to occur, including within activity planning. Therefore, we are committed to:
Non-Compliance
CICV will enforce this policy and the CICV Code of Conduct for Leaders. Following any issues of noncompliance, including issues where those named within the scope of this policy have compromised a child’s safety, the CICV will instigate a review that may result in restriction of duties, and/or suspension or termination of a person’s role and/or membership within the church.
Further to the above, where the issue of non-compliance is to a criminal degree, a report will be made to both police and DFFH in line with the mandatory reporting requirements of the State of Victoria and our spiritual requirement to obey and resolve such matters by the laws of the land (as per 1 Peter 2:13 and The Guide for the General Assemblies).
More Information
This policy is informed by the following, which also provide further information around child safety expectations:
Version 1.0
Ratified by the State Trustees of Victoria on 26 February 2023
CICV refers to the Christian Israelite Church of Victoria
Officers refers to judges and judgesses of church bodies within Victoria, and the male and female state trustees of Victoria. It also applies to interstate judges, judgesses, and trustees who may temporarily perform a role within the CICV.
Other leaders refers to those who lead a church program, service, or activity, such as preachers, door keepers, Sunday School teachers, and choir directors.
Members refers to any person who is a registered member of the CICV.
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all decisions and actions taken by the CICV are made in the best interests of the church and its community, and not influenced by personal or financial interests of individuals associated with the church. The policy is also to help maintain the integrity and transparency of the CICV’s operations, and to promote trust and confidence among its members.
This policy applies to all people associated with the CICV, including officers, other leaders, and members.
The CICV is committed to conducting its activities with the highest standards of integrity, honesty, and transparency. The CICV recognises it has a responsibility to act in ways that serves its mission as outlined by God to John Wroe and supports its congregation, and which avoids any actual or perceived conflicts of interest that could compromise these responsibilities.
Conflicts of Interest Definition
A conflict of interest arises when an individual’s personal or financial interests or relationships could potentially influence their decision-making or actions on behalf of the church, and could compromise the CICV’s primary responsibilities, integrity, objectivity, or effectiveness.
Disclosure & Management of Conflicts of Interest
All officers, other leaders, and members must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may arise in the course of their ministry or involvement with the CICV. The CICV will assess the disclosed conflicts of interest and determine whether any actions are necessary to avoid, mitigate, or manage the conflicts. In cases where a conflict of interest cannot be avoided, the individual involved must disqualify themselves from any decisions or actions that could be influenced by the conflict.
Any transactions or decisions involving a conflict of interest must be reviewed and approved by the CICV’s officers to ensure that they are fair and transparent and serve the best interests of the CICV.
The church will maintain records of all disclosed conflicts of interest and their management to ensure accountability and transparency, such as in meeting minutes.
Issues of Non-Compliance
Any concerns or suspicions regarding potential conflicts of interest or violations of this policy should be reported to the local judge and judgess, or the state trustee where the matter relates to a judge or judgess. The CICV will take all reports of non-compliance seriously and investigate them promptly and thoroughly, ensuring that appropriate action is taken
Failure to comply with this policy may result in reputational harm to the church, legal liability, or other negative consequences. As such, non-compliance may also lead to a review of a member’s role within the church.
Version 1.0
Ratified by the State Trustees of Victoria on 19 February 2023
CICV refers to the Christian Israelite Church of Victoria
Officers refers to judges and judgesses of church bodies within Victoria, and the male and female state trustees of Victoria. It also applies to interstate judges, judgesses, and trustees who may temporarily perform a role within the CICV.
Other leaders refers to those who lead a church program, service, or activity, such as preachers, door keepers, Sunday School teachers, and choir directors.
Members refers to any person who is a registered member of the CICV.
CICV Facilities refers to any building, room, or outdoor space owned or rented by the CICV.
The purpose of this policy is to outline how and when facilities of the CICV are to be used.
This policy applies to all people associated with the CICV, including officers, other leaders, members, and visitors
Access to CICV Facilities
The CICV supports the use of its spaces for purposes that furthers its ministries, positively promotes the church, aligns with its values, and supports its members and families where doing so does not pose a conflict of interest (as per the CICV Conflicts of Interest Policy).
