Our CM team is not identified
Your Question:
“How can I visually identify those who are cleared to serve on our CM team?”
The Issues:
Identifying those who are cleared (screened and trained) to be with the children in the CM is critically important. HOW you do this can bring various complaints or “push-back” from your CM team. The men on your team will most likely complain the least. The women may not like various options of team-wear due to a variety of reasons.
Scripture Foundation:
To the pure, all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Indeed, both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.” Titus 1: 15, 16
Short Answer:
Being able to identify who has been screened and trained to serve on your CM team is critically important for you and for the parents. This identification must be visual. You, the parents, and any security team members must be able to quickly identify “safe” people serving with the children. ID badges are a good approach for this necessity. The problem with ID badges is that they are not always visible if the team member is bending over or facing away from the doorway. If you utilize ID badges, make sure to include large letters for the first name and a photo ID that you have taken. The best way to identify your cleared CM team is through some sort of team-wear that is brightly colored and is visible from all angles. Shirts, aprons, or vests are all possibilities for team-wear. Each option has its own “pros and cons.” No matter what team-wear you choose, some will not like the fact that it covers up their outfit they’ve chosen to wear; some will not like to have to put it on over their head because it messes up their hair; some won’t like the color or style you’ve chosen. You can choose from: aprons, which men don’t like; polo or button shirts, which women won’t like or wear; hats; which women will not like; ID badges on lanyards; which may be the least offensive; or simple ID badges that they apply to their shirts (make sure they use magnetic attachments and not pins). You might also consider brightly colored, wide lanyards that hold the ID badges. These brightly colored lanyards with your vision statement on them can be an easier way to identify the cleared team members with a low level of “fashion conflict.” The problem you will face if you choose this approach will be in storing the lanyards and in enforcing the team members to use them. If you let your team members take the lanyards home, they will disappear. If you store them on campus, the team members must remember to pick them up before they serve and return them to the secure storage area after service. If you store them on campus, make sure they are secure. If you have them available to anyone who walks by, you have significantly diluted your security process. You will ultimately choose the option that is the least problematic for the least number of team members. For more help, click on the links below.
Visit other articles in the “Building The CM Team APPENDIX”
