ZIMBABWE EAST UNION CONFERENCE

ADVENTURER BASIC STAFF TRAINING COURSE

Compiled by H. Mukodzani
Table of Contents
1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1

1.2 Adventurer Club Ministry: Its Purpose, History & Relationship to the Church ......... 1

1.3 Introduction to Club Organization .............................................................................. 6

1.4 Introduction to Planning & Programming................................................................. 12

1.5 Special Programs ....................................................................................................... 16

1.6 Adventurer Curriculum ............................................................................................. 20

1.7 Adventurer Awards ................................................................................................... 29

1.8 Developmental Growth & Introduction to Effective Teaching Methods .................. 31

1.9 Introduction to Child Safety Issues, Medical, and Risk Management ...................... 40

References ............................................................................................................................ 48
1.1 Introduction
These eight workshops are basic to leading Adventurer Club Ministry as per the new guidelines
to align with new Masterguide Curriculum (2022) those of Club Ministries Training:

1. Adventurer Club Ministry: Its Purpose, History & Relationship to the Church (60
minutes)
2. Introduction to Club Organization (75 minutes)
3. Introduction to Planning & Programming (75 minutes)
4. Special Programs (60 minutes)
5. Adventurer Curriculum (75 minutes)
6. Adventurer Awards (60 minutes)
7. Developmental Growth & Introduction to Effective Teaching Methods (75 minutes)
8. Introduction to Child Safety Issues, Medical, and Risk Management (75 minutes)

1.2 Adventurer Club Ministry: Its Purpose, History & Relationship to the
Church
What your participants will learn:

1. Adventurer Philosophy and objectives

2. History of Adventuring
3. Adventuring as a Ministry
4. Adventurer Relationship to Church
5. Adventurer Logo

Overview

 The Adventurer Club ministry is one of four ministries offered by the Seventh-day
Adventist church for young people. Each meets the specific developmental and spiritual
needs of a specific age group. Each offers opportunities for learning, growth,
community building and service. The Adventurer club ministers to the youngest group,
those ages 4-9.

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  The Adventurer Club isn’t just for kids! The Adventurer Club is designed to include
parents and guardians in all aspects of the program, and you’ll find the more involved
parents and guardians are, the more successful your club will be.
 Adventurer meetings should be fun and kid-centered. Remember that children look to
adults to set the pace of the meetings and model how they should act. Maybe you’ve
been encouraged or inspired by the words of Proverbs 22:6 -- “Bring up a child in the
way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Prov. 22:6, NIV).

Adventurer Ministries Philosophy & Objectives

Philosophy

 The Adventurer program has been created to assist parents in their important
responsibilities as a child’s primary teachers and evangelizers. The program aims to
strengthen the parent/child relationship and to further the child’s development in
spiritual, physical, mental, and social areas. Through the Adventurer Program, the
church, home, and school can work together with the parent to develop a mature, happy
child.
 Adventurer Ministry is a Family Ministry. One of the most important elements in the
Adventurer philosophy is that Adventurers is not a kindergarten ministry but a family-
building relationships ministry, it is a parental involvement and support ministry!
 So why have an Adventurer club? The Adventurer program is designed by the church
to support parents in assisting children with the challenging task of developing fully as
followers of Christ in today’s world.

Objectives

The Adventurer Club provides fun and creative ways for children...

1. to develop a Christ-like character;

2. to experience the joy and satisfaction of doing things well;
3. to express their love for Jesus in a natural way;
4. to learn good sportsmanship and strengthen their ability to get along with others;

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 5. to discover their God-given abilities and to learn how to use them to benefit self and
serve others;
6. to discover God’s world;
7. to improve their understanding of what makes families strong;
8. to develop parental support for their upbringing.

The Adventurer Club strives to also foster an environment where …

1. Children will, at their own level, commit their hearts and lives to Jesus Christ.
2. Children will be able to gain a positive attitude toward the benefits, joys, and
responsibilities of living a Christian life.
3. Adventurer families can acquire the habits, skills and knowledge needed to live for
Jesus today.
4. Parents and other primary caregivers will become more confident and effective in their
role as co laborers with Christ for their children.
5. The church leadership will accept its responsibility in assisting to care for its youngest
members.

History of Adventuring

1. The history of Adventurers started back in 1917 when the Primary Reading Course was
introduced
2. In 1924 the Sunbeam class was taught in a second-grade classroom and a pin was
awarded for completing the requirements.
3. The awarding of the Busy Bee pin first appeared in 1928 as part of the commencement
exercises at school.
4. The Busy Bee Pledge and Law first appeared in 1929.
5. In 1930, Pre-AJY classes, Busy Bee, Sunbeam, Builder and Helping Hand were
developed.
6. General Conference endorsed ideas of Busy Bee, Sun-beam, builder, and Helping Hand
in 1939
7. MV committee voted on June 10, 1946 that the Pre-Junior classes be named Busy Bee,
Sunbeam, Builder, and Helping Hand.
8. In 1972 the Washington Conference sponsored a club for children called “Beavers”, the
North Eastern Conference joined into the children’s club concept by 1975

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 9. In 1979, Pre-AJY was changed to Adventurers
10. In 1989, a committee met to update the adventurer curriculum, develop awards and
write guidelines for the adventurer club organization
11. In 1990, the adventurer program piloting process began in the North American Division
12. In 1999 the GC Annual Council recommended that a new section, Adventurer club, be
added to the Church Manual.

Adventurer logo

Pledge and Law

Pledge

Because Jesus loves me, I will always do my best.

Law

 Be obedient
 Be pure

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  Be true
 Be kind
 Be respectful
 Be attentive
 Be helpful
 Be cheerful
 Be thoughtful
 Be reverent

Song

The Adventurer Song was first adopted in 2006, but has now been translated into hundreds of
languages. The General Conference Youth Ministries website has a variety of formats available

We are Adventurers

At home, at school, at play

We are Adventurers

We’re learning every day

To be honest, kind, and true

To be like Jesus through and through

We are Adventurers!

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1.3 Introduction to Club Organization
Starting an Adventurer Club

Where do you begin?