CICV facilities are not available for public hire or for non-CICV functions and events. They are also not to be used for trade or for-profit activities.
Regular members of a church body can request to use the CICV facilities of that body by speaking to their judge and judgess. Non-members may accompany them when using the facility, however, a regular member of that body must always be present, unless special permission has been obtained from an officer.
Members wishing to use the facilities of another CICV (or interstate) church body are to speak to their judge and judgess, who, if they support the request, can forward it to the judge and judgess of that body (in consultation with the state trustee(s) as needed).
Interstate requests to utilise CICV facilities are to be directed to the local judge and judgess of that facility. Interstate members are to adhere to this policy when accessing CICV facilities.
Use of CICV Facilities
All CICV facilities should be treated with due respect. The following applies to all CICV facilities:
Members using a CICV facility are responsible for ensuring that non-members who accompany them adhere to the above requirements.
Fees
Members wishing to access a CICV facility, including accommodation, are to contact the judge and judgess of that facility to discuss relevant fees (where applicable) and payment options. All fees collected for facilities use is to support the maintenance of those facilities
Keys
Only CICV officers are permitted to have keys to church facilities, except where otherwise agreed to and signed for. Where a person has made a booking for a CICV facility and is needing to access that facility outside of normal CICV services, they are to arrange this with the local judge or judgess.
Non-Compliance
Issues of non-compliance to this policy are to be reported to the judge and judgess, or to the state trustee where the matter relates to habitual non-compliance or to a judge or judgess. Financial costs associated with non-compliance are the responsibility of the person who has not complied.
For minor issues (such as washing being completed incorrectly), the person(s) will be asked to review this policy with an officer to ensure they understand the requirements. Where a person demonstrates that they are unwilling or unable to use CICV facilities within the expectations of this policy, they will not be permitted to do so outside of usual CICV services.
For major issues (such as deceiving an officer about the use of a facility or use involving a criminal offence), officers will review the matter and the person(s) will almost certainly no longer have access to CICV facilities outside of usual CICV services.
Version 1.0
Ratified by the State Trustees of Victoria on 19 February 2023.
CICV refers to the Christian Israelite Church of Victoria
Officers refers to judges and judgesses of church bodies within Victoria, and the male and female state trustees of Victoria. It also applies to interstate judges, judgesses, and trustees who may temporarily perform a role within the CICV.
Other leaders refers to those who lead a church program, service, or activity, such as preachers, door keepers, Sunday School teachers, and choir directors
Members refers to any person who is a registered member of the CICV.
Personal information refers to information, in material form or otherwise, about an individual whose identity is apparent or can be reasonably ascertained. As outlined by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, personal information relates to a natural person or individual, which does not include a deceased person (unless the information about the deceased person also includes information or an opinion about a living individual who can be reasonably identified).
The purpose of this policy is to outline what personal information the CICV will collect, handle, and share. While neither the Privacy Act (1988) nor the Privacy (Private Sector) Amendment Act 2000 applies to the CICV, the CICV remains committed to handling personal information with care and with consideration to the National Privacy Principles. This includes transparency around when and what information will be shared, which this policy outlines.
This policy applies to all people associated with the CICV, including officers, other leaders, members, and non-members who have registered on a mailing list.
Collection of Information
The CICV collects information and maintains records concerned with the functioning of the church, including the following details about its members:
Judges and judgesses have access to members’ other payment records by virtue of electronic banking statements, however, this information is not specifically collected and not otherwise recorded.
The CICV will collect and hold non-members’ names, and postal and email addresses, where they have elected to be on a mailing list
Use of Information
The above information is used in the following ways:
The CICV is committed to ensuring that personal and private information is only used for the purpose it was collected for.
Sharing of Information
The above information is shared in the following ways:
The CICV will not provide contact details of members or non-members to any external third party without verbal or written consent, unless compelled to do so by the laws of the land, such as for child safety and mandatory reporting requirements.
