| Author | |
jawgee
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 02 2011
Location: New Hampshire
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1415
|
| Posted: July 05 2012 at 6:33pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
My homeschool group is considering having a co-op for Classically Catholic Memory. We are running into some dead-ends as to where we could hold the co-op. Local churches seem to be quite concerned about liability. I was wondering if we purchased our own insurance if that might open up some options for us.
Anyone have an idea of what a policy like that might cost? Our co-op would meet weekly for about 2 hours for the year - with approximately 5 families/20 kids.
Ideas? Suggestions?
__________________
Monica
C (12/2001), N (11/2005), M (5/2008), J (8/2009) and three angels
The Catholic Cup on Facebook
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SallyT
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 08 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2489
|
| Posted: July 05 2012 at 9:16pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I don't know, though what a group I've belonged to in the past has done is to establish itself as a *parish* group in a particular parish, so that it fell under that church's insurance in the same way that, say, a Boy Scout troop would do. Obviously you need a congenial priest/pastor for this, but it is one way around the insurance issue.
Sally
__________________
Castle in the Sea
Abandon Hopefully
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jawgee
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 02 2011
Location: New Hampshire
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1415
|
| Posted: July 06 2012 at 7:11am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thanks for your response, Sally. Our group is all from the same parish, but our pastor has been hesitant to allow any groups of that kind to meet for fear of liability. We've been trying to see if we can get space from the Knights of Columbus or another community organization, but it's been very difficult.
__________________
Monica
C (12/2001), N (11/2005), M (5/2008), J (8/2009) and three angels
The Catholic Cup on Facebook
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SallyT
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 08 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2489
|
| Posted: July 06 2012 at 10:34am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Would it help your case with your pastor to draw up a covenant covering things like child-protection policies (everyone working with children has Virtus/Protecting God's Children training), 2-deep leadership, clear policies for behavior and use of the space, etc.?
It's been my observation in dealing with both parishes and groups of homeschoolers that on the one hand, pastors/pastoral committees are leery of what looks to them like possibly large numbers of possibly inadequately supervised children in possibly inadequately structured or overly open-ended situations; and on the other hand, while not always the case, what they're leery of is sometimes a reality.
I don't know your pastor or your group, obviously, but if you can draw up some kind of charter and covenant, as a Scout troop or any other parish-affiliated group would do, with clear policies to which everyone would have to adhere in order to avoid liability issues as much as possible, that *could* smooth the way for you somewhat.
Just some thoughts, anyway. We've honestly been very blessed in having pastors willing to trust us with a lot -- actually, as I take on more and more responsibility in our parish's American Heritage Girls troop, I'm a little appalled at what we were able to get away with in co-op situations in other parishes. Nothing ever happened, and we certainly had no intention of letting bad things happen, but if something had, we'd have been up a creek in a big way. I hate that the world is like this, but I do understand why a pastor would be very cautious.
Good luck!
Sally
__________________
Castle in the Sea
Abandon Hopefully
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SallyT
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 08 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2489
|
| Posted: July 06 2012 at 10:35am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have also participated in and heard about co-ops that met in private homes. I don't know how large your numbers are, but that might be something to consider, too, as the easiest way around insurance issues.
Sally
__________________
Castle in the Sea
Abandon Hopefully
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: July 06 2012 at 11:53am | IP Logged
|
|
|
To sponsor a group it may involve an increase in insurance costs and that's a much bigger concern for some parishes than others as well. So it's not just a reluctance caused by "what if.." but may also be a financial matter.
I do know that a lot of groups get insurance for short term things.. usually a money maker that buffers the cost. So I'd talk to other groups that would likely need additional insurance when they use a facility not their own to find out where you could get the best deal and then talk to them about the cost. And you might talk to the parish council/pastor about exactly what the problem is.. if it's an increase in insurance cost it might be cheaper to offer to pay for that to the parish rather than buying a seperate policy. Though a seperate policy would give you a lot of flexibility in where you hold the group.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: Co-ops and Insurance