1. Pray. Pray that God will lead your church and its leaders to find value in having an
Adventurer club.
2. Talk to your pastor and church board. You may wish to bring along interested
caregivers who have kids in the Adventurer age group for support and to show your
pastor and board that Adventurers is desired by your community! Each club needs to
be sponsored by a local church! Usually, starting a club starts with a simple vote by the
church board.
3. Formally elect Adventurer leadership. The board will usually elect a club director, and
also usually an associate / deputy director. In unusual cases, the church board or a
nominating committee will create an entire staff.
4. Let your local Conference know about the new club and new leadership, so that your
local club can be notified of resources, supports, and activities provided by conference
level leadership. Often, they will ask for your contact information and also alert you of
calendar events coming up for your young people. They may also have an area
coordinator or other leader who can mentor you in your new role.
5. Form an Adventurer Executive Committee. If you are in a large church, an Adventurer
Club executive committee may be helpful. Included in this group might be the
Adventurer Club leadership, a pastor, kindergarten and primary Sabbath school leaders,
and church school teacher(s) of Adventurer-age children, and Adventurer parent(s). The
Adventurer Team Leader is chairperson. This group sets major policies for the Club
Director, goals, and objectives, and coordinates the club calendar with the church
calendar. This committee may also give direction on the selection of additional staff. In
other churches, a children’s ministries committee may function for this role.
6. Get the support of caregivers. Every club needs children. Every child has caregivers. If
you can get them excited about the club, and ask them to be meaningfully involved,
you not only have volunteer club staff, but also children for the Adventurer club! Since

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 Adventurers is a family-based ministry, involving caregivers with their children isn’t a
suggestion, it is a requirement!
7. Call an organizational meeting. Invite anyone interested in learning more about
Adventurers to join you for an informational meeting. Directly invite leaders who are
especially influential, since they will likely bring others and also cheer on your efforts.
Personally invite caregivers. Don’t limit yourself to those caregivers whose children
who attend Sabbath school and church. Also invite area kids and their caregivers to join
you during this meeting g. Many of our strongest clubs are formed with many children
who live near the church but who were not part of the church fellowship when they
joined the club! During the informational meeting, explain the goals of Adventurer
meetings. Ask for volunteers to help. If possible, find times and dates that the majority
of interested people could attend!
8. Inform the Congregation. Make sure your home congregation knows of their new
Adventurer ministry. Don’t forget to continue to let them know of events and successes
of the Adventurers in the coming month!
9. Recruit Staff. First, ask several of the caregivers of the children whom you anticipate
attending the club to help you lead the club. Most staff in Adventurer ministry are
caregivers. Second, ask your group of friends to assist you in your ministry. Ministry is
more fun with friends. Chances are you will be spending extra time together -- so new
friendships are very possible! Many will be leading in club ministry for the first time,
and will leave when their child graduates to Pathfinders. This means your staff turn-
over each year might feel high, but you are encouraging and training leaders both for
your club ministry AND Pathfinders!
10. Participate in Adventurer staff ministry training. Many conferences offer annual staff
training. Other Adventurer ministries will travel to your church and help your local staff
group get trained. Call, email, or text your local conference youth director or children’s
ministries director to see what training options are available to you!
11. Keep praying!

Running an Existing Adventurer Club

Stepping into the leadership role of an existing club has its advantages:

1. Uniforms and other supplies are likely already purchased

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 2. Children and their families already are committed and expect certain things from the
Adventurer program.
3. The church board / leadership has already shown support (maybe even financial
support) for Adventurer club ministry.

However, it also has its potential challenges.

1. Former leadership styles or bad habits may cause stress for a new club director and
her/his new team
2. Expectations from the community may be unwritten and thus not easy for the new
leader to figure out nor implement.
3. There may be dysfunctional elements in staff, children, or other relationships that are
hard to manage. Regardless, God will give you the strength to figure it out and succeed
if you continually ask for His guidance. He has called you to this specific work for
“such a time as this.”

Here are some suggestions for transitioning an existing club:

1. Pray
2. Interview current staff and Adventurer family units. Ask them what they have enjoyed
most, found most challenging, and the role they have played in the club.
3. Don’t make promises until you have the big picture and have developed a big-idea plan
4. Make changes only as quickly as the team is willing to follow. Change is hard on many
types of people.
5. Ask for mentoring as a leader. Many veteran leaders can give you counsel on how to
lead this existing structure most effectively based on principles they have learned and
their knowledge of the people you both work with!
6. Pray some more!

Staff Meetings

 Regular staff meetings are essential to success. New clubs or clubs with new club
directors require much more frequent levels of staff interaction.
 Long-standing staff with stable leaders and minimal transitioning often need fewer staff
meetings because everyone is acquainted with the procedures, challenges, family
groups, schedules, and other features of the club.

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Things to address at the beginning of the year staff meeting:

1. Calendar, programs, field trips

2. Curricular expectations (are lesson plans required? When and to whom are lesson plans
turned in? How do we make sure each child can successfully complete their class level
by the end of the adventurer year?)
3. Job descriptions (included in this section)
4. Time involvement and attendance expectations (when should staff arrive before a
meeting? When are staff able to leave? What preparation or cleaning of the facility is
required of the staff? Who supervises children who arrive early or stay late? If a staff
member is unable to lead or attend a meeting, what is the procedure to get a replacement
or have the curriculum covered? What safety guidelines or certifications are necessary
for each club leader?
5. Program flow
6. Safety procedures and guidelines (details in this book)

Staff Positions

 To staff an Adventurer Club, it is necessary to have a director, one or more Deputy

Directors, unit counselors, treasurer, secretary, group supporters, and other parent
volunteers.
 Sometimes the club directors or deputy directors are also unit counselors, especially in
smaller clubs. Many staff are involved parents. Other positions may include snack
coordinator, events coordinator, service coordinator, and resources coordinator when
there is need.

Background Checks

 Background checks are required for anyone working with children under age 18. This
program has been instituted to protect our children and provide a buffer zone between
molesters and paedophiles and our valued children. Please contact your conference
office for more details.

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Staff Job Descriptions

1. Club Director (formerly Director):

 In small clubs, the Adventurer club Director is responsible for providing a program for
the club that reaches the objectives successfully.
 The club director leads out at staff/council meetings, and plays a large role in the
management and function of each club meeting as well.
 The Adventurer club director is a mature person who is a member in good and regular
standing of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She/he is encouraged to be a Master
Guide or begin working on the Master Guide leadership training, as provided by their
conference or union conference.
2. Deputy directors
 Deputy Directors accepts assignments from the Club Director and share in the
leadership responsibilities of the club.
 There can be two or more deputy directors depending on the local club needs. In some
clubs, deputy directors may also serve as unit counselors, support staff, or in other staff
roles.
3. Counselor
 The unit counselor is the leader of a group of Adventurers who began the year at the
same age (in the same class level) They remain the unit counselor for an entire class
level (usually one school year or one calendar year).
 Unit Counselors hold a key position in the Adventurer Club, for they have the closest
contact with the Adventurers and their families and homes.
4. Instructor
 Group Instructors volunteers offer support to individual groups or to the administration
to fulfill specific tasks.
 So instructors staff work with the same group all year (often along with their children)
and support the unit counselor with crafts, activity setup or cleanup, supply sourcing or
preparation, or teaching specific skills as outlined by the unit counsellor
5. Club Secretary
 The club secretary keeps a permanent record of all club events, membership, class work
completed, and other vital information.
 The secretary is usually responsible for keeping all club records other than those kept
by the treasurer.

