Safe Environment Training
St. Peter Safe Environment Coordinator: Julie Dickinson, 719-481-3511, x1120.
(July 2021) Recently, the diocese changed the way VIRTUS auto-assigns annual update training. The diocese moved away from assigning update training based on an anniversary date (of last completion), to all volunteers receiving the training on the same date. The change will simplify the audit process, as the date chosen is the first day of the new audit year, and will ensure all volunteers are doing what the diocese asks of them. Safe environment coordinators are now able to run compliance reports based on training title. Before, coordinators were only able to assess compliance by searching each volunteer name which was difficult at best, especially for larger parishes. With the slight change, the diocese is striving to maximize audit accuracy as well as volunteer compliance, thus furthering accountability and protection of our youth.
Any questions or concerns, contact:
Deacon Thomas Dickinson
Office of Child and Youth Protection, Diocese of Colorado Springs
Main 719.636.2345
Direct 719.866.6479
Screen.Educate.Observe
Any questions or concerns, contact:
Deacon Thomas Dickinson
Office of Child and Youth Protection, Diocese of Colorado Springs
Main 719.636.2345
Direct 719.866.6479
Screen.Educate.Observe
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For those who volunteer or wish to volunteer with our parish or school youth, as of August 1, 2020, the Diocese of Colorado Springs implemented the VIRTUS® Programs as its new comprehensive safe environment training and tracking platform. The Protecting God’s Children® program is the official training for volunteers who have regular contact with youth.
NEW VOLUNTEERS: If you are a new volunteer and need to register as a first-time registrant with VIRTUS, please contact Safe Environment Coordinator Julie Dickinson ([email protected] or 719-481-3511 x1120) to obtain a Diocese of Colorado Springs Registration Instruction Guide for volunteering within the parish and/or school. RETURNING VOLUNTEERS: If you are an returning volunteer you do not have to re-register. Your past compliance records of training(s) and background check(s) from our previous safe environment provider have been imported and accounted for in Virtus. You will begin to receive emails from Virtus regarding updates, newsletters, training, etc. To check your existing volunteer information, please go to: www.virtus.org. User ID: FirstName.LastName.docs (example: John.Doe.docs) *this User ID was originally set up for you in our last platform CMGConnect Password: Please click on the following link to reset your password https://www.virtusonline.org/virtus/forgot password.cfm If during this process you have difficulty resetting your password, please contact the VIRTUS Helpdesk at: VIRTUS Programs Office [email protected] or 888-847-8870 **Returning volunteers, please note: If you missed the last available update training from our previous provider titled 2019-2020: Social Media and Computer Security, an approved VIRTUS update training will be emailed to you from Virtus to complete the update training.** If you have questions, please contact Safe Environment Coordinator ([email protected] or 719-481-3511 x1120). ALL VOLUNTEERS: For all volunteers who have regular contact with youth, once you have a VIRTUS account, all future trainings and required background checks will be seamlessly sent to the email address you provided. As a result, compliance and education are simply a click of the mouse away. Not only will you have access to your training records, you’ll be notified when it’s time for recertification. With a VIRTUS account, you can also access a vast library of materials focused on protecting our youth. Thank you for your time and talent as a volunteer and thank you for your diligence in making our churches, schools, and ultimately our communities a safer place for all of God’s children and for those who cannot protect themselves. To ensure Virtus emails reach your inbox, please add [email protected] and [email protected] to your email contact list. |
Safe Environment Training Requirements Volunteers who work with minors require an annual training module and a refresher training (Keeping the Promise Alive) every three years.
Volunteers who work with the vulnerable require an annual training module and a refresher training (TBD) every three years. Educators require quarterly training modules and a refresher training (Keeping the Promise Alive) every three years. Clergy require monthly training modules and a refresher training (Keeping the Promise Alive) every three years. Employees require quarterly training modules and a refresher training (Keeping the Promise Alive) every three years. 
We are grateful for our volunteers and sincerely appreciate your cooperation!
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