Electronic Communications Policy

Metro Detroit Youth Clubs are dedicated to creating and maintaining strong and healthy relationships with our Club members. To do so, electronic communication with members is often necessary. When using electronic communication with Club members, it is imperative that you follow these guidelines.

●      Electronic communication should be conducted through email, phone calls, and text-messages. Social networking, video chatting or anything similar is prohibited until the Club member is 18 years of age and graduated from high school. For example, you should not “friend” a Club member to your personal Facebook page.

●      Communication on schools days is allowed after school is dismissed and until 9:00 p.m. Communication on non-school days must be limited to between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Exceptions: Emergencies, off location Metro Detroit Youth Clubs trips, and Metro Detroit Youth Clubs activities that are taking place prior to 9:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.

●      Communication between staff members and Club members should remain professional at all times. Content should be based primarily on Metro Detroit Youth Clubs information. Conversing about school, sports, family, and other life activities may be discussed if the content is positive and appropriate.

A supervisor must be notified in the event of (a) emergencies, (b) any inappropriate content, and (c) communication outside of the approved times. This notification must happen within 2 hours of the communication.

All electronic communication has the potential to be kept as a record or to be forwarded on to other parties. Your communications to Club members should be professional and appropriate. Your communications to or from Club members can be viewed by Club members’ parents and guardians, as well as by Metro Detroit Youth Clubs supervision.

Preamble

To help prevent child sexual abuse Metro Detroit Youth Clubs has adopted the Center for Disease Control’s recommended Policies and Procedures for Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Within Youth-Serving Organizations. Six key components for preventing child sexual abuse in youth serve as the core principles for the Club’s policy: 1) screening and selecting employees and volunteers; 2) establishing guidelines on interactions between persons; 3) monitoring behavior; 4) ensuring safe environments; 5) responding to inappropriate behavior, breaches in policy, and allegations and suspicions of child sexual abuse; and 6) training in child sexual abuse prevention and recognition.

1. It is the policy of the Club to conduct screenings that include criminal background checks, personal interviews, and professional recommendations for all adults who will have repetitive contact with Club members.
2. It is the policy of the Club to limit any one-adult/one-child situations. It is the Club’s practice that any and all activities can be interrupted and observed by any member of the Club staff.
3. It is the Club’s policy to train staff to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. Training shall be conducted at least twice annually.
4. It is the Club’s policy to report all incidents where potential abuse has occurred.

Response Plan to Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse

In the event of any allegations of child sexual abuse at the Club or on Club related functions, the following response plan should be implemented immediately.

1. The safety of the child and other children will be secured by relieving the accused of his or her duties.
2. Report to Child Protective Services (CPS) immediately by telephone. File a written report within 48 hours or whatever is required by State law if less than 48 hours.
3. In the event that allegations of child sexual abuse are brought against the Executive Director, the incident shall be reported to the Board Chairman and the Executive Office Manager immediately.
4. The Club will take allegations seriously and show care and support to prevent further harm.
5. The accused should be treated with dignity and support. The accused must be notified of the suspension of duties that will be in place until after the investigation clears or substantiates the allegations.
6. If there are media inquiries, the Executive Director or designated spokesperson shall speak on behalf of the Club. Confidentiality and privacy of all involved, especially the victims and their families, must be safeguarded.

Metro Detroit Youth Clubs prohibits and does not tolerate sexual abuse in the workplace or in any related activity. The Club provides procedures for employees, volunteers, family members, board members, Club members, victims of sexual abuse, or others to report sexual abuse and disciplinary penalties for those who commit such acts. No employee, volunteer, board member, or third party, no matter his or her title or position has the authority to commit or allow sexual abuse.

The Club has a Zero-Tolerance policy for any sexual abuse committed by an employee, volunteer, board member or third party. Upon completion of the investigation, disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment and criminal prosecution may be taken.

Sexual abuse is inappropriate sexual contact of criminal nature or interaction for gratification of the adult who is interacting with the Club member. Sexual abuse includes sexual molestation, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, or sexual injury, but does not include sexual harassment. The issue of sexual harassment is addressed elsewhere in Club policy. Any incidents of sexual abuse reasonably believed to have occurred will be reportable to appropriate law enforcement agencies and regulatory agencies.

Some physical and behavioral evidence or signs that someone is being sexually abused are listed below.

Physical evidence of abuse:

• Difficulty in walking

• Torn, stained or bloody underwear

• Pain or itching in genital area

• Bruises or bleeding of the external genitalia

• Sexually transmitted diseases

Behavior signs of sexual abuse:

• Reluctance to be left alone with a particular person

• Wearing lots of clothing especially in bed

• Fear of touch

• Nightmares or fear of night

• Apprehension when sex is brought up

Additional warning signs:

• Unofficial connection and communication with youth outside of Club facility or Club related events

• Excessive demonstrations of affection or communication or gift giving

• Inappropriate conversations or behavior between an adult and child including inappropriate body language

Reporting Procedures

If you are aware of or suspect sexual abuse taking place, you must report it to the Executive Director and your direct supervisor immediately upon your suspicion, unless they are the adult in question. If in the event the Executive Director is the adult in question, the Chairman of the Club’s Board of Directors and America’s Regional Service Office must be notified. If the suspected abuse is to an adult, a report of the abuse will be filed with Adult Protective Services (APS). If it is a child who is the victim a report of the suspected abuse will be filed with Child Protective Services immediately. Appropriate family members may be notified of alleged instances of sexual abuse but only at the direction of Child Protective Services.

The Club will report the alleged sexual abuse incident to their insurance agent as soon as possible in compliance with the insurance policy requirements.

Anti-retaliation

The Club prohibits retaliation made against any employee, volunteer, board member or Club member who reports a good faith complaint of sexual abuse or who participates in any related investigation. Making false accusations of sexual abuse in bad faith can have serious consequences for those who are wrongly accused. The Club prohibits making false and/or malicious sexual abuse allegations, as well as deliberately providing false information during an investigation. Anyone who violates this principle is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination and the Club reserves the right to pursue all appropriate legal action.

Investigation and Follow-up

The Club will take all allegations of sexual abuse seriously and will promptly and thoroughly investigate whether sexual abuse has taken place. The Club will cooperate fully with any investigation conducted by law enforcement or other regulatory agencies. The Club reserves the right to conduct a fair and impartial investigation with support from independent third parties.

The Club will make every reasonable effort to keep the matters involved in the allegation confidential while still allowing for a prompt and thorough investigation.