CODE OF CONDUCT

Deniliquin Baptist Church

Version1 @ April 21 2020

Code of Conduct

For Staff and Volunteers

Adopted by Elders & Administration Team on 21/04/2020

Purpose

The Church is committed to creating safe spaces where people can be confident

that they will be cared for, nurtured and encouraged as they grow and at the

same time, protected from spiritual, physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

As part of this commitment, staff and volunteers are required to sign and abide by

this Code of Conduct

The Code of Conduct sets out the following:

• the ministry commitments of staff and volunteers

• minimum behavioural standards and appropriate boundaries required of staff

and volunteers;

• the obligation of staff and volunteers to comply with Safe Church Policy and

Procedures; and

• the steps to be taken in the event of a potential breach of this Code.

The Code of Conduct seeks to reflect the biblical call to godliness and faithfulness in

ministry (e.g. 1 Timothy 3) but it is not intended as a replacement for the Bible

as a fundamental guide for faith and practice.

Scope

The Code of Conduct applies to all staff and volunteers aged 18 and over

The Code of Conduct should be read in conjunction with the Safe Church

Policy and:

• Procedure for Staff and Volunteers

• Procedure for Responding to Child Protection Concerns

• Procedure for Handling Complaints against Staff and Volunteers

• Procedure for Conflict Resolution

1. Staff and Volunteers are encouraged to:

As a staff member/volunteer of the Church, I promise to as far as

reasonably practical:

a) Nurture their relationship with God and nurture healthy relationships with others;

b) uphold, support and abide by the Safe Church Policy;

c) respond to reasonable directions from the person with responsibility for the

ministry I am involved in;

d) communicate with integrity, including wise and accountable use of electronic

communication, including in accordance with Guidelines for Activities with

Children and Young People;

e) not knowingly make false, misleading, or deceptive statements;

f) not engage in bullying, harassment, emotional abuse, spiritual abuse, physical

abuse, sexual abuse, of any person including my own family;

g) not act violently or intentionally provoke violence;

h) upholding confidentiality; not disclosing any confidential information without the

consent of the person providing the information (the exception being where

there is a legal obligation);

i) report concerns about misconduct and/or abuse according to the Church’s Safe

Church Policy and relevant procedures;

j) disclose all relevant information as part of completing the Screening Check

Questionnaire if I have not already done so;

k) disclose to the Church Leadership if I am investigated for any criminal offences

or have any knowledge of serious unlawful activity within the church context.

l) act with sexual purity, meaning I will:

• express my sexuality in healthy and God directed ways;

• restrict sexual intimacy to the confines of the marriage relationship

o (where marriage has the same meaning as in the Marriage Rites of the

Baptist Union of Australia ie/ ‘the union between a man and a woman

to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life’);

• recognize that it is inappropriate to access any type of pornographic

material and, if I struggle with this addiction, I will seek professional help;

• ensure that romantic interactions are meaningfully consensual;

• give consideration to any power imbalances in intimate relationships.

m) act with financial integrity in matters relating to DBC, including:

• having accountable and transparent systems in place for financial

matters;

• not seeking personal advantage or financial gain from our position (other

than in wages, recognised allowances and deductions).

n) not take or use property belonging to others without express consent, including

intellectual property (copyright);

o) not use any prohibited substance and be responsible in my use of substances

that may be addictive (eg. prescriptions, alcohol);

p) avoid ongoing counselling of people with whom I have pastoral relationships;

and

q) make alternative arrangements for pastoral ministry for any person with whom I

may develop a romantic or intimate relationship.

2. I understand that if there is a complaint against me relating

to a breach of this Code of Conduct:

a) and it is a plausible complaint relating to Child Sexual Abuse or Sexual

Misconduct involving a child, the Church may ask me to step aside from my

duties while the complaint is being considered; and/or

b) if the complaint relates to serious misconduct and/or abuse (including Child

Sexual Abuse or vulnerable people) it will be reported to relevant government

authorities in accordance with relevant legal requirements; and/or

c) I agree to participate in any process initiated under the Procedure for Resolving

Conflict, Procedure for Handling Complaints against Staff and Volunteers and/or

Procedure for Responding to Child Protection Concerns and agree to be bound

by the outcomes of any such process, which may include termination of my

employment/engagement as a staff member or volunteer with the Church.

3. If I am a Pastoral staff member, I:

a) agree to uphold and be bound by the Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT Code of

Ethics and Conduct;

b) understand that a breach of the Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT Code of

Ethics and Conduct will be considered a breach of this Code of Conduct;

c) (if I am an Accredited or Recognised Minister) agree to participate in, and be

bound by the outcomes of, any process initiated under the Baptist Churches of

NSW & ACT Procedures for Handling Allegations.

I,__________________________________ have read, and agree to be bound by and

uphold, the Staff and Volunteer Code of Conduct.

Signature

Date

NOTE: the staff member or volunteer should receive a copy of this Code of Conduct

and the Church should retain the signed and dated copy of the Code of Conduct

for at least 45 years.