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  In small clubs the work of the secretary and treasurer may be cared for by one individual
or by the club directors or deputy director.
6. Club Treasurer
 The club treasurer accurately collects and dispurses the fund related to the Adventurer
club.
 The club treasurer communicates frequently with the club director and makes sure that
unit counselors are aware of money available for them to spend on class level supplies.

Staff Training

Staff can improve their skills in many ways.

 Many Conferences and Union conferences offer regional or conference wide

Adventurer training opportunities, retreats, and certifications. Please contact your
conference Adventurer Director or Coordinator for information about upcoming
training events.
 Staff should work to become Master Guides, specializing in Adventurer-level
leadership applications of Master Guide training modules whenever possible.
 Adventurer staff should also enrol in courses like Club Ministries Training.

Getting to Know Your Adventurers and Their Families

 The club director and the unit counselors should all plan to get to know all the family
units under their zone of influence.
 That may mean personal visits before or after a meeting, a home visit at the beginning
of the year, or a quick visit at their workplace — the goal of all methods is to get to
know the Adventurer children and their families on a first name, “we know each other”
sort of basis. Part of getting to know them is your mature ability to “be known.”
 Sharing who we are and what our gifts and challenges are, can bring us together in a
refreshing and deep way. Community building is essential to the success of Adventurer
ministries in your church!

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1.4 Introduction to Planning & Programming
Plan and develop local Adventurer Club Ministry Goals

 Involve Adventurer Club with nurture and outreach ministries.

 Schedule an Adventurer Club investiture.
 Schedule parent and Adventurer Club outings.
 Schedule Parent Training Seminars
 Teach Adventurer curriculum.

Building a Club Calendar

 When planning your club’s calendar, begin by gathering other calendars that you will
need to coordinate with. These include church, district, federation and conference
calendars.
 Once you have gathered all necessary information, begin to set your meeting schedule,
what day of the week you will meet at what time. Some clubs meet every week, and
some meet twice a month. Determine what schedule works for your club.
 Once you know your weekly schedule, begin planning major programs such as
Induction, Family Blessing, Adventurer Sabbath, Adventurer Review, Adventurer
Conference Fun Day, Investiture, etc. Go over a possible year calendar. Handout—
Sample Club Year Calendar.

Church Board Approval

 The church board must approve the Adventurer Club’s annual calendar. This provides
two important advantages for the club.
 First, it builds board members’ respect for the Adventurer Club. When the board is
aware of the club’s plans, the club is in a better position to ask for monetary
considerations when the board develops the annual church budget.
 Second, the church board must approve all Adventurer activities in order for them to be
covered by the church’s insurance.

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  Note: There is an option for all the club members to be insured for the beginning of the
year. Let’s make sure that we utilize that opportunity, contact your local conference for
full information

Investiture Achievement Planning

 Investiture Achievement (IA) should be the core curriculum for Adventurer club
ministry.
 Most activities and events can be developed and planned to fulfill the requirements
throughout the Adventurer year. Therefore, it is important that you spend time grasping
the scope and sequence of Investiture Achievement.
 Area Coordinators (District or Federation Adventurer Presidents) and other experi-
enced Adventurer staff are available to help you learn how to implement the many In-
vestiture Achievement tasks into your club’s planning and programming.

Staff Meetings

 In addition to club meetings, Adventurer Club Staff should meet at least once per month
or more to plan all the details for club as well as other events and activities.

 Staff meetings are crucial to the success of an Adventurer club! The club mission and
goals should determine the regularity of staff meetings rather than the convenience of
time.

 Things to address should include calendar, programs, field trips, curricular expectations
(are lesson plans required? When and to whom are lesson plans turned in? How do we
make sure each child can successfully complete their class level by the end of the
adventurer year?)

Program components

Most club meetings have the following components:

 Opening Exercises (Club director or deputy director and Adventurers)

 Prayers

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  Songs
 Adventurer Song
 Pledge & Law
 Worship thought (led by a pastor or by a class level group)
 Announcements

Whenever we can involve young people in assisting, the opening exercises are more interesting,
and more ministry-based!

Unit programming (unit counselors and instructors)

Each age group separates to a different space to accomplish Investiture class level activities or
earning awards. Class level lesson plans are arranged in 15 sessions, with additional sessions
available for earning extra awards. There are separate activity books for each age level. The
unit counselor has planned these activities and will be asking group supporting volunteers
(caregivers) to assist.

Closing Exercises (club director or deputy director and Adventurers)

 Calendar reminders
 Parent interactions
 Prayer

Class Levels overview

There are six class levels. Each level is for a specific age group. Each booklet has three parts:
1. Instructions to help parent-teachers understand the age group they are working with 2.
Illustrated student guide 3. Parent-teacher Helps for every activity in the book. Fifteen meetings
are completely planned, with extra awards also available to be earned for each age level!

The philosophy of Adventurer Programming

 The ideal program will develop obedience and responsibility through the avenues of
the physical, social, mental, and the spiritual, taught by experience and through the
Adventurer class curriculum.

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 1. Physical
 Domestic skills or tasks: Make own beds, dust, wash dishes, wash windows, lawn and
garden work, wash clothes, iron, vacuum, properly set a table, learn light cooking, etc.
 Teach and practice the domestic skills in the club meeting to develop skill.
 Relays: Using domestic skills in group participation.
 Games: Making a fun experience out of the skill.
 Field trips: To a park, zoo, horse stables, police station, etc. Have as many family
members participate as possible.
 Family picnics.
 Simple crafts in keeping with physical ability of the child to develop neat and careful
work (quality rather than quantity).
2. Mental
 Achievements: Keep simple, not competitive, and not taxing to the mind. Nature: Stop,
look, listen and discover.
 Teach less and experience more.
3. Social
 Sharing: Help children to take turns in activities, to give away toys, food, etc.
 Games: Use games to teach how to be a good loser or winner and how to get along with
people.
 Courtesy: Encourage one courteous act each day (keep personal charts).
4. Spiritual
 Quizzes
 Memory gems
 Skits and stories
 Songs
 Involve children and family
5. Outreach
 Visit nursing homes
 Adopt grandparents
 Teach how to make and write "thank you" notes, "I love you" notes, and cards for
special days.
 Community service projects

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1.5 Special Programs
1. Family Blessing
 The Adventurer blessing service is a special ceremony which gives parents the
opportunity to bless their children by affirming them to their value in the eyes of their
parents and in the eyes of God.
 During this service, parents recommit themselves to stand by children in good times
and always to seek to model for their children the great and unfailing love of God.
 It is usually done together with the induction ceremony although some churches may
separate these events

Suggested family blessing program

i. Entrance of Families
ii. Opening Prayer: Elder
iii. Song of Blessing
iv. The Tradition of Blessing: Pastor/Elder
v. Reading from the Scripture: Parents and Children

Parents: “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress
them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along
the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”—Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Adventurers: “Children, honor your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your
father and mother’— which is the first commandment with a promise—that it may go well
with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”—Ephesians 6:1-3

vi. Affirmation of Value: Parents

vii. Family Pledge: Parents & Adventurers

Family Pledge

Adventurers, you are growing to be such fine young boys and girls! Now that you are old
enough to understand, your parents want you to know about the blessings they want to give
you with God’s help.

