Re: Draft Youth Protection Guidelines


I agree with Clarence and also appreciate the work Bob has put into the document.

When I saw the AISDiscuss posting, I wondered what did we need to protect our youth from. Then Bob mentioned written policies of such organizations as 4H, and my mind thought of the 4H youth policies. I served in 4H as a volunteer for 15 years, including being a Community Leader for many years. I hadn't read Bob's proposed document yet but couldn't really see a comparison between AIS youth and 4H/Girls/Boys club youth projects. 4H is ONLY about youth, it is so much more active every month, in large events, and the youth are around physically potentially dangerous animals, e.g. a horse or steer which can kick you severely. 4H has for years required the fingerprinting of all leaders. When you enter a youth into 4H, you have to sign an agreement allowing 4H to use youth photos in their newsletters and publicity. Additionally, just a couple of years ago 4H implemented a policy whereas they ask for an additional adult to be present at all project meetings and events.

"These AIS Youth Protection Policy Guidelines are designed to help protect our youth in a proactive manner against sexual abuse (hereinafter "abuse")"

Then when I read Bob's first statement in the guidelines, I then saw a different angle than when I read Bob's comments about 4H. I looked at it in terms of the language of protection from sexual abuse. But as I read down, I realized there are a couple of statements that I needed to observe, as they pertain to the AIS Photo Contest. It seems VERY far stretched to be comparing iris flower photography rules to sexual abuse protection. Anyway the rules mentioned are:

"Photos of Youth Members. AIS Policy prohibits the posting of photos of name-identified youth members on the Internet, unless AIS sponsored and password protected. The publication of photos of named youth members in AIS publications whose distribution is limited primarily to AIS members is acceptable."

The Photo contest we published is SILENT about photos with youth. We did include a statement whereas the entrant must agree to AIS having permission to publish the winning photos on the Internet.

I'm not sure I understand the difference between "name-identified youth" and "non name-identified youth". Would this mean we could publish a photo on the Internet if the youth was NOT identified? I realize that the person taking the photo is not the parent of the youth and the photographer may not have permission from the parent to publicize the photo.

I do hope we don't do anything to discourage membership from cultivating youth to be interested in irises. In Region 14, it is extremely difficult to get volunteers to be a Youth chair at either the region level or club level, as well as getting youth involved. Our biggest hope at my local club is to simply get a youth to enter our show.

Having a written policy to require two adult volunteers at youth iris projects seems a bit much, as our shows and meetings are never a one person event to begin with.

I would like to see any rules pertaining to photography and use of photos, whether from a photo contest or just standard photos in the AIS bulletin or on the Internet be placed in a separate policy statement, not within a policy statement on the prevention of sexual abuse.

Cheers to everyone!

Kitty Loberg

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to the AIS Secretary
aissecjill@earthlink.net.



Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index