The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 1

What it Means For Volunteers and Programs June 20, 2012

Community Relations and Development Conference

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 2

Today’s SessionFocus:

• What is a successful SFH program?• How does effective SFH

implementation impact volunteer management?

• What do I need to know if I oversee volunteers in programs serving children, youth and vulnerable adults?. . . And any other questions you have!

QUESTION

What is Safe From Harm?

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 3

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 4

What is Safe From Harm? A comprehensive safety and abuse

prevention program • Training: officers,

employees, and volunteers

• Employee/Volunteer hiring & supervision

• Program/activity planning and implementation

• Corps/program specific safety assessment

• Facility layout and design

• Procedures and practices

• AND MORE!

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 5

Safe From Harm• Program Handbook• Model Guideline

Manual• Program Safety Audit• Background Checking• Training Resources• Rapid Response

Guidebook/Poster• Current Policies &

Procedures

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 6

Objectives of Safe From Harm• Educate leaders and workers about

prevention of abuse or accidental injury• Enable leaders and workers to develop

procedures and practices that reduce risks• Protect adults from mistaken or groundless

accusations• Reduce liability for Salvation Army units• Build family confidence in Army programs• Prepare Army representatives to respond

should an incident or accident occur

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 7

Why Safe From Harm?• The Salvation Army is responsible for the

participants in our programs• Abuse and negligent accidents do happen – and

they can happen here• Child molesters and other predators target

churches and youth-serving organizations• Corps and programs not in compliance with Safe

From Harm are exposed to greater liability

Practically Speaking, in the Corps/Program:

• Common sense safety routines and practices • Careful planning of activities, both regularly

occurring and one-time• Appropriately screened and trained

employees and volunteers• Suitable environment(s) for activities• Knowledge of important policies and

procedures

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 8

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 9

Local Unit Compliance• Name of the corps’ SFH

Coordinator• Copy of most recent

Program Safety Audit• Copy of updated Rapid

Response Guidebook or poster

• Monitoring for Appropriate Screening and Training

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 10

A Comprehensive Approach

1. Protect vulnerable persons (children and

adults) in our care2. Protect our staff and

volunteers3. Protect The Salvation

Army

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 11

Preventing Maltreatment

Access Careful selection/screening procedures limit access

Overcome own inhibitions Rules, procedures,

education & training

Overcome external Strong supervision, wise barriers operating guidelines

Overcome Children / vulnerable adults / resistance families prepared to recognize,

resist, and report abuse

Volunteer Management and Safe From Harm

• Screening

• Training

• SupervisingThe Salvation Army USA Central Territory 12

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 13

Screening Before you bring on a volunteer:• Conduct a thorough, confidential

interview• Check at least two references• 18 years or older• Follow the 6 month guideline for

volunteers working with children, youth, or vulnerable adults

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 14

Required FormsApplicationStatement for Work with ChildrenDisclosure and Release of Information

Authorization (for criminal background check)

Guidelines for Adults Working with Children/Youth/Vulnerable Adults (signed copy for file)

Position Description (assigned in database)

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 15

Territorial Registry• Designated DHQ

personnel will check names against the Territorial Registry

• Your Divisional Volunteer Coordinator should be aware of this process, and which individuals are designated to access the registry

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 16

Territorial Background Check• Contracted with

Sterling• Divisional HR Staff

and Volunteer Coordinators conduct these checks

• Criminal/court records are searched

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 17

Background Check - OverviewA background investigation is

required for the following positions:

• Work with Children/Youth• Work with Vulnerable Adults (Elderly,

Disabled)• Candidates for Ministry Leadership• ALL Local Officers• Finance/Fundraising/ Planned Giving• Information Technology (I.T.)• Anyone in an otherwise “low risk”

position who, do to lack of supervision or some other circumstance, may have easy, unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults.

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 18

Look For Red Flags

• A strong interest in a certain age group or gender

• Lack of adult relationships and/or interests • Instability in work and life• Gaps in a person’s life history• Stressful events in the applicant’s recent past• Evasive or misleading answers• Rigidity in belief or doctrines

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 19

Guidelines for Working with Children, Youth and Vulnerable

Adults

Includes Children, Youth, Vulnerable Adults, Elderly Persons

Training: Specific to Position

• In person trainingOR• Online Training (NEW!)

• Both are appropriate• Most important: what type of training is

needed for this type of position?

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 20

Online Training• Online training is accessible through the SFH

Resources database on Lotus Notes• Volunteers who are not on Lotus Notes can

access the online training directly through the Praesidium website – directions/info on SFH Resources database

• Volunteer must know division name• Two required courses + more depending on

position

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 21

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 22

Good Supervision includes:• Two Adult Guideline• Observation• Periodic review of

volunteers• Contact with program

participants and family members

• Awareness of life stressors in volunteers

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 23

Safe From Harm Resources Database

• SFH Program Handbook• Model Guidelines• Program Safety Audit• Rapid Response

Reference• SFH Orientation DVD• Current Policies• Many valuable resources

for implementation and training

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 24

SFH Training Database Access to Safe From Harm Training records available for

download via Lotus Notes:File → Database → Open → Divisional Server →

USC Safe From Harm Training

Divisional SFH Coordinators• EMI – Charol McDonald• HRT – Captain James

Frye• IND – Captain Nicholas

Montgomery• KWM – Joyce Schau• MET – Major Sandra

Turner• MID – Gary Busiek• NOR – La Rae Roder

• WST- Linda Harrer• WMNI – Captain Rochelle

McClintock• WUM – Marian Smith• ARCC – Major Linda

MitchellRED = will change with officer moves SOON!

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 25

Common Concerns

• “Unofficial” volunteers• “Church” volunteers and

program/community volunteers• Inconsistent screening practices• Lack of position descriptions• Longtime volunteers• Local officers

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 26

YOUR QUESTIONS

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 27

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 28

Spectrum of Risk

NegativeConsequences SERIOUS

MINOR

LOW HIGHLikelihood an Incident Will Occur

STRONGPrecautions

MODESTPrecautions

MOST STRINGENTPrecautions

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory 29

If Other Questions Come Up

1. Contact your Unit/Divisional Headquarters– Child Safety Coordinator– Safe From Harm Trainer(s)– Divisional Youth Secretary– Divisional Social Services Director

2. Contact Territorial Child/Adult Safety Coordinator

E-mail: Helen_Campbell@usc.salvationarmy.orgsafefromharm@usc.salvationarmy.org

Phone: 847-795-3087