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Every person needs to know that they are loved. When God gave you to your parents, He gave
them a very special person to love for the rest of their lives.

(child’s name) , I pledge to you the blessing of my love, always, no matter what.

In order to grow, every person needs food and shelter. Every person needs to be taught how to
live in a happy loving way.

(child’s name) , I pledge to you the blessing of my help, in every way I can give it, so you can
grow strong in Jesus.

Every child makes mistakes and needs to know that they are forgiven. Every parent makes
mistakes too.

(child’s name) , I pledge to you the blessing of forgiveness when you make mistakes and
apologies when I make mistakes.

Adventurers, you are a very important part of your family. You have the power to help make
your family a happy place or a sad place. Do you pledge to do your part to make your family a
happy family?

We do.

viii. Song of Blessing

ix. Dedicatory Prayer: Pastor/Elder

2. Induction
 It is a service Adventurer meeting during which club members and parents are formally
dedicated to the Lord.
 Each child is to have a part in the service, although not all have speaking parts.

The program is intended to:

1. Explain what Adventurers is about

2. Explain the roles of each of the class levels
3. Explain the Adventurer Pledge & Law
4. Affirm the role of the child within their family
5. Pray for each child in the Adventurer club
6. Challenge Adventurers and their families to be “living sacrifices” for Jesus Christ.

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 3. Adventurer Sabbath
 Adventure Sabbath usually happens mid-way through the Adventurer club year (in
May). It is a great way to remind the church of the club’s vibrant existence.
 Some clubs have even done Adventurer Sabbath in a modified format in late summer
as a way to recruit new staff and Adventurers into the club!
 The Adventurer Sabbath is usually a Sabbath morning service completely done by
Adventurers, their families, and the Adventurer staff. Often, Adventurers will march in
with their groups or family team units, with their Adventurer and country flags to a
rousing hymn or song.
 Once in place inside the church, one group (unit) of Adventurers will have opening
prayer, another group will lead in song service/praise time, others will pray, act as
offering deacons, and serve in other ways that are usually performed by adult leaders.
 In most cases, having a parent and child work together to perform the tasks works well
and communicates a message of family-centred ministry.
 Usually, an older Adventurer or Adventurers preach the sermon (or preach shorter
sermonettes) on a central Adventurer theme, such as “Because Jesus loves me…, a
portion of the Adventurer law, or one of the themes in the Adventurer song.
 Adventurer Sabbath involves as many Adventurer kids as possible, so arranging time
to practice, and writing scripts for all the different parts is essential. Often, an entire
staff meeting is spent making sure that everyone is best prepared to assist the
Adventurers in their group with their specific parts of the service.

4. Adventurer Review
 Some clubs and conferences have considered, or even practiced year-end testing or
examination for all Adventurers. The stakes are usually high -- the Adventurers don’t
receive their awards and pins unless they satisfy the inquiries of the examiners.
 These intensive and ‘unChristan’ stress-causing reviews have never been sanctioned by
the General Conference Youth Ministries department, and in fact, work against all the
ideals of experiential learning that we support.

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  The activity books, crafts, games, nature events, and other family-based experiences
that happen throughout the year should be the only examination. Adventurer club has
never been school and thus has never needed a final exam.

5. Investiture
 Investiture is the time of year when Adventurers receive their class-level pin, and
awards.
 This event sometimes takes place during a church service, sometimes as part of an
afternoon youth program, or as an evening vespers program.
 Most programs open with prayer as well as the Adventurer pledge & law, and
Adventurer song. A pastor or other church leader often gives a relevant children-
friendly worship thought, then the club director, deputy directors, unit counselors, and
other staff award the pins and awards to the Adventurers.
 Often, the Club director will invite Master Guides who are present in the audience to
assist in the award giving portion of the ceremony. Women should invest (pin) girls,
and men should invest (pin) boys whenever possible. In many cultures, adult leaders
touching the shirt of someone of the opposite gender is considered inappropriate.

6. Family campouts
 Campouts are a great way for your Adventurers to experience God’s second book,
nature.
 However, unlike in Pathfinder Clubs, Adventurer clubs camp by families rather than
units. This allows whole families to participate in shared experiences and learn outdoor
skills. Planning for a campout can be a yearlong quest!

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1.6 Adventurer Curriculum
Introduction to the Curriculum Levels

 The Adventurer curriculum takes the goals of the Adventurer program—that children
will commit their hearts and lives to Jesus Christ and that they will acquire the habits,
skills, and knowledge to live for Jesus today—and turns them into fun and practical
activities that Adventurers will enjoy.
 At each level, the curriculum encourages an age-appropriate, active learning approach.
Instead of asking children to learn a great deal of factual information, it introduces them
to general concepts. The children learn to apply these concepts to their own lives by
participating in a wide variety of experiences.
 The Adventurer curriculum is divided into six levels: Little Lamb is for pre-
kindergarten; Early Birds is for kindergarten; Busy Bee is for first graders; Sunbeam is
for second graders; Builder is for third graders; and Helping Hand is for fourth graders.
Each level builds on the previous levels and is especially designed to interest, challenge,
and provide successful experiences for children of that grade level.
 Each level, Little Lamb through Helping Hands, has four major categories. These
categories emphasize the four aspects of developmental growth (Four relationships).
They are labelled “My God, My Self, My Family, and My World.
 Every single requirement was evaluated -- would it fit logically and holistically under
one of these categories? Even more, would the requirements -- in their entirety -- assist
the Adventurer child (and their family) in growing in a Christ-like way? Would each
child learn more about God, themselves as His special people, of the value of their
family, and of the world and community God has called them to serve?

1. My God
 Adventurers will learn about God’s love for each one of us. Trusting the Bible is an
important part of the curriculum so the club spend time learning about the Bible and
how it is Jesus’ message to us. Memorization, prayer, study, and sharing what we have
learned are all part of the activities Adventurers will experience in My God.

2. My Self

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  Adventurers will discover and appreciate the uniqueness and value of each person.
Activities will encourage learning Christian values, making good choices, and serving
others. Kids will learn God’s guidelines for fitness, temperance, hygiene, and much
more. Each Adventurer will be asked to commit to lifelong healthy choices.

3. My Family
 Adventurers will participate in activities where they will discover the uniqueness of the
family and learn about responsibilities, respect, and appreciation. Safety, stewardship,
and new skills are also included.

4. My World
 Adventurers will learn how to be good friends and to value people who are different
from them. Activities will allow for Adventurers to experience nature and develop an
appreciation for the environment. They will also learn about courtesy, prejudice, peer
pressure, and how serving other people is an important part of being a Christian.

