5 Best Practices for Volunteer Background Checks

Volunteers are the lifeblood of many organizations, providing essential support and driving meaningful change in communities around the world. However, ensuring the safety and integrity of these programs requires careful screening and vetting of potential applicants. 

In this guide, we'll explore the key aspects of performing volunteer background checks, highlighting five crucial factors to consider for effective screening.

From legal compliance to verifying identities and assessing criminal histories, each step plays a vital role in building a safe and successful volunteer program.

By implementing these practices, organizations can enhance the safety of their people, protect their reputation, and ultimately, make a more significant impact in their communities.

Let’s delve into the essential elements of volunteer background screening, providing insights and tips to help you navigate this critical aspect.

Legal Compliance

When conducting volunteer background checks, legal compliance is essential. Organizations must follow specific procedures to avoid legal issues. 

First, before conducting any background check, organizations must obtain written consent from the person and provide a clear and conspicuous disclosure of their intent. This step ensures transparency and compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). 

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is another crucial aspect to consider. The FCRA regulates the use of consumer information, including background checks, for employment and volunteer purposes.

Organizations must comply with FCRA requirements, although your background check provider should assist in handling this aspect. 

Additionally, organizations must be aware of state-specific laws that may impose additional requirements or restrictions, such as limitations on the use of certain types of criminal records.

Some states and cities have "ban the box" laws, which prohibit employers, including volunteer organizations, from asking about criminal history on application forms.

It's essential for organizations to stay up-to-date with the latest legal requirements and seek advice from their legal counsel if they have any concerns about their screening practices.

Identity Validation

Verifying the identity of volunteers is crucial for ensuring the accuracy of background checks and the safety of the organization.

Always require applicants to provide official identification documents, such as a driver's license or passport. Verify that the documents are valid and match the information provided in the application.

Once you have all the personal information, look for consistency in the information provided by the volunteer. Discrepancies or inconsistencies could be red flags and warrant further investigation.

Check with your background check provider to ensure they use verification services to authenticate the identity of those they search. These databases can verify information such as name, address, and date of birth. This way, you can be sure your applicant is who they say they are.

By verifying the identity of volunteers, organizations can enhance the security of their programs and ensure only qualified individuals are allowed to participate.

Criminal History

Conducting criminal record checks at the county, state, and federal level is essential to uncover any past criminal activity that may disqualify an applicant from participating in the program. 

These checks can reveal a range of offenses, from minor to serious crimes, and help organizations determine if the person is the right fit.

In addition to criminal record checks, it's important to check the national and state specific sex offender registries. This is particularly crucial for organizations that work with vulnerable populations, such as children or the elderly. 

Checking the National Sex Offender Registry is a good start. The national registry will provide information on level 2 and 3 offenders, with level 3 being the highest risk offender.

However, the national registry does not include level 1 sex offender information. While level 1 is the lowest risk category, we’re confident your organization would rather have someone without this designation.

To obtain level 1 information, you’ll need to search each state sex offender registry that your applicant has lived in. State registries hold all three levels of offender information, but only within state lines.

In addition, some states require you to contact the registry directly to obtain the data. Each state is different, but in New York, for example, level 1 information is only available through direct verification with the department. The online system does not contain all three levels.

Jumping through all these hoops to ensure your volunteer is a good fit sounds like a lot, but your provider should deal with these things every day.

By conducting thorough criminal history checks, organizations can mitigate risks and create a safer environment for everyone involved in their programs.

Experience

Assessing a volunteer's experience is a crucial step in screening. Conducting interviews and checking previous roles can provide valuable insights into a persons’ performance, reliability, and dedication. 

If you have time to reach out to other organizations, it's important to ask specific questions about the applicant's responsibilities, accomplishments, and reasons for not returning, if there are any.

Furthermore, evaluating a person's skills and qualifications gained from experience is essential.

Look for relevant experience that aligns with the requirements of the position. 

Those who have given time with the same organization for an extended period may demonstrate consistency and commitment, which are valuable traits in a volunteer.

It's also important to verify the information provided by the person about their experience. This can include contacting previous volunteer organizations or checking online profiles and portfolios.

Verifying this information helps ensure its accuracy and gives organizations confidence in their decision.

By thoroughly reviewing experience, organizations can gain valuable insights into character, work ethic, and suitability for the role. This can help ensure that the right people are placed in roles where they can make the greatest impact and contribute effectively to the organization's mission.

Ease of Use

Ensuring the volunteer background check process is user-friendly is essential for organizations to streamline their screening procedures and make informed decisions efficiently. 

A key aspect of ease of use is the ability to share background check reports between organizations. This feature can significantly benefit both volunteers and organizations.

For volunteers, the ability to share their background check reports between organizations can save time and effort. Instead of undergoing multiple background checks for different roles, they can authorize the sharing of their existing report, reducing the need for redundant checks.

This streamlined process can encourage more individuals to volunteer, knowing that the process is straightforward and efficient.

For organizations, the ability to share reports can reduce administrative burden and improve collaboration. Organizations can easily access relevant background check information, making it easier to make informed decisions about placement.

This can also enhance safety and security measures, as organizations can quickly identify volunteers who may not be suitable for certain roles based on their background check information.

CI's VolChecked™ offers a seamless solution for sharing background check reports. By leveraging this technology, organizations can simplify the background check process, improve collaboration between organizations, and create a more efficient and user-friendly experience.

Creating Safer Communities

Conducting thorough background checks on volunteers is essential for organizations to ensure the safety and security of their programs. By following best practices such as verifying identities, checking criminal histories, and reviewing experience, organizations can mitigate risks and create a safer environment.

Leveraging technology, such as CI's VolChecked™, can streamline the background check process and improve collaboration between organizations, ultimately creating a more efficient and user-friendly experience.

By prioritizing volunteer background checks and implementing best practices, organizations can enhance the effectiveness of their programs and make a positive impact in their communities.