Safeguarding Our Youth: How Leadership 100 Strengthens Safety Across the Archdiocese
Leadership 100’s ongoing commitment to youth protection continues to make a measurable difference across the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. To date, Leadership 100 has approved three different grants for Youth Safety totaling $180,000. At the 2025 Leadership 100 Conference, its Members approved a $50,000 pilot program to help Metropolises needing additional support achieve Youth Safety compliance. Three Metropolis Youth Safety Coordinators are now in place to assist parishes in their work. The Coordinators have been placed with the Metropolises of Boston, Detroit and New Jersey.
Through this new grant and previous grants given by Leadership 100, the Department of Youth Safety has advanced a comprehensive effort to ensure every parish, ministry, camp, and youth program operates with the highest standards of safety, screening, and training.
At its core, the grants have supported one mission: building a culture of safeguarding His Church and His youth.
Expanding Compliance Across the Archdiocese
Over the past four years, the Department of Youth Safety has focused on increasing compliance with background checks and training for all Youth Workers. A major milestone came with the transition to Sterling Volunteers in 2022, now First Advantage, whose enhanced screening capabilities have strengthened the Archdiocese’s protection protocols. The department continues to raise awareness about this transition.
Currently, more than 21,000 registered users are active across the Archdiocese, with compliance goal to steadily increase compliance quarter over quarter. The Metropolis of Denver stands out as a model of excellence, achieving 99% compliance, the highest in the nation.
Leadership 100’s Support in Action
This Summer, the Youth Safety Coordinators assisted their Metropolis Camps to achieve compliance. Each Camp is responsible for providing statistics of their 2026 program which will be provided to the Archdiocese and Leadership 100. For example, how many Clergy and Staff participated? How many campers where there at each session?
In the Coming Year | Youth Safety Policy Overhaul
The Archdiocese’s 89‑page policy and forms that were written and approved in 2018 will be streamlined, modernized, and tailored to both leadership and Youth Workers. Leadership 100 funding will help promote the updated policy once finalized.
A Legacy of Leadership 100 Support
Leadership 100 has been the primary funder of Youth Safety initiatives since the department’s inception, providingthree grants to date including the foundational 2019 grant that launched the Archdiocese’s first screening and training platform. The Youth Safety Awareness Grant continues that legacy, ensuring that every parish and ministry has the tools needed to protect the children entrusted to our care.
“Some of the most meaningful outcomes of Youth Safety are the ones we will never see: the incidents prevented, the children protected, and the lives forever changed. Thanks to Leadership 100’s unwavering support, those unseen outcomes are taking place every day across the Archdiocese.”
Rhea Ballas
Department of Youth Safety
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