Parent networks

 “The Adventurer program was created to assist parents in their important

responsibilities as a child’s primary teachers and evangelizers. …The program aims to
strengthen the parent/child relationship and to further the child’s development in
spiritual, physical, mental, and social areas. Through the Adventurer Program, the
church, home, and school can work together with the parent to develop a mature, happy
child.”
 In Adventurer ministry, “staff” and “parents” are often synonyms. Many clubs around
the world are created and run by groups of parents with a shared goal -- a club ministry
for their kids.
 However, in modern settings, parenting is complex. Adventurers provides a great and
safe refuge to help provide a structure, time, as well as spiritual and emotional resources
to assist parents. All parents want to succeed! Adventurers, if planned correctly can
provide resources to help all of us succeed!

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  Parents are strongly encouraged to be completely involved in the Adventurer program
-- volunteering to help with their child’s group, collecting the supplies, providing or
serving snacks, or leading out in field trips. At this stage of development, parents are
essential to the developmental, spiritual, and emotional growth of the children!

Ideas for parent involvement:

 Telling a story / reading a story to the group of Adventurers

 Playing an instrument for singing time
 Field trip planning and implementing
 Snacks
 Crafts and games set up / clean up
 Leading a game or craft
 Telling a story

Ideas to build successful parent communities:

 Family events outside of Adventurers

 Planning and carrying out service projects
 Planting a garden as a group (involve kids, share stories)
 Eat together
 Small group Bible studies after a meeting or on another evening. Stuy stories of
successful (and unsuccessful) parents in the Bible, Teachings of Jesus, or other subjects
the group is interested in
 Arrange prayer breakfasts, pray chats / texting, prayer times -- to pray for each other,
their spouses, relationships, and children.
 Assisting other families’ groups in need

Planning for success

1. Understanding creativity
2. Study the class curriculum
3. Work out your teaching plan
4. Dealing with special challenges
5. School classroom curriculum

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Understanding creativity- Teaching methods

 Group work
 Role play, skit, pantomime
 Field trip
 Individual study—especially when Adventurers miss a meeting
 Exhibit
 Laboratory
 Demonstration
 Report
 Games
 Visual—slides, video
 Crafts

Be creative and dynamic in activities and presentations,

Developing a lesson plan

 Class level lesson plans are arranged in 15 sessions, with additional sessions available
for earning extra awards. There are separate activity books for each age level. The unit
counselor has planned these activities and will be asking group supporting volunteers
(caregivers) to assist.
 A lesson plan should have more or less the following format

Lesson Plan

Area or Course:

Lesson Title:

No. Periods:

Teacher Goals: Discuss, encourage, instill, guide, inform, improve

1.

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2.

3.

Objectives—Student will be able to: assist, answer, brainstorm, create, appreciate, develop

1.

2.

3.

Materials, Equipment, Audio-visual Aids

1.

2.

3.

References

Introduction/Motivation

Subject Matter Outline/Questions

Handout/Student Activity/Method

Closure/Summary

Evaluation, Quizzes, Exam

Assignments: Student activities designed to meet objectives

Tracking your requirement work

The following is an example of how you can track your Adventurer class work and we are
going to use the builder class.

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1.7 Adventurer Awards
Awards

 Awards are triangular patches that are earned in addition to the pins awarded for
completing class levels. Awards are fun ways for Adventurers to explore their world,
learn skills, and be creative.
 When the requirements are completed, the Adventurer receives a patch that is proudly
worn on his or her sash.
 Each class level requires the child to earn 9-12 awards.

Philosophy and Objectives of the Adventurer Awards

 Each award is designed to be a course of study that introduces a subject.

 Award study should assist the person in his/her development as a well-rounded
Christian by directly affecting the social, emotional, physical, and spiritual aspects of
life. The study of an award should direct the child to a deeper love of the Creator and
should increase one’s interest in committing their life in service to God and to the
community.
 Award study is intended to help the child’s spiritual character development. Therefore,
every award should be designed to require high standards of excellence by clearly
stating in all requirements what tasks are to be accomplished. Fulfilling the
requirements should be interesting and fun, while at the same time providing the child
with a sense of achievement.
 Because Adventurer awards are a part of a church-sponsored program, all facets of
course study should be in harmony with basic church standards. For this reason, award
study would normally avoid topics with requirements calling for destruction of plant or
animal life as well as types of armed of unarmed defense. Also, subjects should be
avoided that could only be studied by a small group of people in a single local area.
 It is the purpose of all awards to help the child to “increase in wisdom and stature and
in favour with God and man.”

Guidelines for Participating in the Adventurer Award Program

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 1. Children age 4 - 9 (or in grades Kindergarten to 4) are eligible for Adventurer
membership.
2. Club activities include Adventurer Awards, field trips, and regular club meetings.
Before joining the club, the Adventurer must agree to participate and cooperate in these
activities.
3. Members must be faithful in attendance. Many clubs establish limits on absences and
tardinesses, and Adventurers who do not comply with these regulations are asked to
withdraw from the club.
4. The parents of the Adventurers must be willing to agree to and cooperate with the
regulations and activities of the club, as agreed on the Adventurer Application Blank.
At times they may be asked to supply money and time to support their child’s
membership.
5. Adventurers should own and regularly wear a complete Adventurer uniform. They must
come to meetings and club-sponsored events in full uniform, as advised by the club
director.
6. Adventurers are expected to obey all regulations and instructions of the Adventurer
staff. Club members must be willing to participate in community service projects and
Share Your Faith and Outreach programs. Adventurers must learn and live by the
principles of the Adventurer Pledge and Law.

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1.8 Developmental Growth & Introduction to Effective Teaching Methods
Scripture on Stages of Development

 Infancy—Jeremiah 1:5-7, Psalm 139:13-18

 Childhood—1 Timothy 4: 12; 2 Timothy 3:15; 2 Peter 3:18; Deut. 6:6, 7

 Old age—Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Psalm 23

Basic Needs of Children

All children have certain basic needs as well as needs that are specific to their age and stage of
development. The basic needs of children are:

1. Physical

 Food

 Warmth

 Shelter

 Safety

2. Mental

 Power to make choices and follow plans

 Learning one’s place in family, school and church. Discovering and developing one’s
gifts and talents

3. Emotional

 A sense of belonging

 Approval and recognition

 Expressions of unconditional love and acceptance

 Freedom within defined boundaries

 Humor—opportunity to laugh

4. Spiritual

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  An all-knowing, loving, caring God

 Forgiveness of wrongs and a chance to start over

 Assurance of acceptance with God

 Experience in prayer, answers to prayer

 A chance to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God

How They Behave

 They LOVE strenuous activities!

