Internal use only · not for participant distribution
POIETO INC · Annual Training
Abuse Prevention Training
Annual · Required for all staff, teaching artists, and volunteers · ~90 minutes
About This Training
POIETO's value of Adaptive Accountability means we don't declare ourselves responsible — we build the systems that make responsibility visible and revisable over time. This annual training is one of those systems.
The people we serve have often experienced harm inside institutions that had policies on paper and practices that looked the other way. We are not doing that. This training exists so that every person on a POIETO program knows exactly what to do when something happens — and more importantly, how to recognize and interrupt harm before it happens.
This training is required for all POIETO INC personnel who have direct or potential contact with program participants. It is completed each June, before the start of the program year. New hires complete it before their first day of participant contact. Completion is documented on the sign-off sheet at the end of this document.
Total time: Approximately 90 minutes, including the policy review and self-assessment. The Designated Investigator or CEO facilitates the training session; individual self-study is also accepted with supervisor sign-off.
Training Modules
MODULE 1Understanding Abuse — Definitions and Types15 min
Types of abuse: physical, sexual, emotional, neglect, exploitation
Who is at risk: program participants and other vulnerable populations
How abuse happens in organizational settings: grooming, power dynamics, opportunity
Why vulnerable populations are at higher risk and how POIETO's work intersects with that risk
Discussion: What does a safe environment look like in our program?
MODULE 2Recognizing Warning Signs15 min
Behavioral indicators of abuse in participants: withdrawal, regression, fearfulness, inappropriate sexualized behavior
Review: Appropriate and Inappropriate Displays of Affection policy
Review: Never-Alone / Two-Adult rule and what to do if you find yourself alone
Review: Outside program interactions — social media, transportation, gifts
Q&A: Scenarios and edge cases — what do you do when...
Confirm: All personnel can locate POIETO's policies and know who the Designated Investigator is
MODULE 4Mandatory Reporting — California Law15 min
Who is a mandated reporter at POIETO (all personnel are treated as mandated reporters)
What triggers the reporting obligation: reasonable suspicion — not certainty, not investigation
How to report: DCFS Hotline 800-540-4000 · Law enforcement · Follow-up written report
Timeline: report immediately, written report within 36 hours
What you say and don't say when you call
Immunity: California law protects mandated reporters who report in good faith
Consequences of failure to report: criminal liability under California Penal Code §11166
MODULE 5Responding When Someone Discloses10 min
What to do when a participant tells you something happened: listen, believe, don't investigate
What not to say: don't promise confidentiality, don't ask detailed or leading questions
How to write down what was said: document exact words, not interpretation
Immediate steps: ensure safety, report to Designated Investigator, file mandatory report if applicable
Self-care: disclosures are heavy. You are allowed to be affected. Who supports you after.
MODULE 6Reporting Within POIETO — Procedures and Protections10 min
How to report suspicious behavior to the Designated Investigator
How to complete the Incident Report Form
Non-retaliation policy: you are protected when you report in good faith
What happens after you report: the Designated Investigator's role
Confidentiality during investigation
External training resource: Darkness to Light's Stewards of Children (d2l.org/stewards-of-children) is a recognized 2-hour abuse prevention training available online. POIETO may use this as a supplement or replacement for Modules 1—3 above. Cost is approximately $15/person. Completion certificate satisfies "specialized training" documentation for the Designated Investigator if combined with a case-study debrief.
Self-Assessment
After completing the training, each participant answers these questions independently in writing. Answers are not graded — they are a check on understanding and a record of completion.
In your own words: what is POIETO's never-alone rule, and what do you do if you find yourself alone with a participant?
Name two behavioral warning signs that a participant may be experiencing abuse.
If you observe a staff member giving a personal gift to a participant, what do you do?
A participant tells you something that makes you think they may be experiencing abuse at home. What are your next three steps?
Who is POIETO's Designated Investigator, and how do you contact them?
Annual Training Sign-Off — Year: _______
All personnel must sign below upon completing the annual training. This sheet is retained in POIETO's personnel records. One sheet per training session; attach additional sheets as needed.
Training date: _________________ Facilitator: _________________ Location: _________________
External training used (if any): _________________ Certificate attached: âË Yes âË No
Full Name (printed)
Role / Title
Signature
Date
Self-assessment complete
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Facilitator certification
I certify that the above-named individuals completed POIETO's Annual Abuse Prevention Training on the date indicated, including all six modules and the self-assessment exercise.