Form of Agreement for Facilitators

Deep Waters is intended as a resource for those exploring issues of climate grief and related emotions.  It does not provide counselling, therapeutic or psychiatric services and should not be considered as a substitute for such professional help.

Deep Waters material is intended to be used within a group setting, either physical or virtual, in a series of eight sessions of 1.5 hours each.  You confirm that you are intending to act as a host or facilitator for a Deep Waters group.

Deep Waters is a resource provided by Green Christian (registered charity 328744) as part of its Borrowed Time project.  This agreement sets out the terms on which we in Green Christian provide access to you, as a user of the Deep Waters material. 

Full and comprehensive safeguarding must be carried out by all Deep Waters hosts and facilitators. We would normally expect the safeguarding procedures of the hosting church or organisation to apply to the running of the Deep Waters group.  As a minimum, the safeguarding principles of empowerment, prevention, proportionality, protection, partnership and accountability should be observed.

Deep Waters resources are not generally suitable for children or vulnerable adults and should not be offered to or accessed by children or vulnerable people without the informed consent of those responsible for safeguarding their wellbeing.

We ask you to share our recognition that the effects and implications of climate change, climate breakdown and climate grief are complex and difficult subjects, which may provoke strong and deep emotion.  Together we acknowledge the wide range of such emotions and the complex ways in which they may trigger and affect those of other participants. 

As a Deep Waters host or facilitator you will aim to prioritise the wellbeing of users of our resources and participants in our group activities, creating respectful, open, confidential, fair and nurturing spaces in which appropriate boundaries are set and adhered to.  Care must be taken to ensure that the hosting and facilitation are not in any way coercive, with both group members and facilitators entirely free to withdraw from participation, temporarily or permanently, as appropriate to their situation.

We encourage Deep Waters facilitators to carry out a feedback exercise at the end of each series of group sessions in order to assist both you and us in assessing and improving the resources and their use. You are asked to contact us in confidence to let us know of any material or any use of the Deep Waters website, name or resources which you consider to be inappropriate or of any difficulties which you may experience.  We may where necessary exclude users who do not abide by the principles contained in this agreement or for whom we believe that the material is in any way inappropriate.

We aim to provide appropriate resources (primarily the How to Run a Deep Waters Group guidelines)  to those planning to facilitate group activities and discussion spaces, either virtual or physical.  However, this training will by its nature be limited.  Facilitators, like other users, should follow the principles set out in this agreement and prioritise their own wellbeing. You are encouraged to work with and support co-facilitators wherever possible and to take advantage of opportunities for mutual support and/or mentoring. We are not able to carry out vetting of potential facilitators and potential users should exercise their own judgment and discretion in deciding whether and how to participate in any activities.

 As a Green Christian initiative, Deep Waters is guided by and subject to Green Christian policies, further information about which is available on the Green Christian website, www.greenchristian.org.uk or on request.   Green Christian assumes no responsibility or liability for any loss, damage or harm arising from material submitted by, or activities carried out by third parties, including facilitators of online or physical discussion spaces.

The use of the names Deep Waters and Borrowed Time and of their resources is granted by us to facilitators and other users who adhere to this agreement and we reserve the right to refuse or withdraw such permission at any time.

If you would like to be a facilitator for a Deep Waters programme, and agree to the requirements above, then get in touch via our contact page .