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Guidelines for Screening Volunteers

Ministry Mobilizer can help you manage and enforce the guidelines of your child protection program. Typical guidelines (sample guideline) your ministry should follow and how you can use a Paperless Solution to make the process easier are provided below.

Guidelines

Explanations

Paperless Solutions

1. Have a written screening policy

It should be included in any organization’s policies and procedures, and communicated to everyone.

Publish your policies and obtain agreements from your volunteers online.

2. Provide job descriptions for every position

Doing so creates boundaries for volunteers, who should be required to read, sign and date the written descriptions.

Publish your own job descriptions and obtain agreement from your volunteers online.

3. Obtain completed application form for all positions

Required information should include name, address, references and employers. Insist that every potential volunteer complete a form, regardless of how desperate the organization is for "warm bodies."

Collect the application forms and store them securely online.

4. Obtain a signed and dated consent form

This informs volunteers of investigations into their backgrounds and protects an organization against potential invasion-of-privacy claims by having volunteers authorize the checks.

Collect the authorizations and store them securely online.

5. Review references and employer information

This helps determine whether the volunteer possesses the basic necessities for a given position.

Collect references and keep notes of your discussions online.

6. Interview the applicant

Ask interview and/or screening questions online.

Develop a standard routine to save time and allow for consistency. Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions.

7. Conduct a criminal background check

If resources are scarce, ask your volunteers to help pay for background checks.

Built-in background checks. Securely collect credit card information from volunteers online.

8. Review procedures and provide continuous oversight of volunteers

Evaluate screening results and determine what makes a particular volunteer undesirable. Document decisions, and periodically evaluate a volunteer's performance.

Background reports are reviewed and scored for your, plus get re-screen reminders.

9. Provide training for all volunteers and hold them accountable

Make your volunteers complete the necessary training for the position and hold them accountable. For positions that involve interaction with youth they should receive Child Safety Training.

Volunteers take your online child safety training, quiz, and receive certificates of training.

A background check program following these guidelines should help to avoid any issues, and should any arise, establish a legal defense by showing that the organization exercised due diligence. If you should choose to manage the entire process or part of it with Ministry Mobilizer, you will save time and money.

Learn more about our Paperless Solution Bundle Options.