Screening Webinar may 7 2013

From the 2012 Edition of The Screening Handbook

Prepared by Volunteer Canada for Public Safety Canada

Adapted by Volunteer BC

Better matching Improved safety and quality of programs Reduced risks and liability

SCREENING

Stacy AshtonVolunteer BC and Community Volunteer Connections

Public Safety Canada has provided financial support for this training initiative

Public Safety Canada This material is for information purposes only.

SCREENING

Screening – What Counts?

Clear Position Description

Determining Risk

Formal Recruitment Process

Application Forms

Interviews

References

Police Record Checks

Orientation and Training

Supervision and Evaluation

Follow Up with Program Participants

Screening – What Counts?

Ten Steps of Screening

1. Determine the risk

2. Write a clear position description

3. Establish a formal recruitment process

4. Use an application form

5. Conduct interviews

6. Follow up on references

7. Request a Police Records Check

8. Conduct orientation and training sessions

9. Supervise and evaluate

10. Follow up with program participants

What’s Most Important?

What do you think is the MOST important screening step?












Volunteer Screening is a Process

•To better match people’s skills and experience to the needs and opportunities in organizations.

•To improve the quality and safety of programs and services in communities by reducing risk and liability for both people and organizations.


Beliefs You Might Hear

≠ Non-profit and charitable organizations are immune from charges of criminal or civil liability.

≠ If a volunteer harms a client, the organization can’t be held liable, since volunteers are not employees.

≠ If an organization doesn’t know about, or sanction, a wrongful act, it can’t be held liable for that act.

≠ If an organization is not incorporated, its members cannot be held liable.

≠ It can’t happen here.Public Safety Canada This material is for information purposes only.

Social Policy and Regulatory EnvironmentSocial Policy and Regulatory Environment

Federal Social Policy and Legislation

Provincial/Territorial and Municipal

Occupational and Professional Standards

Contractual Obligations

Sector Norms and Standards

Organizational Governance and Operations

• Common Law• Statutes• Canadian Criminal Code• Federal Social Policy and Programs

• Administration of Canadian Criminal Code• Provincial/Territorial Statues• Licensing Bodies• Social Policy and Programs Guidelines

• Professional Associations • Certification Programs• Professional Designations

• Funding Agreements• Insurance Policies• Service Contracts• Memorandum of Understanding (with other organizations)

• Accreditation Programs• Codes• Standards of Practice

• By-Laws• Polices• Procedures• Operations Manuals

Screening starts with the POSITION

• Screening is about the position, not the person applying to begin or transfer to the position.

• All volunteer positions are not created equal and may not require the same screening steps.

• The requirements of the position determine which screening steps are necessary.



What SKILLS, QUALITIES AND ABILITIES do you want in the volunteer position?

What RISKS ARE YOU TRYING TO MANAGE by screening volunteers?

Brainstorm

Think about one of your volunteer positions…


Brainstorm


Brainstorm


What SKILLS, QUALITIES AND ABILITIES do you want in the volunteer position?

What RISKS ARE YOU TRYING TO MANAGE by screening volunteers?

Building In the 10 Steps From the Start

Elements of a Volunteer Position

Who is the client?is the volunteer?is in a position to harm the organization?

What is the activity?is the nature of the relationship?

Where is the activity taking place?Is it isolated? any inherent danger?

How often does a supervisor oversee the activity?do others access the relationship?


In Practice: Meals on Wheels Runner


Elements of the PositionClient homebound seniors or adults with disabilities

Role support client’s well-being by delivering nutritious meals and noticing changes in appearance and health.

Activity pick up delivery bags with meals. Use route sheets and access/entry information to deliver correct client meals.

Location travel by car with Meals on Wheels driver; take meals into clients’ homes.

Supervision report problems or concerns immediately upon completion of route

Other details patience with clients; work well as part of a team; be reliable and punctual


Building In the 10 Steps From the Start











How can the 10 Steps help you screen in what you want, and manage the risks you’ve identified?


Position Skills, abilities or qualities needed Foreseeable RisksCLIENT • Patient, friendly, non-judgemental • Volunteer harms client financially, emotionally,

physicallyROLE • Keen observation skills

• Knowledge of indicators of deteriorating physical and mental health

• Understands boundaries

• Food damaged on way• Volunteer “overhelps” via physical assistance,

cleaning client’s home, doing errands, doing banking, etc

• Volunteer tries to “convert” client to a religion, health regimen, etc

ACTIVITY • Reliable and punctual• Organized and diligent about details• Able to lift and carry meals• Understands and follows food health regs• Basic data entry skills

• Wrong meals go to wrong clients; allergic or dietary reactions

• Volunteer harms self during delivery• Errors in data entry

LOCATION • Able to read maps and/or good knowledge of area

• Respectful of client’s private space

• Volunteers get lost, don’t deliver meals• Volunteers steal meals; ask seniors to pay for

meals• Car accident

SUPERVISION

• Good judgement to recognize problems or concerns

• Diligent about timeliness of reporting• Clear written/verbal communication

• Volunteer misses or does not report signs of deteriorating health

• Volunteer does not file route paperwork

OTHER • Patient• Good teamwork

• Volunteer does not show up for shifts; does not complete all homes on route

• Volunteer does not get along with driver

1. Dealing with Risk

• Can we eliminate the risk?

• Can we reduce the risk?

• Can we transfer the risk?

















