Logging in for the first time
Your church has signed you up for Safe Pathways — a short safeguarding training that helps make your church one of the safest places in the community. This article walks you through your first login so you can see what's waiting for you and get started.
Who this is for
Volunteers logging in to Safe Pathways for the first time.
Before you start
You should have received an email from Safe Pathways (or from your church administrator) with a link to sign in. If you haven't received anything yet, check your spam or junk folder — the email comes from a safepathways.com address.
If you still can't find it, ask your church administrator to confirm the email address they have on file for you and to resend the invitation.
Steps to log in
1. Open the sign-in link
Click the link in your invitation email, or go directly to app.safepathways.com in your browser.
2. Enter your email address
Use the same email address your church has on file for you. This is your username — you don't need to create a separate account.
3. Enter your password
Type the password provided in your invitation email. If you weren't given a password, your church administrator can help.
4. Confirm you're in
Once signed in, you'll see a left-side menu with three items: Home, Account, and Help. That's your Volunteer dashboard — you're in the right place.
What you'll see on your Home page
Your Home page is your main screen in Safe Pathways. It shows everything you need to complete, organised into sections:
- Your pathways — Training assigned by your church. Each pathway card shows a status (like "Not Started" or "In Progress") and an action button ("Start Here" or "Continue"). Most pathways take under 20 minutes to complete.
- Your policy acknowledgement — Your church's safeguarding policy. You'll review it and sign to confirm you've read and understood it.
- References — Two references your church needs as part of the screening process. You'll enter their names and contact details here.
- Your church staff tasks — Items your church staff handle on your behalf (like verifying your references or processing a police check). This section is collapsed by default — expand it if you want to see what's still in progress.
💡 Don't worry if some sections are empty. Your church may still be setting things up. If nothing appears under "Your pathways" after a few days, check in with your church administrator.
What to do next
The most important thing is to start your training. Look at Your pathways and select Start Here on the first pathway card you see. The Intro Pathway is always included — it's four short videos and a quick quiz, and it shouldn't take more than about 10 minutes.
After that, if your church has assigned you a role-based pathway (like Children, Youth, or Vulnerable Adults), you'll see it listed there too.
Frequently asked questions
I got the email but the link doesn't work
- Try copying and pasting the full link into your browser's address bar instead of clicking it. Some email apps cut off long links. If that doesn't help, go directly to app.safepathways.com and sign in with your email and password.
I don't know my password
- If you weren't given a password in your invitation email, contact your church administrator. They can provide your initial sign-in credentials. Once you're in, you can change your password from the Account page.
I signed in but I don't see any pathways
- Your church may not have assigned your pathway yet. This is normal if your church is still setting up Safe Pathways. Check back in a day or two, or ask your church administrator.
The menu shows Dashboard, Volunteers, and other items I don't recognise
- You may be signed in as a Church Administrator rather than a Volunteer. If you're supposed to be a volunteer, let your church administrator know — they can check your permissions.
I share an email address with my spouse / family member
- Each volunteer needs their own unique email address in Safe Pathways. If your church used a shared email, ask them to update your record with a personal email address. A free email account (like Gmail) works fine.
Can I use Safe Pathways on my phone?
- Yes. Safe Pathways works in any modern browser on your phone, tablet, or computer. No app download is needed.
Related articles
- Volunteer: Your Home page (what you're looking at)
- Volunteer: How to start or continue a pathway
- Volunteer: Resetting your password
- Troubleshooting: I didn't get my login email
- How to get help (and what info to include when contacting support)