Child & Youth Protection Policy

Protecting Every Child. Empowering Every Mentor.

This statement was last updated on July 14, 2026.

Our Commitment

Actively Men exists to bring men together to mentor, teach, and positively impact youth through practical life skills, character development, community involvement, and faith in Jesus Christ.

The safety, dignity, and well-being of every child is our highest priority. Every volunteer, mentor, board member, instructor, and community partner shares the responsibility of creating a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment for youth.

We maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward child abuse, neglect, harassment, exploitation, grooming, discrimination, bullying, or any conduct that threatens a child's physical or emotional well-being.

Volunteer Expectations & Code of Conduct

Every Actively Men volunteer agrees to:

Treat every child with dignity and respect.
Use positive, encouraging, and appropriate language.
Lead by example.
Promote inclusion and teamwork.
Respect families and personal boundaries.
Follow all organizational safety procedures.

Volunteers shall never engage in physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual misconduct, bullying, intimidation, grooming behaviors, inappropriate physical contact, or any behavior that could place a child at risk.

Supervision & Youth Safety

Actively Men is committed to maintaining safe and observable environments for all youth activities.

Whenever reasonably possible:

Two unrelated approved adults should be present during organized youth activities.
Volunteers should never be alone with a child in a private setting.
Programs should occur in open, public, and observable locations.
Parents or guardians remain responsible for supervising their children during public community events unless otherwise stated.
Volunteers may not transport youth without organizational approval, written parent permission, and compliance with insurance and transportation policies.

Communication & Appropriate Boundaries

Volunteers should maintain healthy, professional boundaries at all times.

Appropriate physical contact includes handshakes, fist bumps, high-fives, and side hugs when appropriate.

Inappropriate physical contact—including lap sitting, wrestling, tickling, massages, unwanted touching, or any contact that could reasonably be viewed as inappropriate—is prohibited.

Volunteers may not privately communicate with youth through personal text messages, social media accounts, or messaging applications. Communication should occur through parents or guardians, official Actively Men communication channels, or approved group communications.

Volunteer Screening & Training

As resources allow, Actively Men intends to implement:

Volunteer applications
Reference checks
Background screening for volunteers with ongoing youth contact
Volunteer orientation
Child protection training

Every volunteer is expected to understand and follow this policy before participating in youth programs.

Reporting Concerns & Emergencies

Every volunteer has a responsibility to immediately report suspected abuse, neglect, unsafe behavior, policy violations, harassment, threats, or any concern involving the safety of a child.

Volunteers should never investigate suspected abuse themselves.

Medical emergencies should be addressed immediately by ensuring the child's safety, contacting emergency services when appropriate, notifying the parent or guardian, and completing an incident report.

Actively Men prohibits retaliation against anyone who makes a good-faith report.

Media, Privacy & Confidentiality

Photographs or videos of youth may only be taken with appropriate parent or guardian permission and for approved Actively Men purposes.

Children's identities will not be publicly connected to photographs without permission.

Information relating to youth, families, volunteers, medical matters, or incident reports will be treated as confidential and shared only with individuals who have a legitimate need to know.

Alcohol, Drugs, Weapons & Conduct

While participating in Actively Men activities, volunteers may not:

Consume alcohol
Use illegal drugs
Smoke or vape
Possess unauthorized weapons

Only authorized law enforcement officers acting within the scope of their official duties are exempt from the weapons policy.

Respect & Inclusion

Actively Men welcomes youth from diverse backgrounds and is committed to treating every participant with dignity and respect.

We do not tolerate harassment or discrimination based on race, color, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

As a Christian faith-based organization, our programs are rooted in biblical values while serving every family with compassion, integrity, and respect.

Policy Violations

Violations of this policy may result in coaching, additional training, suspension, permanent removal from volunteer service, or notification of law enforcement or child protection authorities when appropriate.

Our Standard

Every child deserves a safe place to learn.

Every parent deserves confidence when entrusting their child to us.

Every volunteer deserves clear expectations and the training necessary to serve responsibly.

Actively Men is committed to building a culture where children are protected, volunteers are equipped, and families can confidently place their trust in our mission.

Together, we are building stronger youth, stronger families, and stronger communities, one life at a time.