 They LOVE to create new things!
 They have active imaginations/growing ability to memorize!
 They have variable attention spans
 They LOVE hearing stories!
 They are readily disciplined
 They CRAVE new experiences that satisfy
 They are CURIOUS about everything

Understanding WHY they behave that way

 I am imaginative
 Average attention span is 1-2 minutes
 Large assignments discourage them
 Their energy is not limitless, therefore their initial excitement may cause
exhaustion/crankiness
 They like work that can turn into play
 Muscular coordination is still developing, they need practice with smaller muscles-(ex:
putting things together/drawing)
 Memorization comes easily
 Boys usually like outdoor activities/wild animal stories
 Girls typically like stories about children/family experiences/stories that involve
repetition and conversation
 Children must feel like they have freedom of choice

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  They must be able to move around after remaining still for too long
 They become irritated and discouraged by failure

Age level characteristics

Age level Physical Motor skills Social

Little lambs • Learn through • Run - climb – • Share when
play skip - catch a asked
• Have short bounced ball - • Imaginary
attention spans walk a straight playmates
• Obey rules, but line - hop on one • Explore the body
do not foot - kick a ball - • Begin to play
understand right Throw overhand with others in
and wrong • Learning to write groups
• Can follow two and draw • May be bossy
unrelated simple • Dress themselves • Change the rules
directions but may need to games
• Understand some help - Can • Sometimes lie to
danger and may hold a pencil, protect friends or
develop fears draw a circle and themselves
• Experience mood a face • Can be
swings, but • Can use safety aggressive but
tantrums scissors to cut a want friends
generally don't line
last long • Build block
• Know six to eight structures with
colors 10 blocks
• Understand • Can complete
concepts such as simple
size and shapes
• Like to do things
for themselves
but are reassured

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 when an adult is
nearby for help
Age level Physical Mental Social
Early birds • Can control gross • Short attention • May not share
motor skills more spans well
easily than fine • Learn actively • May appear to be
motor skills • Focus on one "know-it-alls"
• Difficulty thing at a time • Competitive and
controlling large • Need specific like to win
body movements directions • Only see their
• Struggle to • Require point of view
control volume consistency • Easily
of speech • Can confuse embarrassed by
• Can take reality and fiction criticism
themselves to the • Want to make • Tantrums to test
bathroom - their own authority
occasionally decisions • Loves
"accidents" • Are literal encouragement
happen and rewards
• Can dress
themselves with
slight assistance
Age level Physical Emotional Social
6-7 • Small muscle • New intense • Struggling with
coordination is feelings. social acceptance
developing and • Deep need for • Extremely
improving. approval from competitive
• Girls are ahead of peers/adults • Needs spotlight
boys • Hard to control
behaviour
8-9 • Good muscle • Teasing, • Status within
coordination. nicknames, peers is
important.

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 • Become criticism and • Child decrease
impatient with venting anger. dependence on
failure • Developing vs. adults
wrong value
system
Age level Intellectual Spiritual Physical
6-7 • Intense eagerness • Needs visuals to • Growth
to learn help understand proceeding more
• Asks lots of God’s greatness slowly
questions • Needs specific • High activity
• Limited concept examples of level
of time Jesus is his/her • Can stay still
• Listening skills Friend only for short
developing period
rapidly
8-9 • Realize that there • Sense a need of • Slow-steady
are other valid God’s help and growth and
opinions guidance muscle
• Becoming • A desire to development
reasoning and become a • Attention span
thinks member of God’s increases
conceptually family

Adventurers with disabilities

 When you learn that a child with a disability will be a member of your club, you might
initially feel overwhelmed. Don’t worry. Often simple changes to an activity or
requirement are all that is needed.
 Kids this age with disabilities can generally tell you when they require assistance and
if they can’t their parents or guardians can. Remember that parents or guardians are not
looking to you to discredit a diagnosis or to offer a “cure” for a condition; rather they
are looking to you to welcome and include their child.

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  Additionally, the other children and adults look to you to see how to act, so make sure
you treat the child with a disability with the same openness and ease that you show all
of the children.

Do’s

 Speak directly to the child, not to the adult.

 Recognize that a child’s physical disabilities don’t indicate mental disabilities.
 Ask about the child’s medical or special equipment needs.
 Explain special equipment to all children to alleviate fears.
 Take extra care in planning for the safety of the child with a disability.
 Ensure the meeting facility is accessible.
 Ask the child how they would prefer to complete a task.
 Foster independence.
 Focus on all children’s strengths.
 Expect reasonable behaviour from all children.
 Be flexible.

How do we handle them?

 Provide plenty of opportunity for physical activity!

 Be PATIENT!
 Get them involved in arranging chairs/passing out materials
 Include activity within regular adventurer program
 Make stories VIVID with details that stimulate their minds (ask them to close eyes and
picture themselves in the story)
 Don’t make requirements impossible, they will lose interest/don’t ask them to provide
details

How to teach them

1. Show them how to use their energy for God by helping and respecting each other!
2. Tell them to invite others to adventurer club and Sabbath school!
3. Lead by example, try your best to display positivity and cheerfulness at all times
4. Tell stories, use visuals aids, and questions.

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 5. Bring the Bible and story characters to life! Relate truth to their life by making it
personal!
6. Share your own journey and faith with them! Teach God’s plans of salvation to teach
Adventurers confidence in God’s love.
7. Teach children God is please by their obedience and trust in Him.
8. Above all, help them to love God as their personal Saviour.
9. Teach them the importance of love and respect towards one another!

Teaching values

• Values and principles are so important because values have an influence in

Adventurers’ behaviours and attitude, and have a great effect in our decisions and
relationship with the world, society, parents, families, friends, church, and God.

• When we as teachers, parents, and leaders of the church model appropriate values
behaviours, this is a powerful way to transmit values to our Adventurer and youth.

10 Christian values every adventurer should learn (According to Donna Habenicht)

1. Faith in God

2. Respect

3. Responsibility

4. Self-control

5. Honesty

6. Kindness and compassion

7. Contentment and thankfulness

8. Patience

9. Peace and humility

10. Loyalty and commitment

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Teaching Environments

 In Adventurer club ministry, it is important that teachers and instructors can teach in
varied environments such as classrooms and outdoor amphitheaters, from driving down
the road to sitting around a campfire, from playing games in a camp lodge to rappelling
side by side.
 Not only does the setting determine the style of teaching, but also the number of
students being taught.

Effective Teachers

 A successful teacher has planned well, works the plan, is able to adapt, and sees
teachable moments and responds to them.
 They are also constantly looking for fresh ways and creative activities that can
accomplish their teaching goals.

Do’s and Don’ts of Discipline

 One of the best ways to prevent disciplinary problems is to keep Adventurers busy and
on task. The following strategies will help you manage your Adventurers.
 And remember, you’re there to help the children and their families learn to love Jesus;
therefore, it is important that you model love, patience, and a cheerful attitude.
 You want the Adventurer Club to be a fun experience for everyone, so try to keep your
sense of humour and compassion even when an Adventurer’s behaviour is a problem.

