Empowerment & Confidence - Benefits of Training

Empowerment & Confidence - Benefits of Training

(posted October 5, 2022)

You never know what others will get from training. Invariably, I’m surprised with what a student takes away from a class.

It is important to get feedback from your students. As a lifelong student, I hated having to fill out a course critique at the end of the class. I could have given better feedback if I had time to process the takeaways.

The approach I took in creating and developing a Safety and Security program for church was to determine the real safety and security issues/deficiencies of our church and treat them wholistically. Ongoing training and discussions with staff and volunteers is done regularly. As we continue to train, there is joy in hearing what the staff and volunteers have learned.

One of the pastors of the church, Andrew, who has been faithfully attending each of the training sessions, told me he now feels empowered to act in the event of an emergency. He said he felt more confident in how he needed to respond to different critical events.

With media and a 24/7 news cycle reporting violence in the public spaces, more church goers are voicing security concerns to their church leadership. Andrew is glad he can respond to their concerns, confident the church has dedicated the time and resources to safety and security with preparation, planning, and training.

Early in our emergency response planning, I reached out to our local fire department. They provided information for getting assistance procuring an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). We received not only an AED, but training as well. Many of the staff said they had never received emergency first aid/CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) training. Shortly after receiving the training, there was a medical emergency during Christmas Eve service and one of the pastors immediately retrieved the AED.

Since our church has established a Security Task Force which meets regularly and has dedicated time for ongoing training on safety and security, I get regular feedback and hear how our investment continues to impact the individuals in the church. Empowering others and building confidence are the reasons we train.