Removal of Personal Information
Where a person no longer wishes to remain a member of the church or on a mailing list, the CICV will destroy all records of their personal information except where it relates to child safety, complaint, and indictment records, which will be held for 7 years. Past members’ names and signatures will remain in the members’ signing book.
Access & Changes to Personal Information
All members and non-members have the right to access the personal information the CICV may hold about them. A member can request access by contacting their local judge or judgess, or by emailing the Christian Israelite Church Privacy Administrator at privacy@cicchurc.asn.au. A member can also contact them to correct or change their personal information, such as if they move addresses.
Storage of Information
The CICV will take all reasonable steps to ensure personal information is stored safely and securely, so that only the individual whose information it is and the persons noted above can access it, and only for the purpose for which it was collected.
Access to Historical Documents
As noted in the definition above, personal information relates to living individuals only. As such, members and non-members may request access to historical documents relating to their deceased family members, as this information is no longer personal nor covered by the principles in this policy. However, the only personal information the CICV will have is the book in which the deceased person initially signed up to become a member. Other, non-personal information such as written correspondence may be available if it does not disclose church affairs or a living person’s information. Such requests are to be directed to the local judge and judgess where the deceased member attended, or, if that body no longer exists, to the state trustees.
Unsolicited Information
Where the CICV receives unsolicited personal information that concerns a non-CICV person, and/or that is beyond what has been listed above, the CICV will notify the individual concerned of the occurrence and return and/or destroy the information.
Non-Compliance
Issues of non-compliance include collecting, using, and sharing personal information beyond what is noted in this policy.
Issues of non-compliance are to be reported to the local judge and judgess, or the state trustees where the matter concerns the local judge or judgess. The officers will then inform the individual(s) whose personal information has been compromised and take steps to both rectify the situation and prevent similar occurrences in future. Any issues of non-compliance will be investigated, and the outcome may result in a review of a member’s role and duties.
This policy is informed by the following, which also provide further information around privacy principles:
Version 1.0
Ratified by the State Trustees of Victoria on 26 February 2023.
CICV refers to the Christian Israelite Church of Victoria.
Officers refers to judges and judgesses of church bodies within Victoria, and the male and female state trustees of Victoria. It also applies to interstate judges, judgesses, and trustees who may temporarily perform a role within the CICV.
Other leaders refers to those who lead a church program, service, or activity, such as preachers, door keepers, Sunday School teachers, and choir directors.
Members refers to any person who is a registered member of the CICV.
The purpose of this policy is to establish clear expectations for the behaviour of all individuals who attend CICV events and utilise its facilities, with the goal of promoting a respectful and safe environment. The policy is also intended to prevent incidents of harassment and bullying, and to create a community where all members feel valued and supported.
This policy applies to all people associated with the CICV, including officers, other leaders, members, and visitors.
Values
The CICV operates under the following values and seeks to bring them into all interactions with others:
Positive Behavioural Expectations
The CICV is committed to creating and sustaining a positive and mutually supportive environment based on the above values and by outlining positive behavioural expectations, as follows:
The CICV believes that in upholding these expectations and operating within the above values, the church can create a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment for all who attend.
For officers and other leaders, expectations are further outlined in the CICV Code of Conduct for Leaders.
Unacceptable Behaviour
The CICV will not tolerate unlawful or unacceptable behaviour. This includes:
Issues of Non-Compliance
The CICV takes all reports of bullying or unacceptable behaviour seriously. The CICV supports the right of any person to raise any concern they have, which can be done by reporting the matter to the local judge and judgess, or the state trustees where the matter relates to a judge or judgess. Concerns will be dealt with in a timely, professional, and appropriate manner, with officers taking suitable action to
address any incidents. Where the parties cannot agree on what has occurred/what is occurring, the officers may defer the matter to the laws of the land as per the Guide for the General Assemblies.
Issues of non-compliance that constitute a breach of a church law will be addressed accordingly, while issues of non-compliance that constitute a criminal offence according to the laws of the land will be reported to police.
Complaints that are vexatious, frivolous, or otherwise not made in good faith will constitute a breach of this policy. All concerns should be raised in the spirit of the values listed above and within the behavioural expectations of this policy.