Open Forum

Hi All,

I am re-writing the volunteer guidebook for the university museum where I work and came across the question of whether or not to run background checks for volunteers. Our previous volunteer managers never required one, and since most of our volunteers only dedicate 2-3 hours per week as gallery attendants, I am concerned that requiring a background check would discourage prospective volunteers from applying. My colleague suggested requiring background checks only for the few volunteers who help out at our family day events. Does anyone have suggestions regarding requiring background checks for volunteers? Are there any relevant experiences or policies from your organizations that you could share?

Thanks.




------------------------------
Lauren Williams
Museum Assistant
Fairfield University Art Museum
Fairfield CT
------------------------------

Hi Lauren,
You may want to start with contacting your insurance company and see if they have any requirements or suggestions.  Often, insurance companies will require a background check for anyone that is working with or supervising a minor for liability and safety reasons.  If you do decide to go with a background check, make sure you look into the different kinds as there are some that are just on a national level and won't have information on any potential issues that occurred outside of the US.  

Good luck!

------------------------------
Eloise Wierzbicki
Customer Service and Sales Representative
Art Display Essentials
eloisew@artdisplay.com
www.artdisplay.com
www.10-31.com
www.easelsbyamron.com
2 West Crisman Road
Columbia, NJ 07832
USA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-13-2017 10:56 AM
From: Lauren Williams
Subject: Volunteer Background Checks?

Hi All,

I am re-writing the volunteer guidebook for the university museum where I work and came across the question of whether or not to run background checks for volunteers. Our previous volunteer managers never required one, and since most of our volunteers only dedicate 2-3 hours per week as gallery attendants, I am concerned that requiring a background check would discourage prospective volunteers from applying. My colleague suggested requiring background checks only for the few volunteers who help out at our family day events. Does anyone have suggestions regarding requiring background checks for volunteers? Are there any relevant experiences or policies from your organizations that you could share?

Thanks.




------------------------------
Lauren Williams
Museum Assistant
Fairfield University Art Museum
Fairfield CT
------------------------------

I would review the Volunteer Children's Act as well as talk with your insurance company.  Our organization conducts background checks on all volunteers whether they work directly with children or not.  The reasoning is, we have a large number of children visit our location so anyone on our campus has access to children.  We have not experienced anyone declining to provide a background check.

------------------------------
Debbi Huff
Human Resource Manager
Ohio History Center - Ohio History Connection
Columbus OH
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-13-2017 10:56 AM
From: Lauren Williams
Subject: Volunteer Background Checks?

Hi All,

I am re-writing the volunteer guidebook for the university museum where I work and came across the question of whether or not to run background checks for volunteers. Our previous volunteer managers never required one, and since most of our volunteers only dedicate 2-3 hours per week as gallery attendants, I am concerned that requiring a background check would discourage prospective volunteers from applying. My colleague suggested requiring background checks only for the few volunteers who help out at our family day events. Does anyone have suggestions regarding requiring background checks for volunteers? Are there any relevant experiences or policies from your organizations that you could share?

Thanks.




------------------------------
Lauren Williams
Museum Assistant
Fairfield University Art Museum
Fairfield CT
------------------------------

If your museum has a lawyer they consult, that's a good place to start. Some states legally require background checks in certain situations and will define that. So you should check to see if the State of Connecticut requires checks and what those are. If there are no legal requirements, it is a good idea to have all volunteers who work in areas where there are children to do something. That way if something happens I(and the checks will not prevent anything) you can at least show that you took good steps to screen volunteers.

Pennsylvania recently clarified its requirements and made it easy to do PA State Police Criminal Checks and PA Child Abuse Clearance checks on line (free for volunteers). For volunteers here who come from out of state, they also do FBI fingerprinting. For PA, the checks are good for 5 years and volunteers can keep the results and use them for other institutions where they volunteers. When we first introduced them, there was some kick-back - from volunteers who worked behind-the-scenes who rarely encountered minors. That was more in the style they were introduced than the principle of doing them. These days volunteers are used to this and understand that it protects their museum in the event of a lawsuit. If you make sure volunteers understand why they need to do the checks they are more likely to accept the inconvenience and invasion of privacy.

I believe that it is very rare that museums these days do not requires some kind of checks. Do some research to see what is required and what is effective.

------------------------------
Lois Kuter
Manager of Volunteer Services
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Philadelphia PA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-13-2017 10:56 AM
From: Lauren Williams
Subject: Volunteer Background Checks?

Hi All,

I am re-writing the volunteer guidebook for the university museum where I work and came across the question of whether or not to run background checks for volunteers. Our previous volunteer managers never required one, and since most of our volunteers only dedicate 2-3 hours per week as gallery attendants, I am concerned that requiring a background check would discourage prospective volunteers from applying. My colleague suggested requiring background checks only for the few volunteers who help out at our family day events. Does anyone have suggestions regarding requiring background checks for volunteers? Are there any relevant experiences or policies from your organizations that you could share?

Thanks.




------------------------------
Lauren Williams
Museum Assistant
Fairfield University Art Museum
Fairfield CT
------------------------------

The Sheldon Museum of Art conducts criminal background checks on volunteers who work with money and in our collections office/storage. As part of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln we are required to conduct sex offender checks on any volunteer who works with youth.

