After posting our Social Media Policy the other week, I’ve found a great additional resource that may be of interest to those that found it helpful. Jon Coombs is a youth pastor at Canterbury Baptist Church in Canterbury, Australia. He has written up and published on his blog a far more comprehensive document titled ‘Electronic Communication Guidelines‘. It includes information on using Email, SMS Messaging, Social Media, Photos, Gaming, and Blogs. From the introduction:

This document seeks to outline guidelines and good practice for youth influencers in using electronic communication tools in a safe and encouraging way for those under the church’s care…

Youth leaders are not the only people who deal with young people in the church community. While they perhaps come into contact with young people on a more regular basis than others, through the programs and gatherings of the church, there are a wider sphere of people who also need to communicate with young people. The term ‘youth influencers’, therefore, includes, but is not limited to, those who interact on a regular basis with young people (under eighteen) through youth group, small groups, one-on-one discipleship, music teams, services, and any other interactions that may take place under the umbrella of one’s church.

I’m sure the document can be adaptable for use in other settings, and it’s great to see a working example of someone who’s thinking through the opportunities and risks involved with engaging young people digitally.

Visit Jon’s website to download the Electronic Communication Guidelines.