SUPERVISION








2. Write a Clear Position Description

• Careful position descriptions send the message that an organization is serious about screening.

• Responsibilities and expectations can be clearly set out, including the boundaries – the dos and don'ts.

• A clear position description indicates the screening requirements.

• When a volunteer changes positions, the screening procedures may change as well.


Volunteer Position Description

• title & major objective

• task(s) and responsibilities

• qualifications & abilities needed

• orientation/training sessions required

• personal and/or professional references

• police records check (if required)

• boundaries & limitations (i.e. do’s and do not’s)

• time, place, length of commitment, etc.

















SUPERVISION









• Standardize the intake process to ensure a systematic, thorough approach; consider designating one person/office to coordinate recruitment.

• Be clear about process and expectations; identify skills and abilities in the recruitment ad; indicate what a successful candidate will need to provide, e.g. references, driver’s record, results of a police records check.



• It requests necessary contact information.

• It may request information relevant to the skills and abilities needed for the position.

• It may not ask for information related to prohibited grounds under Human Rights legislation – unless you have a “bona fide” reason to ask.


Race Religion Physical DisabilityColour Marital Status Mental DisabilityAncestry Family Status Sex/genderAge Sexual Orientation


•Use consistent approach to all applicants.Questions based on position requirementsInformation about skills needed for the position

•Establish degree of applicant’s ‘right fit’.Position – is it what the applicant wants to do?Organization – vision, mission, values

•Chance to clarify expectations & responsibilities.

•May need more than one interview or interviewer.

















SUPERVISION









• Request 2 or 3 references for positions of trust.

• Always contact references.

• Begin by describing the client(s) to be served and the level of trust involved in the position.

• Ask specific questions to help determine the applicant's suitability.

















SUPERVISION








7. Police Records Checks (PRCs)

• Request for a PRC should be based on the actual requirements of the position.

• Recognize the limits of the information and that a PRC is just one step in the screening process.

• Requiring a PRC does signal the organization’s commitment to the safety of its participants.

















SUPERVISION









Criminal & Police Record Checks - BC

RCMP/Municipal Police Record Checks

Vulnerable Sector Checkshttp://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cr-cj/vulner/brochure-eng.pdf

BC Criminal Record Reviewhttp://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/criminal-records-review/index.htm

Mental Health Information and PRCshttp://www.spotlightonmentalhealth.com/images/criminal_check1.pdf


• Orientation & training give both the organization and the volunteer time to learn more about each other.

• Volunteers receive information on the organization’s mission, philosophy, and values.

• The sessions give the organization opportunities to observe volunteers in various settings.

















SUPERVISION









• The level of risk for a position will determine the necessary degree of supervision and evaluation.

• If the risk is great, the position requires close, on-going supervision.

• In the first year, frequent communication with client, volunteer, caregiver, etc. is particularly important.


Supervision

• Part of managing risk for a position includes ways to supervise or over-see the relationship or activity.

• Always provide the volunteer with the name of who to contact in case of a problem or an emergency.

• Make reporting forms, such as incident reports, available and encourage both supervisors and volunteers to use them as appropriate.


Evaluation

• Relate performance evaluations directly to position descriptions and agreed-upon requirements.

• Give volunteers an opportunity to share feedback about their experience & satisfaction with their position.

• Re-location or termination will be based on how well the requirements of the position are being met.



• Regular contact with participants and family members adds an additional level of monitoring for high risk positions and further limits opportunity for someone who might otherwise do harm.

• Volunteers should be made aware of any follow-up activities that may occur. These could include spot checks for volunteers in high-risk positions.


Record of Screening Steps

Volunteer File•Screening steps & dates completed

•Completed Application Form

•Records of interview & reference checks.

•Copy of PRC (if applicable)

•Signed and dated forms, e.g. confidentiality form, consent form, confirmation that relevant policies and procedures have been read

•Record of hours, performance

•Reference letters


Volunteer Position File•Skills & risk analysis

•Application form

•Interview questions

•Reference questions

•Letter requesting PRC

•Orientation/Training materials

•Reporting forms

•Evaluation forms

•Reference letter template

•Participant satisfaction survey

Screening is aboutgood matches AND risk management

Volunteer Screening promotes ‘right fit’ For the clientFor the volunteerFor the organizationFor the community served


Screening Volunteers

• Screening describes an on-going approach to monitoring volunteer involvement in your program or service delivery.

• Steps in the screening process need to be communicated clearly and applied consistently.

• Screening is always about the position.


Funding for this national initiative was provided by Public Safety Canada.

The Screening Handbook 2012 www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cor/rep/scrnnng-hndbk-eng.aspx

Best Practice Guidelines for Screening Volunteers www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cor/rep/vol-ben-eng.aspx

“Safe Enough? Reviewing Your Screening Practices” www.volunteer.ca/files/safeenoughen-final.pdf

Safe Steps: A Volunteer Screening Process volunteer.ca/files/SafeSteps.pdf

Developing Volunteer Screening Policies volunteer.ca/files/screeningpolicy.rtf

Related web sites

• Canadian Police Information (CPI) Centre www.cpic-cipc.ca

• Ministry of Justice Criminal Record Reviews (BC) http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/criminal-records-review

• When Mental Health Information Gets Disclosed By Policehttp://www.spotlightonmentalhealth.com/images/criminal_check1.pdf

Screening Resources

Business

Screening Webinar may 7 2013