The screening process involves assessing risk, writing
position descriptions and discerning the suitability of a volunteer for
a given ministry and possibly modifying the setting and arrangement of
the task so as to reduce risk. The process also involves training,
ongoing supervision and support of the volunteer.
The higher the level of trust of a ministry and the more risks
involved, the more the screening process becomes critical.
IS SCREENING MANDATORY AND
WHO IS MANDATING THIS INITIATIVE?
Yes, screening is mandatory. Since
2000, The Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops have recommended that
screening be initiated in every diocese in the Province.
In order for this to happen, each individual Bishop must then
mandate the process in his Diocese.
In February of 2005, then Archbishop Anthony Meagher, mandated Screening
in Faith in the Archdiocese of Kingston. It
continues to be implemented to this day. The
screening process is carried out in accordance with the Screening Policy of the Archdiocese of Kingston.
DOES
SCREENING SUGGEST THAT VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF CAN’T BE TRUSTED?
No
it does not. Like most
prudent behaviour, screening is intended to prevent problems that may or
may not occur. However, screening
addresses the reality that it is possible a person could seek out
faith communities with the intent of stealing money, property, or
harming participants and/or staff.
WHO
IS SCREENED?
All regular volunteers and paid staff, both existing
and new, should be screened. The
screening requirements and procedures vary from one ministry to another,
depending on the level of risk and trust level assigned. A
volunteer who is alone with a vulnerable individual necessitates a more
thorough screening procedure than a volunteer who participates in a
group setting. It is
the nature of the ministry and the inherent level of risk which dictates
the need for screening and not the character of the volunteer
THREE
CATEGORIES of MINISTRY POSITIONS
Volunteer positions are evaluated based on the risks
inherent in the positions. The
risk levels are low, medium and high.
Early on in the implementation of Screening
in Faith in the Archdiocese of Kingston, it was decided to
categorize positions according to a level of trust rather than
risk. Hence, we don’t
speak of high, medium and low risk ministries, but rather of General
Trust, Increased Trust and High Trust ministries.
General
Trust: Volunteers who participate in a group setting, who
have minimal or no contact with children or other vulnerable people, and
who have minimal access to confidential information.
Examples of GENERAL
TRUST positions are choir members or lectors. These individuals would be
required to read a position description, read the volunteer guidelines
and to fill out a volunteer information form.
That’s it, that’s all folks for a GENERAL TRUST ministry.
Increased
Trust:
Volunteers who participate in activities that may involve contact
with vulnerable people, either on a more regular basis or in a private
setting but in the presence of another volunteer.
Also included are volunteers who have a greater access to
confidential information.
A position assessed
as GENERAL TRUST requires the volunteer or staff member to fill out a
volunteer information sheet, read the position description as well as
the volunteer guidelines, be interviewed and provide references.
An example would be a member of the Parish Finance Council or the
Parish Pastoral Council.
High
Trust:
Volunteers who participate in ministries that involve an
on-going, intensive or one-on-one interaction with vulnerable people,
such as children and seniors as well as volunteers who are in a position
to exert influence over youth. This
includes volunteers who have access to confidential records, money and
the physical premises.
The most rigorous
screening is reserved for positions deemed HIGH TRUST and this includes
an interview, reference checks and a police records check as well as
reading the position description and volunteer guidelines and filling
out a volunteer information sheet. Some examples of High Trust
ministries are: Youth Ministry, Pastoral Care Visitors, visitors to the
home bound, Catechists and collection counters. Paid
staff are almost always categorized as High Trust.
Positions that have been assessed as GENERAL or
INCREASED do not require a police records check.
PRIORITY
IN SCREENING
The top priority in terms of ministries to be screened are High
Trust positions. That is,
positions where individuals deal with children, youth, vulnerable adults
or in which volunteers or staff have access to Church property, money
and/or confidential information.
THE CONCEPT OF
“SCREENING” CAN BE SEEN AS HAVING NEGATIVE OVERTONES.
IS
THERE A MORE POSITIVE WAY
OF SPEAKING ABOUT IT?
This question comes from the mistaken notion that screening is a
one-dimensional tool or that is just means a police check.
Actually, Screening in Faith is a complete volunteer management process
involving 10 ‘Safe Steps’, divided into three areas.