Do

 Have a few short, simple rules and post them. Sample rules: Be kind to others. Use
good manners. Listen quietly to others. Follow directions. Be positive.
 Use signals to let the children know when you want their attention. Signals can be just
about anything, such as quickly turning a light on and off, turning a flashlight on and
off, raising your hand, or using a clicker.
 Use silence. Stop what you are doing and stay quiet until the children’s focus is back
on you.

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  Make eye contact. Often getting a child to look at you is a good way to get her to stop
what she is doing and focus on you.
 Use names. If you say an Adventurer’s name followed by a question or directions, you
can usually get him back on track.
 Stand near an Adventurer to get her back on task.
 Ask adults to interact with the children. If adults are happily participating in the
activities, the Adventurers are more likely to model the adults’ behaviour. Additionally,
having adults involved can prevent misbehaviour from escalating.

Don’t

 Embarrass or shame a child in front of others or privately

 Overreact
 Lose your temper—no screaming, using threats or nagging
 Hit or spank
 Insult a child by saying “you’re stupid,” “you’re useless,” “you’re a klutz”
 Use sarcasm
 Compare children
 Label children
 Demand respect—respect is earned
 Expect children to behave as adults

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1.9 Introduction to Child Safety Issues, Medical, and Risk Management
A practical guide to Adventurer safety

The Adventurer Clubs are a worldwide program involving tens of thousands of Seventh day
Adventist Church youth. Operated by local churches, clubs provide hands-on experience
through service projects, the earning of awards in various fields, worships and Bible studies,
and the famous camping trips. Many of us have fond memories of our years as Adventurer club
members. Now that it’s our turn to lead Adventurer clubs, we want to ensure that each young
person has the same great experience.

Some activities expose participants to more risks than others. While the risks associated with
camping, water activities and the like should not dissuade us from such activities, they should
cause us to plan carefully, be prepared and properly supervise all participants. With
preparedness being such a large part of each Adventurer’s learning experience, it should be
equally as important when planning and undertaking club events. Such, events will vary in size
and complexity. But as a leader it is your responsibility to be prepared for both the expected
and unexpected, regardless of the event.

This booklet contains practical, usable safety information for Adventurer club leaders and
volunteers. In the following pages you will find helpful advice regarding prevention, vehicle
and facility safety, managing water sports and other high-risk activities, and more. Observing
these guidelines will go a long way toward reducing harmful accidents and mishaps. The
activities are supposed to be fun. And by following some basic guidelines we can ensure that
every participant stays safe and has a great time. Remember, the benefits of prevention will
always outweigh the consequences of negligence.

Adventurers are a sacred trust

Our Adventurer ministry is part of the Seventh-day Adventist church’s ministry to tell the
world about Jesus. As Adventurers we talk about God and how we can get to know Him more
and be more like Him. Once we know God, we can then tell the world more about Him and
how He saves us.

“Trust” is an arrangement where a person has been given something to take care of for someone
else. If I give my lunchbox to my friend and ask them to put it in the fridge for me, I have
trusted them or given them my trust to take care of my property, my lunchbox. As Adventurers,

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we know that we are not our own, we belong to God, and He has entrusted us with ourselves
and everything He has given us.

The phrase “Adventurers are a sacred trust” means each and every one of you are important to
God. He has trusted you with everything He has given you and He has trusted us as Adventurer
leaders to take care of you and help you have a safe, fun time at Adventurers. You may already
be a leader to your fellow Adventurers, and in future you may serve as a club leader. It is
important that you understand the opportunity and responsibility given to you in this Sacred
Trust.

Simply Caring

As Adventurer leaders and adult volunteers, we demonstrate care for the children in our church
community by managing the risks that threaten safety, assets and resources. Our care can be
demonstrated by:

 Being concerned for children’s physical and spiritual welfare.

 Properly planning and supervising all Adventurer activities.
 Providing appropriate safety equipment and requiring its use by all participants at all
times.
 Ensuring that facilities are properly maintained, hazardous situations identified and
corrective measures taken to prevent injury or property loss.

Strategic Planning

Proverbs 11:14 states, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall: but in a multitude of
counselors there is safety.” Church administration, Adventurer leaders, volunteers and club
members should work together well in advance to ensure the safety of all activities. They can
advise each other regarding potential risks and the best measures to help prevent accidents.

It is said, “The genesis of many accidents begins in the boardroom.” If a church board has not
analyzed critical safety aspects, asked the right questions and approved each activity on reliable
information, accidents are going to happen. Thus, all planned activities should be presented to
the church board for review. If leaders and the church board see that appropriate safety

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measures cannot be put in place for a particular activity, they should simply say “no” to that
event.

Covering the Bases

For every activity, precautions must be in place that cover all the bases—supervision, facility
safety issues, transportation, activity-related risks, leadership qualifications, safety equipment,
etc. To help Adventurers with their safety planning, Adventist Risk Management (ARM) has
developed a Field Trip and Outing Planner checklist. To download the checklist, visit
www.adventistrisk.org.

Activity planning

Every Adventurer club will have various activities throughout the year including camping trips,
community service events, and regular meetings. It is crucial to be prepared during each of
these activities for issues that may arise. While general permission and waiver forms should be
signed at the beginning of the club year, specific permission must be obtained from the parents
or legal guardians of each club member for any activity that takes Adventurers away from your
regular meeting location. Your conference may have a permission template for you to use.
Permission forms should also include a medical waiver that allows emergency medical
treatment and discloses medical conditions. Permission and waiver forms must be accurate to
the activities that will be taking place. Parents/Legal Guardians must be the ones to give
permission by signing the form. The forms must be received before the scheduled activity or
trip.

Supervision

Supervision is comprised of two things: quality and quantity. In regards to quality, Adventurer
leaders must either be knowledgeable in the activities they plan for the club, or they must find
a knowledgeable volunteer. A mere interest in an activity does not make one qualified. Some
activities may be very basic and can be safely supervised by most leaders. Others, swimming
for example, require advanced skill levels. Identify any necessary skill requirements or
certifications and then compare them with the abilities of available leaders.

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Leaders must also plan for an appropriate level, or quantity, of supervision. This will vary based
on the activity and the age level of those participating. A leader and one volunteer may be all
a small group activity requires. A large group hike, on the other hand, may require additional
supervision. As the child age decreases, additional supervision should be added. Some of the
worst accidents have occurred when young Adventurers wandered off unsupervised and into
hazardous situations. Never leave a child or group of children unsupervised and always have
at least one other adult to help with supervision. In addition, a leader or volunteer should never
be alone with a child that is not their own.

Your church and your Adventurer clubs should be a place where participants are safe from
sexual abuse and violence. Ensure that your adult volunteers understand the churches
expectations for those working with children as outlined in the Church Manual.

