Behavior Guidelines for Youth

Behavior:
All youth participants should model Christian behavior and follow the Ten Commandments and Jesus’ teachings.
All youth must participate fully in all activities of the event. 
No youth or groups of youth should be outside of the event boundaries without an adult’s permission.
There will be no inappropriate touching –hand holding and quick side hugs are acceptable.
There will be no inappropriate language such as cursing, using put-downs or teasing.
On overnight events, there will be no girls allowed in guy’s bedrooms or guys allowed in girl’s bedrooms—use the living areas.
Respect each other’s property and belongings.
Observe the lights-out and curfew rules—an adult should not have to come looking for you.

Guests:

Friends are always welcome at youth group events.
Youth group members are responsible for introducing their guests to others and including them in activities.
Youth group members should stay with their guest as they participate in the youth activities.
Youth group members should make sure that their guest is aware of behavior guidelines and is willing to follow them.
Youth group members should be accepting and inclusive of all members, and especially of guests, and value everyone as the child of God they are.
It is recommended that a member invite only one guest to youth group overnight trips.
No guest of the opposite sex should be invited on an overnight event (trip or lock in) without permission from the youth leader.

Safety:

Everyone must wear a seat belt when traveling in a vehicle.
Report illness or injury promptly to an adult chaperone.
Wear shoes and a shirt at all times except in your room or engaging in water activities.

Possessions:

Youth members and chaperones should never use alcohol (except wine used in Holy Communion), tobacco or drugs during a youth event.
Youth members should not bring inappropriate articles such as knives, firearms, cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, hair clippers, etc. to youth events.
Electronic devices such as radios, cell phones, CD and DVD players must be used appropriately or they may be held by a chaperone for the duration of the event.
Video and audio media must be approved by an adult chaperone before they are shared with others at a youth event.  This includes CDs and videos played in vehicles transporting youth to events. 

Violation of guidelines:

An incident report will be filled out for every violation of behavior guidelines.  The form will be signed by the youth and an adult leader.
If there is a victim s/he will be attended to first.
Appropriate, caring steps will be taken to ensure that the violation does not occur again.  These steps may include discussions, time away from some activities, rearrangement of housing or transportation assignments, or other actions that the leader(s) deem necessary.
In cases where the behavior cannot be controlled or where the original violation was egregious (such as use of alcohol or drugs, sexual misbehavior or other gross misconduct), a parent will be notified and asked to remove their child from the event.