YOU CAN #BeAConnection, especially North Carolina’s Faith Communities, especially now!
Become a Connections Matter Congregation
Our NC Faith Communities lift people up and keep families strong! This IS an upstream approach to the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Your acts of service and community outreach provides essential protective factors and hope to the children, families, and communities you serve which is why we would like you to consider becoming a Connections Matter Congregation.
A Connections Matter Congregation invests in building a safe and nurturing environment for children, families, and their communities. Prevent Child Abuse NC (PCANC)will partner with our Connected Congregations through Connections Matter and encourage you to choose at least two priorities from the list below that best align with the goals of your place of worship. PCANC is here to help support you and to be a partner on your journey.
Review the list below and then contact Tracey O’Neal, Prevent Child Abuse NC’s Faith-Based Partnership Engagement Manager, to help build your plan. As a Connections Matter Congregation, you will receive a sign to post to shine a light on your congregations commitment to young children and families in your community.
What you can do:
For more information please contact Tracey O’Neal or Dawn LeBlanc.
- Host a screening of the documentary Resilience: The Biology of Stress & The Science of Hope
- Introduce Connections Matter and learn how implementing trauma-sensitive practices can support families, congregations, and the communities you serve
- Connect with one of the Connections Matter Faith Trainers and host a Connections Matter training
- Become a Connections Matter Trainer and train others
- Participate in the Connected Congregations Connected Communities celebrating the importance of positive connections in the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
- Promote positive social connections by hosting a Community Café where you can learn the priorities of the children and families in your community. Need ideas? Check out Solid Rock UMC Community Café
- Encourage those working with children and youth to take our free online course Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment
- Observe safe practices by referring to PCANC’s Child Abuse Prevention Policy and Procedures Guidelines and Checklists
- Promote positive social connections and fun by hosting a Community Café where you can learn the priorities of the children and families in your community.
- Implement at least one (1) policy change. Click here for examples from Connected Congregations from across the state.
- Implement at least one (1) environmental change. Click here for examples from Connected Congregations from across the state.
- Share you and post your connections! Click here for social media toolkit, sample bulletin inserts, and additional materials
- Become a Connected Congregation Prevention Action Network Member
- Plant a pinwheel garden in April and create awareness during Child Abuse Prevention Month
TOOLS & RESOURCES:
Resilience Screenings Flyer
This Resilience Flyer can be a useful tool for promoting your event. Currently, PCANC is unable to assist with Resilience Screenings virtually during the physical distancing restrictions of COVID per screening rights. Please contract Tracey O’Neal for alternative approaches for your congregations.
We’re A Connected Congregation Flyer
This flyer outlines what is a Connections Matter Congregation, the important role our faith communities play in prevention of child maltreatment, and suggested approaches in becoming a Connections Matter Congregation.
Faith One-Page Flyer
Please share this Faith One-Pager explaining the faith communities’ upstream approach in raising awareness, recognizing trauma and toxic stress, and how being a caring and supportive connection can literally rewire our brains, reduce the effects of trauma, and help build resilience that is essential in the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
Paper Tigers Viewing Materials
Paper Tigers is a documentary from the producers of Resilience that follows six youth through a school where a trauma-sensitive approach is implemented. This documentary can be useful for youth groups and can be found on Amazon Prime. Please see here for the link to The Resilience Faith Instructional Guide to accompany your viewing.
Faith Tip Tuesday Social Media Materials
Check out PCANC Faith Tip Tuesdays on Facebook and Instagram. We encourage you to share on your websites and social media content for ideas on ways to connect through random acts of kindness.
Social Media Toolkit
Having trouble with messaging? Not to worry. Please check out our social media toolkit for ideas and ways YOU CAN #BeAConnection.
Community Café Resource Guide
A Community Café gathers interested community members who are inspired to make a change. Want to learn more ? Check out how Solid Rock United Methodist Church and Harnett County’s Partnership for Children collaborated in hosting a Community Café. You will be amazed at the results. During their Community Café, a trauma-informed Resource Guide was generated and inspired the generation of the Harnett County Resilient Initiative. Check out how, Solid Rock UMC and Harnett County Partnerships for Children used the Community Café as a tool for collecting community feedback and facilitating change.
Learn More About What Connections Matter Congregations Do
Click the buttons to learn more.