------------------------------
Monica Babcock
Associate to the Director and Administrative Project Manager
Sheldon Museum of Art University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln NE
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-13-2017 10:56 AM
From: Lauren Williams
Subject: Volunteer Background Checks?

Hi All,

I am re-writing the volunteer guidebook for the university museum where I work and came across the question of whether or not to run background checks for volunteers. Our previous volunteer managers never required one, and since most of our volunteers only dedicate 2-3 hours per week as gallery attendants, I am concerned that requiring a background check would discourage prospective volunteers from applying. My colleague suggested requiring background checks only for the few volunteers who help out at our family day events. Does anyone have suggestions regarding requiring background checks for volunteers? Are there any relevant experiences or policies from your organizations that you could share?

Thanks.




------------------------------
Lauren Williams
Museum Assistant
Fairfield University Art Museum
Fairfield CT
------------------------------

Original Message------

Hi All,

I am re-writing the volunteer guidebook for the university museum where I work and came across the question of whether or not to run background checks for volunteers. Our previous volunteer managers never required one, and since most of our volunteers only dedicate 2-3 hours per week as gallery attendants, I am concerned that requiring a background check would discourage prospective volunteers from applying. My colleague suggested requiring background checks only for the few volunteers who help out at our family day events. Does anyone have suggestions regarding requiring background checks for volunteers? Are there any relevant experiences or policies from your organizations that you could share?

Thanks.




------------------------------
Lauren Williams
Museum Assistant
Fairfield University Art Museum
Fairfield CT
------------------------------

We are a city owned museum so all of our volunteers have to undergo background checks. I do understand your concerns about volunteers who don't give much time, but I would suggest that any volunteer who interacts directly with the public or who deals with materials that may be valuable or sensitive undergo one. These are great safeguards and 9.9 times out of 10, there is no problem with a volunteer, but it is better to be safe, especially when dealing with the public.

------------------------------
Sara Phalen JD
Director/Curator
West Chicago City Museum
West Chicago IL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-13-2017 10:56 AM
From: Lauren Williams
Subject: Volunteer Background Checks?

Hi All,

I am re-writing the volunteer guidebook for the university museum where I work and came across the question of whether or not to run background checks for volunteers. Our previous volunteer managers never required one, and since most of our volunteers only dedicate 2-3 hours per week as gallery attendants, I am concerned that requiring a background check would discourage prospective volunteers from applying. My colleague suggested requiring background checks only for the few volunteers who help out at our family day events. Does anyone have suggestions regarding requiring background checks for volunteers? Are there any relevant experiences or policies from your organizations that you could share?

Thanks.




------------------------------
Lauren Williams
Museum Assistant
Fairfield University Art Museum
Fairfield CT
------------------------------

The more information I have, the more it seems like doing background checks is the right decision. Thank you all for the great advice and for pointing me in the right direction.

Sincerely,
Lauren

------------------------------
Lauren Williams
Museum Assistant
Fairfield University Art Museum
Fairfield CT
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-13-2017 10:56 AM
From: Lauren Williams
Subject: Volunteer Background Checks?

Hi All,

I am re-writing the volunteer guidebook for the university museum where I work and came across the question of whether or not to run background checks for volunteers. Our previous volunteer managers never required one, and since most of our volunteers only dedicate 2-3 hours per week as gallery attendants, I am concerned that requiring a background check would discourage prospective volunteers from applying. My colleague suggested requiring background checks only for the few volunteers who help out at our family day events. Does anyone have suggestions regarding requiring background checks for volunteers? Are there any relevant experiences or policies from your organizations that you could share?

Thanks.




------------------------------
Lauren Williams
Museum Assistant
Fairfield University Art Museum
Fairfield CT
------------------------------

Pennsylvania requires background checks for all volunteers that have direct contact with youth under 18.  For volunteers that are not paid, the fee is waived.  If you search for Pa Child Abuse, you can read additional information.

------------------------------
Brenda Applegate
Executive Director
Beaver County Historical Research and Landmark Foundation
Freedom PA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-15-2017 10:00 AM
From: Lauren Williams
Subject: Volunteer Background Checks?

The more information I have, the more it seems like doing background checks is the right decision. Thank you all for the great advice and for pointing me in the right direction.

Sincerely,
Lauren

------------------------------
Lauren Williams
Museum Assistant
Fairfield University Art Museum
Fairfield CT
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-13-2017 10:56 AM
From: Lauren Williams
Subject: Volunteer Background Checks?

Hi All,

I am re-writing the volunteer guidebook for the university museum where I work and came across the question of whether or not to run background checks for volunteers. Our previous volunteer managers never required one, and since most of our volunteers only dedicate 2-3 hours per week as gallery attendants, I am concerned that requiring a background check would discourage prospective volunteers from applying. My colleague suggested requiring background checks only for the few volunteers who help out at our family day events. Does anyone have suggestions regarding requiring background checks for volunteers? Are there any relevant experiences or policies from your organizations that you could share?

Thanks.




------------------------------
Lauren Williams
Museum Assistant
Fairfield University Art Museum
Fairfield CT
------------------------------