Policies and Procedures

Smoking
If you are of legal age to smoke in the State of Ohio you may do so at Diocesan Event, but ONLY during designated time and at designated locations. You MAY NOT SMOKE if you are under the age of 18, and if you are over 18 and smoking in an undesignated area or time, you will be asked to leave the premises. If you are under 18 and found smoking anywhere, you will be asked to leave the event, and you parent/guardian will be notified.

Financial Aid
Scholarship assistance is available. Contact your local congregation and the Office of Youth Ministries for more information. Scholarship guidelines:
1) The Diocese may award up to a half scholarship, except in cases of extreme need, contact home parish for additional help.
2) Students who receive a scholarship are asked to bring another person to the event who has not come before, or who did not participate in the previous event as an act of good will toward the program. Scholarship assistance is also available for 2nd person.

Adult to Student Ratio
The Diocese of Southern Ohio youth program will maintain a 1 adult to every 4 student ratio at all Diocesan Events, including Summer Camp. Adult Staff (Definition below) will include proportionate ratios of male and female members.

Adults Staff
There is an expectation that for every parish sending more than 6 youth, one adult sponsor should also be present for that congregation. This is so there is a bridge between the the event and the adult leadership of the home parish. Adults are expected to be at least 19-years old (or have completed or be in their first year of college) for High School events. Adults are expected to be at least 18 years old for Junior High Events. There will be both male and female staff in equal numbers for all events. All of these adults should have completed the Diocese of Southern Ohio's Prevention of Child Sexual Misconduct Training. Please call the Director of Youth Ministry for any exceptions to this policy. Adults are expected to be present at every pre-event planning meeting. Missing more than one planning event will be grounds for removal from staff.

Presence: All participants, youth and adult, are expected to be present from the time the program begins to its conclusion. Please contact the Director of Youth Ministry for exceptions to this policy.

Travel to and from Diocesan Youth Events: It is the responsibility of the parents and youth leaders of a congregation to provide transportation to and from diocesan youth events. It is also the expectation that an adult will transport young people to and from these events. If exceptions are made to this policy: 1) Young people who are under 18 are expected to have written permission from a parent or guardian to drive to an event, and 2) if young people are transporting other young people to and from a youth event, written permission must be provided for driver and passenger from a parent or guardian of the youth participant and a parent or guardian of the driver that identifies who is driving, who is being driven, and location they are being driven.

Sleeping accommodations: All diocesan youth events must provide 8 hours of scheduled time for sleep on all overnight events. It is never appropriate for two people to share a bed or other sleeping space (i.e. sleeping bag), or for a young person and an adult to share a bed. Males and females (both youth and adult) should sleep in separate rooms at all events and have separate access to bathroom facilities. It is desirable that youth and adults should have separate sleeping quarters, and, when possible, separate bathing facilities. If separate sleeping quarters for adults and youth are not possible, adults should sleep at a different end or side of the room.

Boundary/rule infractions
Boundary/rule infractions and misbehavior must be addressed immediately.
ALL behavior issues MUST be brought to the attention of the Director of Youth Ministries, or acting Adult in charge:
no matter how small.
even if you have handled it yourself.
even if the Director is not on site with you that weekend.

All involved in an incident may be asked to fill out an “Incident Report” or to provide
written documentation of what they witnessed.
You do have permission to call other youth out on their behavior.
Please keep in mind that striking a young person is never appropriate.

Medications
Students bringing medications must bring them in their original containers, and only
bring enough needed for the time they are in attendance at a youth event. All medications must be turned into the adult responsible for distribution of the medications on the weekend. (adults will receive training from a medical professional) The medical release forms should reflect all medications that both youth and adults
are currently taking.

Medical emergency
In case of a medical emergency, the medical release form must accompany the minor to the Hospital or Urgent Care Facility. In the event that we transport a minor or an adult to the hospital or Urgent Care
Facility, two other adults must accompany that person. If that minor has an adult from their congregation attending the event, that adult will most likely be asked to be one of the adults accompanying the minor for
treatment. Medical care attention is primary. The parents/guardians will be notified as soon as it is possible.
As soon as possible, the other adults on the weekend will be notified of the emergency.

Cancellation Policy
Every diocesan youth event is planned based upon an expected number of participants. This number is usually estimated according to the event's attendance numbers in years past. While the diocese provides a program budget to offset the costs of running youth events, it is not enough to cover the total costs of events. Registration fees from participants are necessary to pay for the event, including meals, accommodations, supplies, and t-shirts.