1. Two-Adult Policy—Have two adults present in children’s classrooms or activities.

2. Open Door—Discourage private or one-on-one contact and encourage an open-door
policy in all situations. Where an open door is not possible, station a second adult at the
door.
3. Volunteer Screening—Have all volunteers complete a volunteer information form,
check their references, and, if required by law, do a police background check.
4. Six-Month Policy—Require a waiting period of six months for newly baptized or
transferring members who have indicated a willingness to work with children.
5. Training—Provide regular training for teachers and volunteers to help them
understand and protect children and how to nurture their faith.

Prevention Methods

Ensuring health and safety during activities is our highest priority. All Adventurer leaders,
volunteers and club members must be responsible for safe behaviour at all times. Everyone
should follow the expected code of conduct, wear all required safety gear and abide by the
given safety rules at all times.

Prior to the activity, arrange a meeting with all Adventurer staff and volunteers who will be
involved. A few things you should all confirm:

 Adequate supplies and equipment are available to safely conduct the planned activity.
Ensure that safety equipment is the right type and size for the activity and participants,

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 including leaders. Activity leaders must set an example by always wearing the
appropriate safety equipment.
 All equipment—trailers, motor vehicles, boats, snowmobiles, helmets, life jackets,
etc.—has been inspected. Each item must be in good working condition and properly
prepared before it is used in a Pathfinder activity.
 All participants are aware of potential weather conditions and prepare accordingly.
 First aid supplies are on hand and an emergency action plan is in place for the activity.
Signed medical treatment release forms have been collected from each participant under
age 18.
 A communication plan is in place that includes procedures for adverse weather
conditions, emergency situations and for contacting law enforcement agencies,
parents/guardians and church officials if need be.
 A code of conduct is understood Adventurers have completed any prerequisites for
participating in the activity.
 An orientation session with parents and Adventurers has been conducted prior to the
event.
 Thorough contingency planning has been completed, which can impact any or all of the
above elements.

Leaders, volunteers and club members must understand that any unsafe act or condition must
be reported. And they should know who to report to. Make sure they know they have the right
to choose not to participate in activities where safety practices are being questioned. When any
condition or act makes an activity unsafe, it must be discontinued until the condition or act is
corrected. Consequently, Pathfinder leaders, volunteers and club members should be trained to
correct unsafe conditions whenever possible, within established safety guidelines.

Finally, allow ample time for Adventurer activities to take place. Inadequate time for setup,
equipment inspections, safety instructions or other key elements can lead people to take
shortcuts, which in turn lead to accidents.

On Location

Each location for meetings and activities should be carefully inspected to identify any potential
hazards. At the local church, Adventurer leaders should ensure compliance with safety
requirements.

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At any location, careful attention should be given to identifying:

 Conditions that could cause slips, trips or falls—torn carpets, defective flooring, bad
steps, missing handrails, snow, ice, debris, cords across floors, etc.
 Electrical hazards such as overloaded outlets or circuits, exposed electrical wires,
broken outlet and switch covers, open light sockets, missing or defective ground-fault
protection at sinks and exterior outlets, unauthorized use of extension cords, etc.
 Broken windows or mirrors.
 Blocked and/or locked exit doors.
 Burned out light bulbs, both indoor and outdoor.
 At campsites, ensure the location is free of debris, fire hazards, poison ivy, poison oak,
steep cliffs, dead tree limbs overhead and high-speed traffic.

In most emergency situations, prompt evacuation of the premises is essential. Training drills
should be conducted regularly, ensuring everyone knows how to evacuate the location and
where the designated assembly area is after an evacuation. Leaders should memorize a
minimum of two ways to evacuate a location in an emergency. Non-evacuation situations, or
lockdowns, require that doors be locked and barricaded, all window shades closed and that all
individuals hide behind objects and remain out of sight. Immediately initiate a lockdown if
violence occurs in the vicinity of the church or other building.

Emergency phone numbers should be clearly posted by all church telephones. On outings, all
leaders should carry emergency phone numbers applicable to the location and also for church
administrators and parents.

Transportation Safety

Unfortunately, injuries, deaths and property losses occur far too frequently from vehicle
collisions, rollovers and other moving violations. Falls from the back of open-bed trucks also
cause numerous injuries and fatalities every year. To help prevent such accidents:

 Ensure that seatbelt use is mandatory for the driver and all passengers.
 Do not allow anyone to ride in the back of an open-bed truck or on the outside of any
vehicle.

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  Do not overload vehicles with people and equipment. The number of passengers must
be limited to the number of seatbelts in the vehicle. Load ratings for tires and vehicles
must be observed to prevent blown tires and other accidents.
 Allow only appropriately licensed adults to operate a motor vehicle, boat or
snowmobile.
 If motor homes are used, adhere to the seating capacity of the vehicle and supervision
requirements.
 Without exception, require appropriate safety gear (helmets, footwear, etc.) for
bicycles, snowmobiles, motorcycles and so on.
 Conduct hayrides off public roads or highways and use extra care to prevent participants
from riding on the wheel wells of trailers. Do not allow participants to jump off the
trailer while the vehicle is in motion. Install running lights and reflectors to increase
visibility to motorists.

Vehicle and Driver Quality

As might be expected when using volunteered vehicles and drivers, the quality of both will
vary. Unless one has previously observed a particular volunteer’s driving style, there is no way
to know whether that individual has good driving habits or bad. And Motor Vehicle Records
are generally not run-on volunteers.

To ensure the safety of individuals and property, try to remain aware of the driving habits of
Adventurer leaders and volunteers. Consider directly asking individuals you know to be good
motorists if they might be willing to drive during Adventurer activities. And what about the
condition of the vehicle? Sometimes a quick glance will indicate bald tires and other signs of
poor maintenance and potential hazards. Renting vehicles can help reduce those risks and
places liability on the rental company. Remember, observation and common sense will play a
major part in preventing vehicle accidents.

Water Sports & High-Risk Activities

Water sports and other high-risk activities require greater levels of leader experience, closer
monitoring and more extensive protection efforts. To reduce the potential for accidents, it is
crucial that:

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  All participants have achieved any mandatory prerequisites before they are allowed to
participate in water sports or high-risk activities.
 A safety orientation is provided for all participants before the activity is undertaken and
signed parent/guardian permission forms are completed for each Pathfinder.
 All participants in water sports, aside from basic swimming, must wear personal
floatation gear.
 Water-safety personnel and lifeguards with current lifesaving/CPR certifications are
present.
 The use of all safety gear required for specific high-risk activities must be mandatory
at all times.
 Individuals who refuse to follow established safety rules and practices do not participate
in the activity.

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References
1. Club Ministries Training (CMT)
2. Adventurer Director’s Manual
3. Adventurer Award Book
4. A Duty to Protect: A Practical Guide to Pathfinder Safety

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