The importance of child protection, volunteer labour, and property risks was among the topics covered in The South Bahamas Conference’s risk management seminar held at the Hillview church on May 20-21, 2023. The Inter-American Division’s Account Executive Rocio Roberts traveled to Nassau for the hybrid in-person-online service, and shared the importance of having effective risk management protocols in place for all departments in the churches.

According to Roberts, it is imperative that programs, especially those geared towards children can minimize potential harm to them while allowing them the benefits of wholesome gatherings. “Building an effective ministry,” Roberts said, “is worth it. Risk identification, risk control and risk financing are the three pillars of risk management that we need to provide activity.”

Roberts also emphasized the importance of everyone doing their part in risk management which, she says is a collaborative effort with departmental directors, church leaders and members. “We need to make this a priority at our leadership at the top,” Roberts added. “We’re going to build a right fence by protecting and providing effective supervision, and effective ministry.”

The Seventh-day Adventist church manual states that policies regarding the safety of children should include:
A two-adult policy
Open door policy
Volunteer screening
A six-month waiting period
And training

For more information regarding Adventist risk management, contact your local church or conference risk management leader, or visit AdventistRisk.org.