Did you know that 33% of all volunteers spend the most time volunteering in religious organizations? And that the #1 reason churches ended up in court in 2020 was sexual abuse of a minor?*
While it can feel uncomfortable or odd to run background checks on people that you have close relationships with, it shows your dedication not only to their safety and well-being but also to your community as well. Not to mention, it is a church’s legal obligation to protect children from undue harm or misconduct, making vetting volunteers a high priority.
To help prepare you for background screening volunteers in your church, remember this six-step checklist:
- Set standards for which volunteers need to be screened.
- Build your background screening package.
- Define clear rules and exceptions to the rules.
- Abide by FCRA regulations.
- Integrate with your church management platform.
- Determine whether the volunteer is a good fit for the position.
To learn more about these steps and how Verified First, the trusted and leading comprehensive background screening processor partnered with ACS Technologies, can help you protect your church today, check out our FREE guide: Background Screening Checklist: Church Volunteers Edition.
Leigh Ann Shelley joined the ACST team in 2019 as a Product Marketing Manager, overseeing the launch and overall communication of key solutions to support the church’s needs. Prior to joining ACST, she spent several years in communications and graphic design roles, most notably as a Communications Director for a large church in Florence, SC, where she leveraged Realm to help solve key ministry challenges.
