Jeanette Gisbert & Brenda Wilkin Utilize Your Best Resource – Volunteers – with the Support of Volunteer New York!

Agenda Introductions and Objectives Why Volunteers? Why Volunteer New York! Volunteer New York! Support and Resources Background Checks Questions and Wrap Up

Gain a greater understanding of how volunteers can help you advance your mission Learn how partnering with Volunteer New York! will support your volunteer program Obtain an introduction to background investigations for volunteers, employees, and board members Workshop Objectives

Expand the program e.g. outreach, workshops Full time staff can concentrate on the bigger picture Rich and diverse pool of experience to call on frees up staff time to specialize in different areas and helps to provide more time to develop and explore new methods to achieve your organizations services. Why Volunteers?

What are your Agencies goals? What are the topics/issues that matter most to your agency, your clients and the community? What are the skills/interest that are important to ensure your program success? How much time you can dedicate to training and supervision? What are your organization’s limitations to service initiatives? Considerations for Service Opportunities

The role that volunteers play in an organization influences the net benefits of your programs and services Charities that use a lot of volunteers report higher net benefits scores, as do charities that have a high volunteer-to-paid staff ratio Charities benefit from giving volunteers a variety of options to contribute to the operations of the organization When charities use volunteers primarily for office tasks, net benefits scores are notably lower. Urban Institute Study: Charities and Volunteers

Well-managed volunteer programs maximize the benefits and minimize the challenges of working with volunteers By investing in volunteer management capacity, charities can improve their net benefits scores. Urban Institute Study cont’d

Show Volunteer New York! Video Why Volunteer New York!?

75% of nonprofits in Westchester say they need more volunteers 59% of the public said they have not recently been asked to volunteer Volunteer New York! has 65 years of experience connecting the community to volunteer opportunities and promoting volunteering Why Volunteer New York!?

Information Gathering Volunteer Program Life Cycle – Budding – Growing – Mature

How Volunteer New York! Helps Build Organizational Capacity Staff Professional Development Volunteer Program Support

Organizational Capacity Volunteer Management Training HandsOn Connect Training Managed Projects – 9/11 Day of Service – Martin Luther King Jr. – Corporate Days of Service

Professional Development Volunteer Manager Affinity Group Leadership Westchester Agency E-news

Volunteer Programs Co-branded recruitment efforts Outreach and Referrals Volunteer Recognition – Volunteer Spirit Awards

Furniture Sharehouse Example

Background Checks

What Does It Mean? A background check or background investigation is the process of looking up and compiling criminal records, commercial records and financial records of an individual or an organization. Background check - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Background check - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Background _ check

Types of Backgrounds Criminal Driving Sex Offender Credit Identity Verification Monitoring Drug Testing

Costs of Backgrounds Varies Greatly – Depends on Names and Jurisdictions – Depends on Searches Included – Depends on Company Used

No Cost Services Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website – – Established in 2005 – Dru Sjodin 22 year old College Student Grand Forks, North Dakota Kidnapped and Murdered By Sex Offender Registered in Minnesota

No Cost Services Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website – – One National Search Site – Links Sex Offender Registries State Territorial Tribal

No Cost Services New York Sex Offender Registry – – DCJS – Division of Criminal Justice Services

No Cost Services New York Sex Offender Registry – – NOTE: By law, only Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders are listed on the public directory.

No Cost Services New York Sex Offender Registry – Risk Level Court Assigns One of Three Risk Levels – Level 1 (low risk of repeat offense), or – Level 2 (moderate risk of repeat offense), or – Level 3 (high risk of repeat offense and a threat to public safety exists).

No Cost Services New York Sex Offender Registry – Designation Sexual Predator Sexually Violent Offender Predicate Sex Offender

No Cost Services New York Sex Offender Registry – Designation

No Cost Services New York Sex Offender Registry – Recommended Contact Fax Attach Spreadsheet – Last Name – First Name – Birth Date Maximum 30 Names Per Fax

Sample of NYS SOR Fax

Who? Staff Volunteers Board Clientele

Best Practices Guidelines Best Practice Examples – Origin – Cursory Indicator New York – Sex Offender Registry State Specific $39.95 Per Person Flat Rate for Not For Profit Organizations

Not Mandated? Why wait? Why not enhance what is mandated? If mandated, do you understand what you are getting?

Questions and Wrap Up

No Cost One Half Hour Consultation Contact Michelle and mention you attended this presentation to schedule your consultation. Michelle Pyan, Licensed Private Investigator President, Commercial Investigations LLC Get Help

Brenda Wilkin Coordinator, Outreach Jeanette Gisbert Senior Director, Volunteer and Corporate Engagement Connect with Volunteer New York!