Open Forum

Hi Laura

Congratulations on your soon to be open institution!  Our volunteer program does include accepting volunteers who are part of the Deferred Prosecution Unit (community service)  Below is our background check guidelines as well as attached.

Background Check Guidelines

Madison Children's Museum will hire volunteers on a rolling basis and take the following into account: 

·         Does the applicant have prior records of violence against children or the elderly?

·         Does the applicant have prior incidences of violence towards co-workers?

·         Does the applicant have prior records of violence or battery?

·         Does the applicant have prior records of theft, robbery, or shoplifting? (Only considered in cases where the volunteer would be handling money.)

Note: Applicants charged or under investigation for violence against children or the elderly, violence towards co-workers, and/or violence or battery will not be admitted into the program.

If an individual fails their background check, Madison Children's Museum will review the applicant's file and make decisions about the hiring of that individual.

Madison Children's Museum will consider the following factors in regards to hiring volunteers and background checks:

1.       The nature and gravity of the offense or conviction that is reported on the background check

2.       The amount of time that has passed since the conviction or/and completion of the sentence

3.       The nature of the volunteer position

Special accommodations will be made for individuals hired with an offense on their background check including but not limited to:

·         Supervision at all times

·         Regular check-ins with coordinators and supervisors

·         Conversation with the individual about the background check

Sandra Bonnici

Associate Director of Education, Diversity, and Inclusion

Preferred Pronouns She/Her/Hers
Madison Children's Museum
100 N. Hamilton Street
Madison, WI 53703
Direct Line: 608.354.0542
Main line: 608.256.6445 x542

sbonnici@madisonchildrensmuseum.org

Fax: 608.268.1398
MadisonChildrensMuseum.org

Yes, we use them all the time, mostly for special events, and they are hit or miss. When we get adults they do incredibly well and are glad to be here rather than paying a fine. When we get teenagers, not so much. We always specify the type we will accept – no theft, no drugs, no violence of any kind - which limits the pool but I would rather be safe than sorry. We always put them together with either staff or senior volunteers so they are not left on their own, and we generally use them for set-up, parking lot detail, that sort of thing. But since we are located near a military base we sometimes get really high quality folks in which case we use them in more meaningful positions. We have even had some who came to us via this program that stayed on as full-fledged volunteers. Definitely worth the effort in this day and age.

Karen E. Stone

Museum Division Manager

St. Mary's County MD

Cell #240-925-0293

Office #301-769-3235

karen.stone@stmarysmd.com