Guidelines for Adult Chaperone/Youth Participant
Relationship while attending Steubenville Florida

Franciscan University would be unable to proclaim the Good News to over 40,000 teens each year without dedicated and faithful disciples like you. We appreciate all you sacrifice and all you do to be a part of the High School Youth Conference. In today’s state of heightened awareness, we not only want to protect young people, we want to protect the generous, caring adults, like yourself, who are willing to lay down part of your life so that a young person might come to know the love of Christ.

Here are simple guidelines for you to follow that will assist us in providing a safe environment for ALL participants at our youth conference. Thanks again for your service and know you are in our prayers.

DO:

1. Act as a role model reflecting the values of the Catholic Church and the love of Jesus Christ.
2. Speak and act with respect and regard for the value, person-hood, and uniqueness of each Youth in your group.
3. Maintain clear communication throughout the weekend with your Group Leader especially in regard to the interactions you have with different Youth.
4. Immediately report to your Group Leader any strange, embarrassing, or possibly compromising interactions you have with any Youth in your care.
5. Listen carefully to the Youth in your care. Be aware of and report to your Group Leader any conversations that reveal any abuse, self-destructive, suicidal, or harmful thoughts or behaviors. Do not promise a Youth complete confidentiality as there are some circumstances that must be reported by law.
6. Do not be alone with a Youth behind closed doors or any other place where you could possibly be compromised. If you wish to have a one-on-one with a teen, stay in a public place.
7. Use discretion with physical displays of emotion and care. This includes everything from hugging to simply touching someone on his or her arm or shoulder. We communicate more from non-verbal cues than through words. Hugs carry many different connotations for different Youth.
8. Ask permission if you wish to hug a youth. It may seem awkward but more than likely they will appreciate the fact that you respect their space enough not to intrude without asking. It also gives them the chance to say no if they are not comfortable (some Youth are uncomfortable being touched because of past abuse). Be sure that when offering a hug it is the Youth that needs the hug – not you! Use common sense in regard to the length, strength, posture, etc. of the hugs you give and receive.
9. Make it a point to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before you arrive for the conference. We want to ensure that the Youth have first access to the Priests during the conference.
10. Have fun, and encourage the Youth to get into all of the events of the weekend.

DO NOT:

1. Try to be a buddy or pal to the Youth. You are there to help them grow, not to develop a social life around or with them. This is especially important if you are involved with long-term ministry after the conference.
2. Use suggestive jokes, stories, or language with Youth. What they hear from their peers and laugh off could be devastating if it comes from your mouth.
3. Threaten, humiliate, or degrade a teen as a form of discipline.
4. Discipline with physical contact.
5. Let your Youth roam free without supervision.
6. Share inappropriate information about yourself with the Youth.
7. Allow your teens to engage in sexually suggestive, vulgar, or abusive speech.
8. Stand apart from the group.
9. Talk only to other Adults.
10. Be afraid to engage the Youth. This is a great opportunity to be a light to the youth in an often dark and confusing world.