BEFORE SELECTING
1) Determining risk factors surrounding the position
2) Designing and writing clear position descriptions
3) Establishing a recruitment process
THE SELECTION PROCESS
4) Using an application form
5) Conducting interviews - for Increased and High Trust
positions
6) Asking for and following up on references – for Increased and
High Trust positions
7) Requesting a police records checks – for High Trust positions
only
SUPPORTING
VOLUNTEERS and STAFF
8) Orientation and training - all ministries
9) Supervision and evaluation - for High Trust and sometimes Increased
Trust
10) Participant follow-up - very important with High Trust positions
One can see that the ‘The 10 steps’ are an excellent volunteer and staff management tool
that can help parishes organize themselves better, assess and clarify
their needs and identify better ways of administering in the area of
volunteers and staff.
WHO DOES
SCREENING AT THE PARISH LEVEL?
Each Parish has been asked to set up a screening
committee of 2 to 5 members to be responsible for the screening of
volunteers within their own parish. The
Pastor is normally responsible for selecting its members. Committee
members must participate in a mandatory training session offered by the
Archdiocese at which time they receive the necessary manuals, models,
templates etc. Following this training, these individuals are
responsible, in collaboration with the Pastor, for ensuring that each of
the 10 Safe Steps is implemented within the Parish.
Parish Screening Committee Members must undergo a
screening process for HIGH TRUST positions.
This includes an interview, reference checks and the request for
a police records check. In
addition,
given the highly confidential nature of their work, they are asked to
sign a special Oath of Confidentiality.
In some cases, a
parish may be too small or may have special challenges in implementing
the process. In such cases,
the Office of Risk Management can assist in securing the necessary
screening volunteers and all necessary assistance to ensure the process
is carried out according to Diocesan policies.
WHAT
IF A PERSON IS DOING SEVERAL MINISTRIES, SOME GENERAL, SOME INCREASED
AND SOME HIGH TRUST - DO THEY NEED TO BE SCREENED SEVERAL TIMES?
No. When a
parish member is involved in several ministries, they are to be screened
for the position of the highest trust.
If the parish member started in a general trust ministry, then
moved on to a increased or High trust ministry, the additional steps to
the screening processing would need to be completed at that time.
It goes without saying that the volunteer would also need to
participate in any additional training/initiation that would be required
for these new ministries.
BY WHAT DATE IS ALL THE
SCREENING TO BE COMPLETED?
Screening is an ongoing process that will never be “done”.
Eventually every parish in the Archdiocese will have a screening
committee and all those currently volunteering will have completed the
initial screening steps. However, screening also involves ongoing
supervision and evaluation of those in ministry, as well as a review of
the effectiveness of the programs offered. In
other words, screening needs to be understood as an ongoing process
of ensuring that all those involved in ministry, whether as participants
or volunteers, are protected and supported.
WHY
SHOULD CATHOLICS VOLUNTEER IN THEIR PARISHES IF THERE ARE RISKS OR
INCONVIENCES FOR THEM?
An initiative such as this is not easy to begin but, it is
crucial for us all. Even the
Good Samaritan did not act free of risk. But risk should not discourage
action when it’s the right thing to do.
Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we are all called to share our
gifts with one another and with the world. Given the importance of this
call from God, it is essential that we, as a community, do all we can to
assure that the right gifts are shared in the right way, at the right
time, by the right people. We fulfill our mission more effectively when
we make every effort to ensure a richer, stronger, more vibrant and
safer community of faith.
THE VITAL ROLE
OF THE LAITY IN TODAY’S CHURCH and SCREENING IN FAITH
Screening in Faith is
very relevant to the Apostolic Exhortation of John Paul II Ecclesia
in
America
, in which a key phrase of the Pope’s Exhortation is
quoted.
"The
renewal of the Church in
America
will not be possible without the active presence of the laity.
Therefore, they are largely responsible for the future of the
Church." -
Article 44 - Ecclesia in
America
This
Initiative is a very concrete sign of the Church’s support in helping
its lay faithful manage and organize the activities of volunteers and
staff in all parishes in order that they properly fulfill their role of
renewing the Church in
America
.
VOLUNTEERS
and PARISH LIFE
Volunteering
has been the mainstay of most programs and ministries offered in our
parishes. We need to
continue to recognize and appreciate the invaluable contributions of so
many volunteers and to do what we can to protect, strengthen and support
our faith community through the work of volunteers and paid staff.
